pH question...

Can you use sodium carbonate to decrease pH? -more acidic
Can u use sodium bisulphate/bicarbonate or a citric acid/trisodium nitrilotriacetate mix for pH alkalinity increaser...-more alkaline.

Now, either way, these are the chemicals for my hot tub, but those are the only chemical ingredients... Thought maybe it didn't matter....

I have a lot of sodium carbonate

Plant one soil is 7.0 and my pHmeter claims mild surplus.
Plant 2 soil is 6.5 and reads adequate. I'm checking NPK as soon as my soil settles out of the H2O. Is plant 1 unhappy or willl something happen to the plant?

I use potassium bicarbonate myself as a ph up, works fantastic.
though haven’t tried alternatives. I’ve heard people use lemon juice as a ph down for Organics, though haven’t needed to make my water more acidic.
As long as it works and doesn’t hurt the roots/micro biology you should be good to go, all within moderation.

Nubiewithboobies said:

Can you use sodium carbonate to decrease pH? -more acidic
Can u use sodium bisulphate/bicarbonate or a citric acid/trisodium nitrilotriacetate mix for pH alkalinity increaser...-more alkaline.

Now, either way, these are the chemicals for my hot tub, but those are the only chemical ingredients... Thought maybe it didn't matter....

I have a lot of sodium carbonate

Plant one soil is 7.0 and my pHmeter claims mild surplus.
Plant 2 soil is 6.5 and reads adequate. I'm checking NPK as soon as my soil settles out of the H2O. Is plant 1 unhappy or willl something happen to the plant?

Click to expand...

Don't use anything sodium. For pH down, you can use acetic acid (vinegar), citric acid (lime/lemon juice), ascorbic acid (vitamin C). I've been using ascorbic acid (vitamin C) for the past few weeks after reading some info posted on RIU, but I always used vinegar or lime/lemon juice forever before that, and it works fine. Do not apply directly. Dilute a small amount in water, and water with that to adjust the pH. Use a reliable meter or drop test to measure the diluted mix's pH before applying. Just a little of the above listed acids goes a long way.

I use DynaGro Protekt potassium silicate product to raise pH.

Tracker said:

Don't use anything sodium. For pH down, you can use acetic acid (vinegar), citric acid (lime/lemon juice), ascorbic acid (vitamin C). I've been using ascorbic acid (vitamin C) for the past few weeks after reading some info posted on RIU, but I always used vinegar or lime/lemon juice forever before that, and it works fine. Do not apply directly. Dilute a small amount in water, and water with that to adjust the pH. Use a reliable meter or drop test to measure the diluted mix's pH before applying. Just a little of the above listed acids goes a long way.

I use DynaGro Protekt potassium silicate product to raise pH.

Click to expand...

Thank u! Do you think that 6.0-7.0 is ok? One is 7.0 and one is 6.5. they both started at like 6.3 and have been bouncing between 6.3 and 6.8. I started them in FF ocean and guano soil and have been using different levels of fert for diff stages. I'm using a dilution of FF's general feed (0.0:0.5:0.0. and a dilution of FFs Bloom (2:8:4) mixed 2tsp each in distilled gallon. I made a sprinkler out of the cap and I use it between 2 plants every 3rd day and on the off days I either wait for it to rain or i use rain barrel or tap (besides minute excess of calcium in the tap water it's neutral in pH). I also wait til the top of the soil is dry and deeper in is lightly moist (I call it dry moisture, I know that's not a real thing, but it is a mental gauge for what's been working) I have a moisture problem bc of the weather lately and my buds are dense...

Green_Alchemist said:

I use potassium bicarbonate myself as a ph up, works fantastic.
though haven’t tried alternatives. I’ve heard people use lemon juice as a ph down for Organics, though haven’t needed to make my water more acidic.
As long as it works and doesn’t hurt the roots/micro biology you should be good to go, all within moderation.

Click to expand...

Thank you! I responded on the other thread if you care to comment. I'm running a NPK level soil test right now, it's still separating...

I never pH my soil, but I pH the water and/or feed mix. I try to be at 6.0-6.5. I just use tap water out of the hose. Mine comes out around pH 8.2 and TDS 200ppm. So I always use pH down. I try to feed my full veg and flower plants around 1000ppm and my early/mid veg plants around 500ppm.

For my in-ground plants, I just sprinkle salt nutes, soluble kelp, soluble humic/fulvic, and ascorbic acid on top and water it in. They seem to like it.

Tracker said:

I never pH my soil, but I pH the water and/or feed mix. I try to be at 6.0-6.5. I just use tap water out of the hose. Mine comes out around pH 8.2 and TDS 200ppm. So I always use pH down. I try to feed my full veg and flower plants around 1000ppm and my early/mid veg plants around 500ppm.

For my in-ground plants, I just sprinkle salt nutes, soluble kelp, soluble humic/fulvic, and ascorbic acid on top and water it in. They seem to like it.
View attachment 4948798

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Holy pot plants!!!!!!!!! You aren't from the tristate area (NY, NY, CT) are you?? Lol.

How do I measure PPM and humidity? Its an outdoor grow in a NY summer, it's kinda always humid to me and it rainedfor a week straight and some buds have had moisture rentention issues and I have some budrot...is there any kind of spray for that? I've been shaking off the dew and pulling them under the porch if it's gonna rain all day. Little rain is great. Lotta rain is humid and heavy. It's a different kind of moist, if you know what I mean. have a decent kit to check NPKand pH....but PPM and RH idk how to measure

Tracker said:

I never pH my soil, but I pH the water and/or feed mix. I try to be at 6.0-6.5. I just use tap water out of the hose. Mine comes out around pH 8.2 and TDS 200ppm. So I always use pH down. I try to feed my full veg and flower plants around 1000ppm and my early/mid veg plants around 500ppm.

For my in-ground plants, I just sprinkle salt nutes, soluble kelp, soluble humic/fulvic, and ascorbic acid on top and water it in. They seem to like it.
View attachment 4948798

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I'd also love to help you defoliate and see what's under the mystery canopy. Keep me updated with pics on those ladies. You are an awesome source of knowledge and from the looks of it...it certainly pays off! You are so relaxed about what to do... Plant whisperer.

Nah...I've never been up that far on the East side.

For ppm and ph, I use the following inexpensive testers. There are way better ones available, but these get the job done for me. You have to calibrate the pH tester frequently. I recalibrate once per month.



For RH I have a small cheap sensor that shows outdoor RH and temp.

If you're growing dense buds and the RH is high, then mold can become a real problem. I don't apply any sprays **. I shake the plants after it rains.

Edit:**No sprays to buds. I do spray neem, spinosad, and BT during veg.

Nubiewithboobies said:

I'd also love to help you defoliate and see what's under the mystery canopy. Keep me updated with pics on those ladies. You are an awesome source of knowledge and from the looks of it...it certainly pays off! You are so relaxed about what to do... Plant whisperer.

Click to expand...

Well...don't overestimate me

Most of what I learned is from reading here and applying it. I get problems sometimes for sure.

I do whisper to my plants though

Tracker, definitely check that meter early and often. I had two and neither was reliable.