The water MUST be neutral (pH 7.0) to get any sort of accurate reading. IDK about ppm's, but distilled covers both the 7.0 pH and 0 ppm. A gallon cost under $1 and I keep an unopened jug around for accurate testing.
soil aeration questions
- Thread starter im4satori
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im4satori
Well-Known Member
the amount of calcium derived from lime in your source water will dictate the ph of the source water
but the ph is the ph
if im growing in hydro and I mix a batch/reservior of nutes real strong or mix a batch of nutes real weak it has no baring on the ph test
distilled water is known for have a neutral ph of 7.0 and little to zero ppm
I could be totally wrong but I thought the reason for starting with distilled water was to ensure your test water ph was ph 7.0 so that the test water doesn't throw off the readings
im not sure the actual ppm matters so much unless your measuring ppm ...again I could be wrong
but the ph is the ph
if im growing in hydro and I mix a batch/reservior of nutes real strong or mix a batch of nutes real weak it has no baring on the ph test
distilled water is known for have a neutral ph of 7.0 and little to zero ppm
I could be totally wrong but I thought the reason for starting with distilled water was to ensure your test water ph was ph 7.0 so that the test water doesn't throw off the readings
im not sure the actual ppm matters so much unless your measuring ppm ...again I could be wrong
im4satori
Well-Known Member
that's what I was trying to say lol
Buba Blend
Well-Known Member
So are you saying distilled water should always have a PH of 7?
It can't be 6?
Buba Blend
Well-Known Member
That is something I need to learn and figure out.
I have a gallon jug that I've had for about 4 months. PH has always been 6.
My last jug has always tested PH 6.
I'm gonna buy a new one and test it.
Do any of the other guys confirm the PH has to be 7?
7 is great if you have it but if I have distilled with a PH of 6 and 1 ppm are you sure it would not give the same result as the distilled with a PH of 7 and 0 ppms?
I want to make sure to do it right, I'm just learning.
I have a gallon jug that I've had for about 4 months. PH has always been 6.
My last jug has always tested PH 6.
I'm gonna buy a new one and test it.
Do any of the other guys confirm the PH has to be 7?
7 is great if you have it but if I have distilled with a PH of 6 and 1 ppm are you sure it would not give the same result as the distilled with a PH of 7 and 0 ppms?
I want to make sure to do it right, I'm just learning.
No, it can't be 6.
However, once opened, contact with the air will form a mild carbonic acid deal and lower the pH some, but I doubt it would lower it a full point.
That's why I keep a fresh gallon around. I also really check pH once or twice a year.
The way pH fluctuates in organic soil checking it more often would drive you crazy.
Get it in a good range and call it a day.
Buba Blend
Well-Known Member
Nice but you are still hopefully going to run out and get some distilled water. I'd like to know the PH when you open it and how it compares to the tests you are doing now.
Google distilled water pH and you will get the whole low down. Seriously
Something is way off if a new jug of distilled is not 7.0, or extremely close to that.
im4satori
Well-Known Member
I think I got a couple things going on
first
the ph of the soil has come up since a couple days ago... could be from the oyster shell, could be from the saturation of the soil, could be from the tea I dumped on it last night,
but its now reading 6 to 6.2
the slurry sample is giving me readings at 6.5
so it appears my ph probe might be off a half a point +/-
eitherway as long as im above 6.0 im good and going to stop worrying about it
first
the ph of the soil has come up since a couple days ago... could be from the oyster shell, could be from the saturation of the soil, could be from the tea I dumped on it last night,
but its now reading 6 to 6.2
the slurry sample is giving me readings at 6.5
so it appears my ph probe might be off a half a point +/-
eitherway as long as im above 6.0 im good and going to stop worrying about it
im4satori
Well-Known Member
Buba Blend
Well-Known Member
Distilled water is boiled off and the vapor/steam is condensed back into pure water, just like removing alchohol from the mash in whiskey making.
Thus the neutral pH of 7.0 and the zero ppm. It's also considered a 'dead' water, since there is nothing in it.
The google read is pretty informative.
Thus the neutral pH of 7.0 and the zero ppm. It's also considered a 'dead' water, since there is nothing in it.
The google read is pretty informative.
Buba Blend
Well-Known Member
What are you using to get those PH #'s from the slurry test. A probe or the drops?
MistaRasta
Well-Known Member
@Buba Blend
Water contains ions, both positively and negatively charged. The balance between these ions in the water is what's used to measure the ph. When you distill water you steam out all the ions leaving it void of charge, thus giving a neutral ph of 7.0
It should definitely be 7, anything lower and you know something is in there. Anything higher and you know something is in there.
Water contains ions, both positively and negatively charged. The balance between these ions in the water is what's used to measure the ph. When you distill water you steam out all the ions leaving it void of charge, thus giving a neutral ph of 7.0
It should definitely be 7, anything lower and you know something is in there. Anything higher and you know something is in there.
Buba Blend
Well-Known Member
I'm off to the store to buy some now.
im4satori
Well-Known Member
me too
lol
I gotta also get some dog food
see you when we get back lmao
this is starting to look like facebook...anyone want to come with me while I poop lmao
im4satori
Well-Known Member
oh..ah
im using the drops
just for shits and giggles I also dug up the vial specific for testing soil ph
it has the fill lines in it for soil wand water amounts... after a quick test using there provided fill lines the results where the same as mixing the 1/3 soil to 2/3 water...fyi
im using the drops
just for shits and giggles I also dug up the vial specific for testing soil ph
it has the fill lines in it for soil wand water amounts... after a quick test using there provided fill lines the results where the same as mixing the 1/3 soil to 2/3 water...fyi