PH'ing tap water

[Ganjamann2020]

Won't hurt I can't really say for sure if ph makes a difference I'm Going to start some clones tomorrow with tap water no adjusting ph see how they do

I just read that plants only uptake certain nutes at different PH levels, I have no idea myself, but I got this info from several different places including different breeding sites.

 

[Ganjamann2020]

Well I PH'ed a few gallons of my tap water 3 days ago with white vinegar and it's still under 6.5. I'm hand feeding daily as well so vinegar should be fine right? If I PH it to 6.2 and it raises a bit before I feed it again won't that allow for a better range of PH because they take up nutrients at different PH levels?

Just recalibrated my PH meter and the tap water I PH'ed with white vinegar 4 days ago still reads under 6, I double checked the meter by using a 3 way test kit for PH and the color is lighter than the scale allows for, and also a pool time test strip reads under 6.2. It may be degrading and the PH going up but it should work for long enough if I'm hand feeding daily, also want to see if the changing PH levels during different stages makes any difference.

 

[Muy Buds]

I never had a issue with ph I had some issues with clones in a turbo cloner the ph was high so I thought that might be the problem once I started feeding more plants took off I'm curious to know the results of your test I would really like to avoid phing water twice a day

 

[Ganjamann2020]

I never had a issue with ph I had some issues with clones in a turbo cloner the ph was high so I thought that might be the problem once I started feeding more plants took off I'm curious to know the results of your test I would really like to avoid phing water twice a day

It may be overkill on my part, I tend to make it more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[Ganjamann2020]

I've used white vinegar and never had a problem. You won't need much per gallon.

I just got an EC meter and my tap water EC reading is 0.984 and has a PPM of 492 with just vinegar added.

 

[Lou66]

I never had a issue with ph I had some issues with clones in a turbo cloner the ph was high so I thought that might be the problem once I started feeding more plants took off I'm curious to know the results of your test I would really like to avoid phing water twice a day

Nutrients are usually acidic. Might still be the pH. Can't be sure.

 

[Ganjamann2020]

Just saw where my tap water has 240 PPMs of sodium, should I invest in an RO unit or will this be ok for my plants?

 

[go go kid]

that sounds like a lot to me, but i don't do hydro, so wait for a hydro grower. just thaught the PH list might help

 

[1212ham]

View attachment 5371726

that sounds like a lot to me, but i don't do hydro, so wait for a hydro grower. just thaught the PH list might help

Whats the source of the chart? The problem with those charts is there are many, and there are significant differences between them. Which of them is correct? Does anyone believe that a plant won't take up any phosphorus below 5.25 or above 6.0?

 

[Billy the Mountain]

Whats the source of the chart? The problem with those charts is there are many, and there are significant differences between them. Which of them is correct? Does anyone believe that a plant won't take up any phosphorus below 5.25 or above 6.0?

Agreed, that's a very misleading chart and will cause many growers more harm than good.

In short, the tails are far too short in the chart above. I've gone whole runs with my pH at 5.8-5.9 and had no issues; according to the chart posted, I should have experienced severe Ca and Mg problems.

A brief write-up on pH charts:

https://scienceinhydroponics.com/2021/02/nutrient-availability-and-ph-are-those-charts-really-accurate.html

 

[1212ham]

Agreed, that's a very misleading chart and will cause many growers more harm than good.

In short, the tails are far too short in the chart above. I've gone whole runs with my pH at 5.8-5.9 and had no issues; according to the chart posted, I should have experienced severe Ca and Mg problems.

A brief write-up on pH charts:

https://scienceinhydroponics.com/2021/02/nutrient-availability-and-ph-are-those-charts-really-accurate.html

Thanks for the article, I was going to start a thread. Never trusted the charts, too many differences and I could never find a source.

 

[1212ham]

Just saw where my tap water has 240 PPMs of sodium, should I invest in an RO unit or will this be ok for my plants?

Post #16 shows 24 ppm.

 

[Ganjamann2020]

I never had a issue with ph I had some issues with clones in a turbo cloner the ph was high so I thought that might be the problem once I started feeding more plants took off I'm curious to know the results of your test I would really like to avoid phing water twice a day

I just broke down and got an RO system now my base water reads .004 EC and .0001 ppms according to my EC/TDS meter

 

[Muy Buds]

These are Clones from tap water only no adjusting ph levels

 

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Heya.

I have well water that sits around 8.2. Vinegar will work but the adjustment isn't long term. Try to pH out some water with it...then come back the next day and see where the pH is.

I just couldn't get rid of the pale yellow until I got the real deal pH down chems. Even dropping it to 5 cus I knew it would rise in a day didn't do it.
Just wasn't good here for long term use. pH chems are cheap.

Anyone who says "you don't need to do that..the soil will take care of it all!" hasn't done a grow with high pH water. @ some point lock out will show up...usually in flower when yer counting on weight. With the price/value of weed...a $15 bottle of pH down and a pH pen is nada in the scheme of things.

I can second this, I moved recently and went from county water to city water and my first grow on city water went to shit and couldn't figure out why until I found out the city water is super alkaline. According to the posted city test ( https://www.stlwater.com/water-quality/ccr2022.pdf )averaging 9.52 with swings from 8.25 to 10.21. Put on a two stage filter and still had problems so I sent the filtered water out for a test and it just came back at 8.2. I'm debating an under sink RO or just using the filtered water and ph-ing it down.

 

[Beeswings]

I can second this, I moved recently and went from county water to city water and my first grow on city water went to shit and couldn't figure out why until I found out the city water is super alkaline. According to the posted city test ( https://www.stlwater.com/water-quality/ccr2022.pdf )averaging 9.52 with swings from 8.25 to 10.21. Put on a two stage filter and still had problems so I sent the filtered water out for a test and it just came back at 8.2. I'm debating an under sink RO or just using the filtered water and ph-ing it down.

View attachment 5383897View attachment 5383898

My city water is pretty much illegally bad as well 3rd world bullshit. They put so much chlorine in it smells like a hotel pool when you turn on a hot shower. I put an RO system in and once purify the water that much you hardly have to use much pH down at all. A few drops can move a gallon of really clean water.