Please... Ph help needed!!!!

Damn... first off... is anyone else having probs loggin in today??!?!?!


Anyway, got a 5 gal bucket dwc system at local growshop with netpot lid and cylindrical airstone. I put tap water ph'd to 6.0 in it with no nutes and NO PLANT.

I washed the hydroton several times and filled the water level in bucket up to where it's barely touchin bottom of netpot. Turn on bubbler, then go to sleep. In morning ph is over 8.0!!! WTF?

Don't have an ec/ppm meter and can't get one anytime soon. So.. i'm guessin it's something with my water or the airstone.

I called one of the helpers over at the growshop and he said he thought it could be the fact that since there were no nutes in water, apparently the bubbler whilst oxygenating the water was somehow f'n with the hydrogen and it was somehow throwin ph off...

Now i'm no hydro expert but i'd just like a lil more info on best guesses. I dunno.

One thing he did say that sounded like a good idea was to set aside a pitcher of the same water and see if it changes too, which i'm bout to do.

Any other ideas? Would bottled spring or distilled water do better if it turns out my well water is too high or low in something? Can't afford a RO filter atm. Sooooo... again, well water, over 2 pt ph jump overnight, NO PLANT, just hydroton uptop. Anyone that can put my mind at ease so i can get movin ahead with my first hydro grow, i'd be thankful.... thanks!!!

high calcium in water causes ph levels to increase, use ro water, can get it by the gallon/5gallon outside most grocery stores

ive never had a problem with my water because i use distilled. eliminates any and all water issues except for ph of course which you need to adjust also using distilled is what you should be doing if you dont have a tds meter, due to the water being as pure as possible, and will let you add nutes with accuracy.