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pH fluctuates to much

B

bluephoenix

Member
ok so i did a res change yesterday and the pH was at 5.6

today when i get home its at 7.1!!!!!

im using Advanced Nutrients organic line

iguana grow
growth excel

------------------------

these spikes have happend to me before on occasion and need some help fixing it..

i know the pH is suppost to gradually rise over the week but not that much :o..
 
Roseman

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
After they get so big and eat and drink so much, it just happens. I lower mine to 5.8 to 6.4 every night and the next day, when Ig et home, I have to do it again. It is normal.

Let me discuss pH more here.

pH is measured on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0. Pure water has a pH of 7.0 and is considered pH neutral. pH below 7.0 is considered to be acidic and pH higher than 7.0 is considered to be alkaline.
A substance, an additive that decreases pH (pH-Down) is called an acid while a substance that increases pH (pH-Up) is called a base. A substance that helps nutrient solutions resist pH changes when an acid or base is added, is called a buffer or stabilizer.
A pH difference of 1.0 is equal to a ten times increase or decrease in pH. That is, a nutrient solution with a pH of 6.0 is ten times as acidic as a nutrient solution with a pH of 7.0. A pH difference of 2.0 is equal to a hundred times increase or decrease in pH.
It is very important to keep the pH level within certain limits when growing [URL="https://www.rollitup.org/"]marijuana[/URL]. Even first time [URL="https://www.rollitup.org/"]marijuana[/URL] growers need to monitor the pH of their water-nutrient solution and keep it within optimum levels.
The pH level of your hydroponic nutrient solution will determine how well your plants are able to absorb nutrients. If the pH level is out of the proper range, the growth rate of the plants will slow down or stop.

We use TEST STRIPS or pH METERS to test and read the pH of the water.

First you have to realize that the pH is going to change daily as the nutrients are eaten. That means adjusting it daily. Goal is that those daily changes be slight and not major or drastic. And too, different sources of water yield different pH problems. The most difficult water is water HIGH in Minerals, or water that has NO minerals, like Filtered or Distilled water.

You have to have pH balanced nutes, or a buffer or a stabilizer in the water to keep it from roller coasting and spiking up and down.

I've done some research on pH Control and I 'd like to offer some advice and my opinion.

NEW growers worry about it too too much, and the biggest mistake they make is trying for a perfect contstant same pH.

Some grower books say strive for 5.9. Some books say between 5.6 and 6.8. Some experts recommend 5.7 to 6.3.
None agree or say the same thing although they all say keep it in the middle of acidity and alkaline.

You will do better, to just try to keep it between 5.6 and 6.8 without changing it often or more often than daily. Plants eat more nitrogen at 5.7 to 5.9 than at 6.7 to 6.9. But they eat more iron and magnesium at 6.5 to 6.8. You need a fluctuating pH level for your plants to absorb different nutes at different levels.
When you prepare your water, add nutes and pH test it, no matter what the results, if it is between 5.6 and 6.4, leave it alone or only adjust it slightly by .1 to .2 down.
DO NOT PLAY the pH Game.
Do NOT ride the pH Roller Coaster.
Limit adjsutments to once a day.
Avoid going UP and Down the same day.

It is better to be off, too high, or too low, than to adjust it too much at one time in one day.


Drastic or FAST adjustments really mess up the entire system.
Adjust gradually, and slowly.





The pH will vary daily, but should not vary more than .5 to .7 everyday, and if it does flucuate alot more up OR down daily, something is wrong.
First, ask yourself, IF growing in HYDRO, what is going into the tank? Water, Nutes, pH UP and Down should be it. Adding anything else, WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM, is not the wisest thing to do. (Yes, sometimes some small amount of peroxide or hydrozyme might be needed, but I've done 7 grows without it.)
And if you are making NUTE SOUP, ( a nutrient mix and supplement mix of more than two nutrients, supplements or catalysts) I can not advise you or help you with your pH.

Except for the very first time you add the water to the tank, You should pH balance your water FIRST, everytime, outside of the tank, then add the nutes, pH balance it again, then add it to the tank. It should not go up more than .5 within 12 hours or 1.0 in 24 hours.
If it does go up more in one day, you got to do something to stabilize it. After the first two or 3 weeks pass, and the plants are drinking a gallon a day, you can add one gallon back that is over adjusted or over compensated, to get it back down. FOR EXAMPLE, If the tank is reading 7.2, then add one gallon of 6.0, and you'll get it down SOME, without it being too drastic.
DRASTIC pH CHANGES WITHIN 24 HOURS ARE VERY DANGEROUS.


IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS,
try adding a lump of charcoal or two, tied in a panty hose or nylon stocking to the tank.
IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS,
go to Walmart or PetSmart to the Aquarium Dept, next to the fish food, filters and additives and sea salts, and get those little packages of Ammonia Control absorbent packets. They look like little sponges in a wrapper. They work great to stabilize the pH. Or get the Ammonia control pellets and add a few to the tank, IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS.

IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS, get everything in your tank like you want it, (except the roots or plants,) and add two heaping tablespoons of baking soda to a gallon of water,Stir it good, then add it to the tank. Wait ten or 15 minutes, then pH adjust it again. Then it should stay stabilized until the next Drain and Replenish.


A buffer solution is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid. It has the property that the pH of the solution changes very little when a small amount of acid or base is added to it. Buffer solutions are used as a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant value in a wide variety of chemical applications.

IF YOU ARE HAVING WILD EXTREME FLUCUATIONS,
primarily what one needs to add to the water are neutralizers and buffers that will stabilize the acid and alkaline levels to the degree that is required for the plants. Most of these stabilizing products are sold in great volume at any pet store that specialized in aquariums and tropical fish and if one is not familiar with what product to purchase, then one should consult with the qualified salespeople so as to arrive at a specific product that will properly address the specific needs of the fish and their owner. You want something that reduces the acid.

Do not use the charcoal, or buffers if you do not have to have them. They are only to be used in extreme flucuations.

pH

I am starting to soak my air stones and cubes in pH water of 6.0, and I want to discuss pH here.

pH, oh so important.

pH is measured on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0. Pure water has a pH of 7.0 and is considered pH neutral. pH below 7.0 is considered to be acidic and pH higher than 7.0 is considered to be alkaline.
A substance that decreases pH (pH-down) is called an acid while a substance that increases pH (pH-up) is called a base. A substance that helps nutrient solutions resist pH changes when an acid or base is added, is called a buffer. ..or stabilizer.
A pH difference of 1.0 is equal to a ten times increase or decrease in pH. That is, a nutrient solution with a pH of 6.0 is ten times as acidic as a nutrient solution with a pH of 7.0. A pH difference of 2.0 is equal to a hundred times increase or decrease in pH.
It is very important to keep the pH level in your water within certain limits when growing [URL="https://www.rollitup.org/"]marijuana[/URL]. Most grow-books say strive for 5.9, or some books say 5.6 to 6.2. Some books say 5.5 to 6.5, and you will not find two books that say the exact same thing. Growers need to monitor the pH of their nutrient solution and keep it within recommended levels.
The pH level of your hydroponic nutrient solution will determine how well your plants are able to eat and absorb nutrients. If the pH level is out of the proper range, the growth rate of the plants will slow down or stop.

Almost a 1/4 of all the problems I read about that growers experience are due to pH problems.
There are pH meters and test strips to test the pH of your water.
There are additives, or chemicals, made to adjust it, called pH UP and pH Down. These additives are to be used in very small amounts, like one gram, or 1/4 level teaspoon per gallon of water. (just a pinch)


First you have to realize that the pH is going to change daily as the nutrients are eaten. That means adjusting it daily. Goal is that those daily changes be slight and not major or drastic. And too remember, different sources of water yield different pH problems.

You have to have pH balanced nutes, and normal regular water or a buffer or a stabilizer in the water to keep it from roller coasting and spiking up and down.

I've done some research on pH Control and I 'd like to offer some advice and my opinion.

NEW growers worry about it too too much, and the biggest mistake they make is trying for a perfect contstant same pH.
You will do better, to just try to keep it between 5.6 and 6.8 without changing it often. Plants eat more nitrogen at 5.7 to 5.9 than at 6.7 to 6.8. But they eat more iron and magnesium at 6.5 to 6.8. You need a fluctuating pH level for your plants to absorb different nutes at different levels.
When you prepare your water, add nutes and pH test it, no matter what the results, if it is between 5.6 and 6.4, leave it alone or only adjust it slightly by .1 to .2 down.
Do NOT try to make it exactly 5.9.
DO NOT PLAY the pH Game.
Do NOT ride the pH Roller Coaster.
Do NOT adjust it more than .5 in 4 hours.

It is better to be off, too high, or too low, than to adjust it too much at one time.

Drastic or FAST adjustments really mess up the entire system.
Adjust gradually, and slowly.





The pH should not vary more than .5 to .7 everyday, and if it does flucuate alot more up OR down daily, something is wrong.
First, ask yourself, IF growing in HYDRO, what is going into the tank? Water, Nutes, pH UP and Down should be it. Adding anything else, WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM, is not the wisest thing to do. (Yes, sometimes some small amount of peroxide or hydrozyme might be needed, but I've done 7 grows without it.)
And if you are making NUTE SOUP, ( a nute mix and supplement mix of more than two nutrients) I can not help you or advise you about your pH.

Except for the very first time you add the water to the tank, You should pH balance your water FIRST, everytime, outside of the tank, then add the nutes, pH balance it again, then add it to the tank. Rule of thumb is your pH should not go up more than .5 within one 12 hour day or 1.0 in 24 hours.
If it does go up more in one day or two days, you got to do something to stabilize it. After the first two or 3 weeks pass, and the plants are drinking a gallon a day, you can add one gallon back that is over adjusted or over compensated, to get it back down. FOR EXAMPLE, If the tank is reading 7.2, then add one gallon of 6.2, and you'll get it down SOME, without it being too drastic.
DRASTIC pH CHANGES WITHIN 24 HOURS ARE VERY DANGEROUS.

IF YOU ARE HAVING A PROBLEM, AND ONLY IF IT IS GOING UP AND DOWN WILDLY, then try adding a lump of charcoal or two, tied in a panty hose or nylon stocking to the tank.
OR
Go to Walmart or PetSmart to the Aquarium Dept, next to the fish food, filters and additives and sea salts, and get those little packages of Ammonia Control absorbent packets. They look like little sponges in a wrapper. They work great to stabilize the pH. Or get the Ammonia control packets and add a couple to the tank.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A PROBLEM, AND ONLY IF IT IS GOING UP AND DOWN WILDLY, and you need a remedy then get everything in your tank like you want it, (except the roots or plants,) and add two heaping tablespoons of baking soda to a gallon of water,Stir it good, then add it to the tank. Wait ten or 15 minutes, then pH adjust it again. Then it should stay stabilized until the next Drain and Replenish.

From the book:
A buffer solution is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid. It has the property that the pH of the solution changes very little when a small amount of acid or base is added to it. Buffer solutions are used as a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant value in a wide variety of chemical applications.

IF YOU ARE HAVING A PROBLEM, AND ONLY IF IT IS GOING UP AND DOWN WILDLY,
you can simply add two heaping table spoons of baking soda to your water, (before you put it in the tank). Yes, it will wreck the pH, but then you adjust it with pH Down, OUT OF YOUR TANK, and then it will stay more stable for a few days longer.


Primarily what one needs to add to the water are neutralizers and buffers that will stabilize the acid and alkaline levels to the degree that is required for the plants. Most of these stabilizing products are sold in great volume at any pet store that specialized in aquariums and tropical fish and if one is not familiar with what product to purchase, then one should consult with the qualified salespeople so as to arrive at a specific product that will properly address the specific needs of the fish and their owner. You want something that reduces the acid.
 
B

bluephoenix

Member
:P you posted the same thing twice...

i think im going to do another res change just to have a fresh start..

the water where i live has a lot of chlorine and sometimes you can smell/feel it while taking a shower (off to go buy a tap filter :) )

but the ppm is 200 so its not drastically high

----------------------------------------------------------

my plants are on there 3rd week so there not very big or anything..

any more advice would be appreciated

---------------------------------

also i heard a high chlorine content can burn the tips of my plants and thats whats happening, plus the occasional high pH levels isnt helping them out either
 
medical.grow

medical.grow

Member
i had the same problem when i was useing an organic line up in an ebb and flow system. I found the best cure was to switch fertilizers to the flora nova one-part series. it claims to be ph stabilized and has allways kept the ph between 5-6.5 its really easy to use because its a one part line up. One bottle for veg and one for flower. However, when flowering i found that the plants need a little more nitrogen so i add a little of the veg newts.
 
medical.grow

medical.grow

Member
also when you get a chance go get a reverse osmosis water purifier. I live in a big city so for me, getting one was a must. chlorine is a poison. for best plant growth you need to remove it.
 
grobofotwanky

grobofotwanky

Well-Known Member
I've had a similar situation only once. I'd adjust it down to 5.9 at around 6 a.m. and by 7 p.m. it'd be around 7.2 My problem was caused by a light leak into my res(dwc), resulting in the growth of algae. The water would look cloudy and smell kinda funky. A rookie mistake that I fought with for about 3 days before I figured it out. May be nowhere close to your problem, but worth checking for. Hope you get it worked out.
 
Tookie123

Tookie123

Active Member
grobofotwanky said:
I've had a similar situation only once. I'd adjust it down to 5.9 at around 6 a.m. and by 7 p.m. it'd be around 7.2 My problem was caused by a light leak into my res(dwc), resulting in the growth of algae. The water would look cloudy and smell kinda funky. A rookie mistake that I fought with for about 3 days before I figured it out. May be nowhere close to your problem, but worth checking for. Hope you get it worked out.
Click to expand...
Yup I was gunna say the same. Algae cam deff cause major pH changes. I had that problem and I was advised to make sure light didn't hit the water.
H2O+Light+O2+Nutes=Algae!!!
 
B

bluephoenix

Member
medical.grow said:
also when you get a chance go get a reverse osmosis water purifier. I live in a big city so for me, getting one was a must. chlorine is a poison. for best plant growth you need to remove it.
Click to expand...
how much is one of thoughs?... my res tank is only 6L :P

ive hauled water before but its a pain really, i bought a brita tap water filter... anyone have luck with thoughs?..

it "says" it removes 99.99% of all micro stuff and chlorine smell and taste<--- but does that mean the chemical itself or does it just neutralize it? but stays in the water

----------------------------

heres a list of the top 10 brands out there and what they remove at what percentage rate they remove thoughs chemicals

http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.com/water_filter_comparison.php?d=gp&gclid=CN-SiNjA75wCFQTyDAodiUH3kg
 
I

Illegal Smile

Guest
bluephoenix said:
how much is one of thoughs?... my res tank is only 6L :P

ive hauled water before but its a pain really, i bought a brita tap water filter... anyone have luck with thoughs?..

it "says" it removes 99.99% of all micro stuff and chlorine smell and taste<--- but does that mean the chemical itself or does it just neutralize it? but stays in the water

----------------------------

heres a list of the top 10 brands out there and what they remove at what percentage rate they remove thoughs chemicals

http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.com/water_filter_comparison.php?d=gp&gclid=CN-SiNjA75wCFQTyDAodiUH3kg
Click to expand...
With a res that small just buy ro water at the supermarket.
 
medical.grow

medical.grow

Member
my r.o. system was about $200 Its kinda overkill for a grow your size but you will also be able to drink the extra clean water. If your water is from a municipal source, it will contain all sorts of chemicals includeing sodium floride. look in to what that is and how it's produced and to me, it was reason enough to get one. reverse osmosis filters remove most chemicals from the water. But for your size of op i would check for light leeks, clean out all tanks, buckets, and tubeing. get some fresh water form the store and see if that fixes the problem
 
bdomina

bdomina

Active Member
the smaller the res the more of a swing you might see. especially w tap water. try to let your tap water sit out for a few days w a bubble stone in it. it will help dissipate some of the chlorine. nova definately has buffers in it. i have noticed that 10 gal will stay stable where my smaller 4 gal will swing quite a bit.
 
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