PH assistance...

PH is rising fast, every day it rises from 5.2 to 6.4-6.7. Nutes are at 870ppm. water temp is 72- 75. using gh nutes, bagseed about 45 days into flowering, mixing nutes 50%, just added the hps 5 days ago. this is my first grow.
Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.

DroBo said:

PH is rising fast, every day it rises from 5.2 to 6.4-6.7. Nutes are at 870ppm. water temp is 72- 75. using gh nutes, bagseed about 45 days into flowering, mixing nutes 50%, just added the hps 5 days ago. this is my first grow.
Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.

Click to expand...

Are you a tap water user? Hard water? Likely treated by the water treatment plant through the process of limw water softening? If so you water is loaded with soda ash. Soda ash is sodium carbonate, a strong alkaline. Unless you like adding acid daily the only other option is use an RO filter or buy RO water. The acid to use is phoshporic acid. Klene Strip sold at hard ware stores is phosphoric acid.

Generally the problem with RO water or water that is not hard water or lime osftened water is dropping pH.

fatman7574 said:

Are you a tap water user? Hard water? Likely treated by the water treatment plant through the process of limw water softening? If so you water is loaded with soda ash. Soda ash is sodium carbonate, a strong alkaline. Unless you like adding acid daily the only other option is use an RO filter or buy RO water. The acid to use is phoshporic acid. Klene Strip sold at hard ware stores is phosphoric acid.

Generally the problem with RO water or water that is not hard water or lime osftened water is dropping pH.

Click to expand...

reverse osmosis water only.

Quick rising ph is also an indication that something may be dead/dying in the res. How are your roots?

MostlyCrazy said:

Quick rising ph is also an indication that something may be dead/dying in the res. How are your roots?

Click to expand...

No the pH drops when organic matter is added to the system via putrefying organic matter.

Doesn't work that way in my system. Biggest culprit for me is a dirty airstone. I change to a new airstone and the ph settles down.

What? An airstone. Where is that coming from? Are you even reading the posted replies or question before posting a reply?

no he didnt read it. What type of medium are you using?

Hydro. The question was why the ph was rising and it has been my experience that when that happens there is something wrong with the hydro enviroment and for me most of the time it is something dirty in the tank like an dirty airstone. I run high nutes and lots of additives. In my case the Liquid Karma I use tends to settle on the airstones and they need to be cleaned every time. Being a stoner, sometimes I forget and a rising ph reminds me.

I don't do organic hydro and don't recomend organic hydro. It is a PITA. Organic nutrients and chemical nutrients and the way they behave in a resrvoir are very different. Nutrient reservoirs with organic fertilizers function too much like sewage treatment plants. I am an Environmental Engineer and know quite a bit about waste water treatment systems as I design them and I teach under graduate engineering students how they are designed and teach graduate students how to design them. As a result I do not recommend organic hydro. Huge amounts of problems are quite common with organic nutrient system used with reservoirs and inert media that do not occur with chemical nutrient systems. Like I said they are a PITA. I recomend that those wishing to grow with organic nutrients stick to soil grows.

I agree but I think Drobo said he was using GH nutes.

MostlyCrazy said:

I agree but I think Drobo said he was using GH nutes.

Click to expand...

I was obviously posting a reply in reference to your reply referencing your use of organic nutes and the pH problems you have when using organic nutes.. I am quite aware the original thread poster is using GH. I already answered his question as well as I could based upon his minimal provision of information. To provide anything else more information would be needed from the poster.

I didn't say anything about organic nutes. I asked if there was something dead/dying in the res and was refering to some possible dead spots on the roots or a dirty airstone.

"the Liquid Karma I use" Organics

Just one of many and I do see your point but it did not apply to the solution. Still think it's something dead/dying in the res because it happens to me sometimes in veg also but I don't use LK in veg.

His solution will likely not ever be achieved unless he provides more information.

What's the best info he can provide to receive your best help?

"Are you a tap water user? Hard water?" He did not reply. I can not do a water analysis via the internet. An adeqaute answererequires adequate info to work with. He has not provided it. He could be using water of any quality. i ca,t give any suggestions really without knowing the concentrates of soluble calcium and the alkaline carbonates. They chiefly determine water pH.

That can be found from the local water co., right? Still think he needs to check the res for dead material such as a burnt root or clogged up airstone. That jumping overnight is caused by something and it sounds like it just started.

MostlyCrazy said:

That can be found from the local water co., right? Still think he needs to check the res for dead material such as a burnt root or clogged up airstone. That jumping overnight is caused by something and it sounds like it just started.

Click to expand...

Yes the waterb supplier would give him the info. He would need to ask about hardness info and calcium info. wtaer palnts call those in house tests. They always run them but they are b ot required by law. Other wise th a smaple of thw e water could be taken to just about any sti ore that sells water softeners or to a tropical fish store orpet store that sells salt water fish.