Does pH Up/Down Kill Beneficial Bacteria??
- Thread starter bongrippinbob
- Start date
lbezphil2005
Well-Known Member
Molasses lowers the ph of the soil or water it's mixed with? I've used molasses but only took reading on water, only moved .3 points
bongrippinbob
Well-Known Member
Earth Juice makes an organic pH up/down that you can use.
Just remember to dilute the pH up/down in a bunch of water before it is added to your nutes. If you just dump it in your nutes, there will be spots where your pH drop/raises radically and will kill of the bacteria/fungi due to the pH level. Whether or not you are using organic or inorganic pH up/down, the fact that dropping straight up/down in your res will cause "hot spots" where the pH is way off. Once you mix it together it would be fine, but you have to figure you killed off all the bacteria/fungi that the pH up/down touched on its way in.
Just remember to dilute the pH up/down in a bunch of water before it is added to your nutes. If you just dump it in your nutes, there will be spots where your pH drop/raises radically and will kill of the bacteria/fungi due to the pH level. Whether or not you are using organic or inorganic pH up/down, the fact that dropping straight up/down in your res will cause "hot spots" where the pH is way off. Once you mix it together it would be fine, but you have to figure you killed off all the bacteria/fungi that the pH up/down touched on its way in.
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
Yes, generally molasses is acidic, here it says 4.3 for this particular horticultural molasses, it contains two weak organic acid products.
http://www.organic-gardening-shop.com/Agorganics/Images/MSDS_FILES/NW008.pdf
masonite420
Active Member
I like to use Mad Farmer's Nutrient Up Take Solution to lower ph naturally and break down nutes midway through the rez week........Peace
TheOrganic
Well-Known Member
Like the thread. I have used PH Down mostly cause of my Humboldt Equilibrium(has limestone in it) but Now since I have Hygrozyme I think I can level it off with that.
<Grasshopper>
Active Member
Hygrozyme works wonders for us dirt farmers. Man it made a huge difference when I started useing it. Plants never looked so good vegging. I sort of quit useing it as much durring flower. How about you guys
masonite420
Active Member
Yeah....I use Multizen, which is similar to hygrozyme, and I stop using it after week 3 of flower
Los Muertos
Active Member
I've had good results with Earth Juice ph up/down. A bottle of each lasts forever too.
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
agreed. I like the powder form over GH's liquid. Just safer and easier to use.
masonite420
Active Member
How is it safer?............ easier to use? ....O.K............Please explain
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
because if I spill it, it doesn't run everywhere and can be cleaned up.
easier to use because I don't have to use a pipette (tiny turkey baster) to measure it, I can use a spoon.
When I get the crystals on my skin they can be wiped off, but the liquid will burn ya fast. I use both interchangeably honestly, but i think the crystals are more bang for the buck, typical for liquid vs dry products.
masonite420
Active Member
Does the powder break down well in large batches of water?
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
yeah, it's acid crystals and they dissolve easy. earth juice is just a high quality company.
masonite420
Active Member
I thought it was GH? What do you think about naturally controlling ph with liquid silica and fulvic acid?
Matt Rize
Hashmaster
I don't think Fulvic Acid is actually acidic, much like Humic Acid. Although, your idea of naturally controlling pH is spot on. I've been experimenting with using hygrozyme to lower pH (it's hella acidic). Raising pH is never an issue with my CA alkaline water.
masonite420
Active Member
I use a product from Mad Farmer called N.U.T.S. (Nutrient Up Take Solution) ....Fulvic acid.....It must be acidic cause it drops my ph naturally....been usin it for years.....It's great for mid week when you wanna drop ur ph and break down available nutes as well........Silica and fulvic is all I use to control ph unless I am going over the suggested dose...then I supplement with ph up or down........Getting back to the point of the thread.........These organic products are not as harsh on your bennies as straight up and down.......Works for me.......Peace
bertiswho
Active Member
http://www.avocadosource.com/CAS_Yearbooks/CAS_37_1952/CAS_1952_PG_83-92.pdf
About 10 years ago while at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station one of the
authors made two composts from cereal straw
7 according to directions given by a
company selling inoculants and extracts. A small amount of commercial fertilizer
containing primarily nitrogen and a little phosphoric acid was added to one pile and the
inoculants and extracts were added to the other. The one receiving fertilizer
decomposed faster and the end product was superior, based on plant growth response.
Now Phosphoric acid is used as a ph down. why would they use this in composting if it killed all the microbes?
About 10 years ago while at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station one of the
authors made two composts from cereal straw
7 according to directions given by a
company selling inoculants and extracts. A small amount of commercial fertilizer
containing primarily nitrogen and a little phosphoric acid was added to one pile and the
inoculants and extracts were added to the other. The one receiving fertilizer
decomposed faster and the end product was superior, based on plant growth response.
Now Phosphoric acid is used as a ph down. why would they use this in composting if it killed all the microbes?
