hard2want35
Member
is it safe to use baking soda to raise the ph of my water the ph is 4.5 out of the tap
ph too low
- Thread starter hard2want35
- Start date
topfuel29
Well-Known Member
I think you should check your Ph meter.... Ph 4.5 out of tap water (city water) is way acidic. Your not taking your Ph reading at the proper solution temperature, or your Ph meter needs to be calibrated.
if you are getting tap water ph 4.5 from the city, you ought to sue them. Are you sure? If so let us know what city.
hard2want35
Member
I thank you for responding. I live in the mountains of nor cal and believe it or not this is well water. moved here from less than a mile away ph there was6.5 . my vehicle is down right now.getting to a grow shop is like pulling teeth. will baking soda actually hurt my plants if i use it for a short time
hard2want35
Member
I thank you for responding. I live in the mountains of nor cal and believe it or not this is well water. moved here from less than a mile away ph there was6.5 . my vehicle is down right now.getting to a grow shop is like pulling teeth. will baking soda actually hurt my plants if i use it for a short time
hard2want35
Member
I thank you for responding. I live in the mountains of nor cal and believe it or not this is well water. moved here from less than a mile away ph there was6.5 . my vehicle is down right now.getting to a grow shop is like pulling teeth. will baking soda actually hurt my plants if i use it for a short time
hard2want35
Member
I thank you for responding. I live in the mountains of nor cal and believe it or not this is well water. moved here from less than a mile away ph there was6.5 . my vehicle is down right now.getting to a grow shop is like pulling teeth. will baking soda actually hurt my plants if i use it for a short time
hard2want35
Member
I thank you for responding. I live in the mountains of nor cal and believe it or not this is well water. moved here from less than a mile away ph there was6.5 . my vehicle is down right now.getting to a grow shop is like pulling teeth. will baking soda actually hurt my plants if i use it for a short time
topfuel29
Well-Known Member
You should think about getting a acidic neutralizer for your well water.
use garden line to neutralize your soil
Taken from another site
WARNING: Do not use baking soda to raise soil pH or any vinegars to lower soil pH. It's a waste of time and money. These products are not strong enough to do any permanent soil acidifying or alkalining of soil. Plus too much sodium from baking soda is deadly to beneficial soil organisms!
Baking soda is mainly used in sustainable farming in tea forms as a plant foliage fungicide.
Vinegars are used mainly straight as a strong natural herbicide. Diluted and used sparingly (few tblsp per gallon of water or compost tea recipes), apple cider vinegar is great as a foliar acidic fertilizer, or as an ingredient for acidity in various compost tea recipes, for better phosphorus availability on flowering/fruiting plant foliages. Plus diluted vinegar in teas has some fungicidal powers too. Natural fruit vinegars can contain up to 30 nutrients in them.
For soil pH, nothing lasts longer or better, to chemically react with your native soil minerals, metals, organic matter, and soil microbes, than liming materials (high calcium carbonate materials) or powdered sulfur products.
Liming agents like lime or dolomitic limestone can raise pH up to 8.3, while wood ashes can raise soil pH up to 9.0!
Sulfur products can lower soil pH down to or below 5.0.
Of course the best soil pH range for all rich organic soils is between 6.0 to 7.0, for all the plant types or varieties that you can grow.
The beneficial microbes from rich compost and some good aerobic compost teas will buffer and balance the available nutrients and perfect local root soil pH to best suit your plant's needs later, after your native soil pH is within this balanced 6-7 range.
use garden line to neutralize your soil
Taken from another site
WARNING: Do not use baking soda to raise soil pH or any vinegars to lower soil pH. It's a waste of time and money. These products are not strong enough to do any permanent soil acidifying or alkalining of soil. Plus too much sodium from baking soda is deadly to beneficial soil organisms!
Baking soda is mainly used in sustainable farming in tea forms as a plant foliage fungicide.
Vinegars are used mainly straight as a strong natural herbicide. Diluted and used sparingly (few tblsp per gallon of water or compost tea recipes), apple cider vinegar is great as a foliar acidic fertilizer, or as an ingredient for acidity in various compost tea recipes, for better phosphorus availability on flowering/fruiting plant foliages. Plus diluted vinegar in teas has some fungicidal powers too. Natural fruit vinegars can contain up to 30 nutrients in them.
For soil pH, nothing lasts longer or better, to chemically react with your native soil minerals, metals, organic matter, and soil microbes, than liming materials (high calcium carbonate materials) or powdered sulfur products.
Liming agents like lime or dolomitic limestone can raise pH up to 8.3, while wood ashes can raise soil pH up to 9.0!
Sulfur products can lower soil pH down to or below 5.0.
Of course the best soil pH range for all rich organic soils is between 6.0 to 7.0, for all the plant types or varieties that you can grow.
The beneficial microbes from rich compost and some good aerobic compost teas will buffer and balance the available nutrients and perfect local root soil pH to best suit your plant's needs later, after your native soil pH is within this balanced 6-7 range.
for a very short time you can use a little bit of baking soda. But since you are on well water I do recommend that you get a water test before going much further.
At the very least test your EC and alkalinity (ppm meter and pool test kit will have alkalinity) in addition to just the pH. Its possible that your water is heavy in iron, or sulfer and if you don't take that into account you will have trouble with your grows.
