Ph Problems. Keeps Rising. Please Help!!!

rapt44

Active Member
Hello, I am running a recirculating top feed drip system in six of the 5 gallon buckets with pure hydroton and a 10 gallon reservoir with ice to keep it cool. Feeding goes on all day with 2 minutes every 10 to help it drain. I am using the three part advanced nutrients with silica, that fulsomething acid, nectarsweet, calmag, wet betty, and supervit. I have a CO2 system. Change the water out regularly. I am using RO water.

Here's the problem. A week ago my ph began to rise, I figured it was because the plants were getting root bound, so I transplanted them into their own 5 gallon buckets with a little bit of nutriboost. They seemed to do ok, but the ph kept fluctuating. Must be root rot right? So I used some of the Zone from dutchmaster (like peroxide). Still no change. I had a clog, fixed that (don't know why but I thought that could have been affecting ph, and then maybe the metal strainers I put in to prevent the clogs are affecting it?) Anyways, simplest answer is easiest. Calibrated my ph meter, it was off. Changed out all the water. Remixed everything. Seemed to have it fixed. The ph was staying at 5.6 or 5.7 where I put it! So I discontinued the Zone applications and as I am about to go into flowering, thought Id help bulk up the roots from the transplant with some tarantuala and iguana (the fungi stuff u use with it) as well as some hygrozyme.

Yet now my ph is back to rising to 6.1/6.2 in the course of a few hours!!! I even bought a second ph meter, calibrated them both and they both confirm that the ph is now rising.

My suspicions:
1) The hygrozyme is dissolving some of the dead root mass which is raising the ph.
2) The cultures are raising the ph as they get started.
3) I am running my 6 at around 700 ppm. Adding around 10 tsp of micro, 10 of bloom, 10 of grow, 30 total (as recommended by advanced's website for light feeding a 10 gallon reservoir), to my 10 gallon reservoir, then all the additives and excellerant junk to bring it up where it needs to be. Am I not adding enough of the basic 3 part solution, the big guys are going through that in a day or two, and that is rising the ph? But by as much as 5.5 to 6.2 in a half a day? And the ppm's don't seem to be changing much, if anything, they are rising.

Sorry for the long e-mail but I am stuck!!!!!! ALL HELP IS APPRECIATED AND WILL RECEIVE GOOD KARMA!

Woke up this morning and it was up at 7. I am finding that it is taking me A LOT of ph down to make this stuff go down at all. Should I just set it to 5.5 and let it go up to 6.6 in the evenings, then just take it down the next morning? Could this be new roots growing and causing ph to go up (some people said new root development raises ph.)
 

rapt44

Active Member
Well it seems to have stablilized! I changed the water and just used micro, grow, bloom, calmag, superthrive that good acid to help it digest, wet betty, and . . . hygrozyme (the last of which should clear up any dead material on the roots, like peroxide, but will allow the bacteria and fungi to stay alive).

What I have not added: floralicious, tea compost, supervit, nectarsweet (basically my organics), and dm ZONE - potassium silicate.

HOWEVER, I did tests in kitchen glasses with all the not added ones on the bottom (except zone) mixed with the hygrozyme then later cultures of bacteria and fungi. The ph first dropped, then climed about half a point. It was NOT as vigorous a ph change as what I saw in my rezzy.

SO WHAT IS HAVING THE INTERACTION? The hygrozyme and silica? The only two I haven't tested? This is weird!!!!
 

Smitty750

Well-Known Member
Maybe a dumb question but are the Ice Cubes you are using made of PH'd RO water as well? If not as they melt they will screw up your PH, and your PPM's
 

ToxicX

Active Member
Try using one of these methods to adjust the HP levels

viniger to lower ph
baking soda to rise ph
 

groprofosho

Well-Known Member
Rising ph is normal and a good sign. You should be worried about root rot if the ph starts dropping rapidly. Increase the resevoir system size. It will balance better- You should notice rising ph immediately after you change the water. this is the plant taking up nutes. the ph will slow after a day or two. I use 30 gallon res for each 3 plants and i still have to PH down them almost every day. Once the ph starts to drop change your water.
 

rapt44

Active Member
Guys, read the thread. I fixed this two days ago. It was too much stuff being used together. THE QUESTION IS WHAT"S CAUSING THE INTERACTION NOT HOW DO I MAKE THE PH GO UP OR DOWN.

I am sorry but I have consistently received terrible advice from all the forums I've been on save for one or two individuals at each like rezo who was correct in this case, and smitty, not a dumb question at all, but they aren't leaking and they are with ph'd water.

HOWEVER,
WOW. JUST WOW. To start, gropprofosho, you are no pro, rising ph is normal (BUT NOT AT THE LEVELS I DESCRIBED) I WAS GETTING PH SPOTTING . ALSO, ROOT ROT MAKES PH RISE.

I appreciate the advice, but I have been getting really bad advice on most of these forums, save for a few individuals, and am tired of it.
 
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