Problem with PH and PPM

SableZen said:

Yeah definitely mix the nutrients up well before they go into your res. Shake the hell out of the nutrient bottle every time before using too. I even go so far as to put a small submersible pump into a few liters of water with a smaller bucket, use warm water, and let the pump mix it for awhile before I add that bucket to the full amount of water and then add any additives. Then I let that bucket sit with an airstone in it for about an hour before I pH adjust. Then I add it to the res the plants are in. I don't make a big to-do about it and some nutrient lines need less attention to being mixed than others... Like with CNS17, I mix the hell out of that stuff. With Pure Blend Pro, I'd probably be fine just stirring it for a few seconds with a stick or something.

But yeah, moral of the story is not mixing things well could have your EC/TDS/ppm and pH all over the place.

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JohnnySocko said:

I was jack'n around with pool acid, vinergar and other bullshit....but even if GH's PH down is actually some cheaper shit repackaged I could give a shit...a bag of the dry stuff cost like $12 bucks and a scoop dissolved in a gallon last like forever....
anyway to the OP, just from your water params I'd guess you are in the midwest or Canada somewhere near a great lake...no?

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SableZen said:

Don't pH adjust until after you've mixed up your nutrients (and additives) as all of that will buffer the pH. If you are using decent hydroponic nutrients/additives, the pH should end up fairly close to where you need to be. Then adjust the pH down slowly if needed when you get to that point and things are well mixed - it's not a good practice to over-adjust the pH down and then have to bring it back up or vice versa. It's also not the best practice to do any mixing in a reservoir that is in use and has plants/medium in it.

Mix nutrients/additives well. Adjust pH, erring on the side of not enough rather than too much. Wait, preferably 30 min or longer while solution is being aerated. Finalize pH adjustment. Add to active reservoir.

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churchhaze said:

Again, there's nothing improper about the sulfuric acid he's using. It's a strong acid (fully dissociates) and provides sulfates.

An improper pH down would be something like vinegar or lemon juice. Sure, sulfuric isn't ideal (unless you intend to raise sulfate level), but it's not wrong either.

The question is, does adding sulfuric acid raise the sulfate level too high? Probably not. Tons of people use sulfuric acid as pH down.

Don't worry that it adds ppm if your plants aren't suffering. Most of that "ppm" increase is actually just an increase in EC from being more acidic.

Think about why sulfuric acid is used in batteries. It's because of it's high electric conductivity.

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churchhaze said:

This is only true if your water's ppm is relatively low. (under 150ppm or so) If you have very hard water (500+ with high carbonate content), after mixing your nutrients, pH will likely be too high. What's worse, there's a chance the water will become foggy (precipitation of calcium phosphate)

Ionic, for example, makes a 1 part complete formula for "hard water" that substitutes some calcium nitrate in their mix for nitric acid.

If you have very hard water, nitric acid is the best way to fix it since it takes the CaCO3 (solid) and turns it into Ca(NO3)2 (aqueous) + CO2

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SableZen said:

OP stated their tap pH is 7.2 - doesn't get much better than that for tap water and the addition of nutrients to it should have it pretty dang close to a good pH without much fuss. [And 200ppm is also pretty moderate (better than my tap).] But that pH and ppm doesn't qualify as hard water and I wouldn't run a "hard water" geared nutrient line with those stats and be happy I had great tap water.

But going back and reading the original post I just noticed something: OP you started by saying you were new to hydro and ended by saying you were growing in a soil mix... what exactly are you using? Are you measuring run-off?

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BunnyK said:

The full story is I purchased some quality seeds(13 seeds) and killed 11 of them by wrong germinating method,couldn't prepare well the rockwool cubes (rockwool here comes in as slab and use knife to cut,"fire insulation").So my plan was using hydroponic(i will list what I prepared to let u know) then most of them died and switched the last 2 seeds into soil to get clones later !!! Can call it as a commercial grow is ok,because that is my main target ^^
The 1st time to hydro so i list all the things I got below to everyone know how I prepared for a big battle :
tds pen,ph pen
Rh,co2,temp meter
CO2,sealed room (no air or light leak at 97%,not bad for a noob huh ?)
ventilation for two areas (mothers and flowering room)
Sulfur evaporator
ozone generator and 4 inc filter+Ipower fan to control odor
dehumidifier (20l/day)
1.5hp <=> 12000btu ac
4 600w hps for SOG style and one 600w hps for mothers
Ebb n flow system are DIY
I use all timer and don't use thermostat untill have more money to set the grow room to another level
I read "Al B fuct",got two books here by Jorge Cervantes,Mel Frank.
Most of things were Imported so have to think before making an order or just throw the money out of the window !
P/s : The rockwool I got here is industrial grade,many ones said that couldn't use but my bag seeds can grow on ?!? But I can't control for whole routine,if it works for seeds and doesn't work for clones ?!? So I am growing by soil rite now but always try to do in hydroponic through searching and learning,I also spent time on searching "how to transplant from soil to hydro",hope it help.

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Yodaweed said:

Dude you sound like you really are clueless about growing. First off you shouldn't try hydroponics because you have no clue how to even germinate a seed. Secondly stop using some much shit in your water, just leave the water out over night, then when you water adjust PH and freaking water. If using nutes , mix nutes into the water that was left out and then PH the mixture and water. Not so hard you are making it way too difficult don't start in dro when you have no clue man.

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SableZen said:

Wow ok - so you really just jumped on in to trying to commercially grow with both feet and are having to DIY a lot as well. lol

Hope you have some bag seeds to keep experimenting with?

What kind of nutrients are you able to get?

Did you rinse, wash, soak/pH treat that industrial rockwool before putting it in your system? I'm not familiar with what the differences are between industrial rockwool and horticultural rockwool and how that may effect things.

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