PH of H20 WON'T adjust!

I asked this question in the newbie section over an hour ago and i got NO response so maybe ya'll can help me. Ok, my friend left me a 2 gal. clean container filled with 2 gal. of tap water and a half a liter of 3% hydrogen peroxide added. It also has a running bubble stone in it. this is water for plants in soil, not a hydro set up. He asked me to adjust the ph level in the water for him while he went outta town. I CANT GET IT TO FUCKING ADJUST! I bought a new bottle of liquid ph increase and a new bottle of ph decrease. I have been adding 1ml at a time of the ph decrease solution and then let the water circulate from the bubbler for at least two hours, sometimes over night. Then, I check the ph level with the ph test strip and I test it with a test tube sample of the water and add the 3 drops of test soluition ( both are also new ), shake, and watch it change to the same blue color every time! I continuously get a reading around 7.5 or higher. Am I just missing or forgetting some crucial step? I know its gonna be one of those solutions I'm gonna kick myself for not realizing! I need ya'lls help! Thank ya'll in advance and Happy Growing!

First, buy a meter - the chemical tests are horribly innacurate.

Second, it sounds like he has hard water. What happens is that the calcium carbonate uses up the acid over time and the PH goes back up. You are probably also getting a white percipitate powder. That is likely calcium phosphate from the phosporic acid reacting with the ca carbonate.

Just keep going until it stops or get some distilled water or at least better water.

RickWhite said:

First, buy a meter - the chemical tests are horribly innacurate.

Second, it sounds like he has hard water. What happens is that the calcium carbonate uses up the acid over time and the PH goes back up. You are probably also getting a white percipitate powder. That is likely calcium phosphate from the phosporic acid reacting with the ca carbonate.

Just keep going until it stops or get some distilled water or at least better water.

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Yeah he has hard water but I heard that was supposed to be good for the plant because it has minerals in it. I know to let it sit for some days to let the chlorine dissipate. The water hasnt been used on any plants yet, they got a good watering before he left. so no matter how much decrease solution I add, it will just go back up after a few hours or so? what do I do?

No, eventually all the Ca will be used up and the PH will stay where you want it. This may take more than 0.5 tsp per gallon of PH down.

Hard water is not good for the plants because it can cause problematic salts. But you really don't need to worry too much about PH if watering a few times. The soil kind of takes on a PH of its own unlike hydro - you just don't want to constantly flush with water that is 7.9. By no means should you be using hydrogen peroxide - it will kill bacteria necessary for the nitrogen cycle among other important biological processes.

H2O2 is not really for soil. If you had to over water I guess it would help. And yes plants need some minerals, but hard water is just to much. And, yes it will resist ph adjustment until all he buffer is used up.

Do your friend a favor, go and but a couple of gallons of distilled water and ph adjust that if you need to. Also, unless you are storing the water for some time there is no real need for a air stone when growing in water. Hydro, YES. Soil, not so much. The air is added be allowing the soil to almost dry out between feedings.

The plants will love it and your friend will love you because his plants look so good.

Best of luck.

RickWhite said:

No, eventually all the Ca will be used up and the PH will stay where you want it. This may take more than 0.5 tsp per gallon of PH down.

Hard water is not good for the plants because it can cause problematic salts. But you really don't need to worry too much about PH if watering a few times. The soil kind of takes on a PH of its own unlike hydro - you just don't want to constantly flush with water that is 7.9. By no means should you be using hydrogen peroxide - it will kill bacteria necessary for the nitrogen cycle among other important biological processes.

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Thats what I thought about the hard water as well, he says its good for plants and the hydroperox helps bring O2 to the roots. Ive heard of people using O2 to counteract root rott but not in everyday watering. its his set up and i promised him i would follow his proceedure but i guess im gona have to do whats right and change this shit up while he's gone. i dont want him to get back and the plant be fucked up and get blamed for it! Thanks for the advice and clarification!

StreetRider said:

H2O2 is not really for soil. If you had to over water I guess it would help. And yes plants need some minerals, but hard water is just to much. And, yes it will resist ph adjustment until all he buffer is used up.

Do your friend a favor, go and but a couple of gallons of distilled water and ph adjust that if you need to. Also, unless you are storing the water for some time there is no real need for a air stone when growing in water. Hydro, YES. Soil, not so much. The air is added be allowing the soil to almost dry out between feedings.

The plants will love it and your friend will love you because his plants look so good.

Best of luck.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the well wishing! I agree with what you're saying, and im gonna have to change this shit up for the good of the plants! Isnt allowing the soil to almost dry up before feedings considered to be a form of stress training? I thought I remember hearing that it helps with, potentcy? I can't remember. Funny, A stoner who can't remember something! Thanks again for the well wishing and advice!

It is not so much about stressing the plant, as making sure that you don't create root rot.

Also, in soil (in nature) it never rains everyday for the whole growth season.