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pH problem...help!

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Posted by collegegardener88 (My Page) on
Thu, Mar 27, 08 at 18:10

Hi all,

I am new to the world of hydroponic gardening. I started about 2 months ago with the Emily's Garden hydrogarden, and I seem to be having a pH problem. I use vinegar to lower my pH. It works in the short term, but after a brief drop in my nutrient solution's pH, the pH climbs right back up to the 7.5 to 8 range, requiring more vinegar. It seems to be "stuck" in this range, if you will, and I am not sure what to do about it. My tap water is usually around 6 pH or so.

I use pre-mixed nutrient solution called Flora Nova by General Hydroponics. Will this alter the pH of my tap water?

Is vinegar an acceptable form of pH adjuster?

What should I do?

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RE: pH problem...help!

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collegegardener88 wrote:
Is vinegar an acceptable form of pH adjuster?

It is - I use nothing else - but it is a weak acid and it wont work well on nutrients that are heavily buffered.
Aerating your nutrient with a fisktank bubbler will help. The air bubbles will remove the CO2-gas released by the acid.

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RE: pH problem...help!

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What medium are you using?
I have yet to meet a nutrient solution that didn't lower the pH. I use GH's 3 part liquid flora series and it always lowers the pH a point or so.
If your tap water is 6 and it rises(lowers the acidity) it seems there must be something else affecting the pH. What else can you tell us about your system?

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RE: pH problem...help!

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Vinegar/baking soda (calcium carbonate) works poorly with commercial nutrient solutions. Ph up and Ph down, available from most hydro places, controls Ph much better. Start there.

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