Hydroton ph

I have rinsed my hydroton very well but I noticed that the package that the hydroton came in says that the hydroton needs to soak in phed water. I did not do that and I’m experiencing a huge swing in ph. I thought hydroton was ph neutral. Does anyone else ph their hydroton?

It needs cleaned, and soaking in the ph it will be used in is best


Tap water will swing your ph a lot as well if your using that

When I ran Waterfarms I soaked my hydroton in a pH around 5.5 because when I didn't the pH would rise in the reservoir.
It will eventually straighten out.......don't worry.

A2Michigan said:

I have rinsed my hydroton very well but I noticed that the package that the hydroton came in says that the hydroton needs to soak in phed water. I did not do that and I’m experiencing a huge swing in ph. I thought hydroton was ph neutral. Does anyone else ph their hydroton?

Click to expand...

It takes on the pH of what you soak it in. But you need to set the pH before using it by soaking it in pH'd water. It doesn't come out of the manufacturing process pH'd and ready to use. That's why they instruct you to pH it before use.

I used hydroton for years and I always rinsed it well and then soaked it in pH'd 1/4 strength nutrient solution.

xtsho said:

It takes on the pH of what you soak it in. But you need to set the pH before using it by soaking it in pH'd water. It doesn't come out of the manufacturing process pH'd and ready to use. That's why they instruct you to pH it before use.

I used hydroton for years and I always rinsed it well and then soaked it in pH'd 1/4 strength nutrient solution.

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xtsho said:

It takes on the pH of what you soak it in. But you need to set the pH before using it by soaking it in pH'd water. It doesn't come out of the manufacturing process pH'd and ready to use. That's why they instruct you to pH it before use.

I used hydroton for years and I always rinsed it well and then soaked it in pH'd 1/4 strength nutrient solution.

Click to expand...

Do I plant them in the 1/4 strength nutrient solution or just soak them in that

A2Michigan said:

Do I plant them in the 1/4 strength nutrient solution or just soak them in that

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I just soaked my hydroton in pH'd 1/4 strength nutrient solution. I guess you could call it precharging. I do the same with coco. What strength you feed them after that depends on the size of the plants and how much nutrients they can use. But always start low and work your way up. You don't need full strength nutrient solution for newly rooted clones.

I was using an aerocloner and when well rooted I would transfer them pots of hydroton and put them in the flood tray. I haven't done hydro for years although I still have everything except the flood trays. It's a great high yielding method for growing if you get everything dialed in. When I did it I had a basement with water and a drain. After I moved it was too much of a hassle so I went to coco. Then I got tired of hand watering after some years and didn't want to mess with pumps for automated watering so I went to Blumats and haven't looked back. Now I'm going away from coco and blumats and going organic soil which I will still use the blumats for.

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Hydro Ton , clean it with Tab water and after that 24hours in water with ph 5 -5.5 ,
and i do adjust it when ph raises (most after 4 hours first time)
I want it to stay at 5.5