looking for ph down recomendations

bakenast

bakenast

Well-Known Member
I use general hydro ph down and its just too weak, compared to ph down from advanced nutes that I bought before but its more pricey,

can anyone give me a suggestion of what they use,, thats potent..

i was reading food grade phospherice acid 85% is good any one tried this?
 
SheepsBlood

SheepsBlood

Well-Known Member
I use Advanced Nutrients PH Down. It adds a little Phos but thats ok.
I have 2 55 gallon tanks. I only need 10ml to drop my PH from 6.5 to 6. So, 1 quart will last quite a long time.
Don't use battery acid. It's not pure Sulfuric acid. Depending on the source, it could have arsenic, lead, cobalt, or many other heavy metals.
Always use products from the shelf at your local grow store, online, or pharmaceutical grade.
 
SheepsBlood

SheepsBlood

Well-Known Member
bakenast said:
I use general hydro ph down and its just too weak, compared to ph down from advanced nutes that I bought before but its more pricey,

can anyone give me a suggestion of what they use,, thats potent..

i was reading food grade phospherice acid 85% is good any one tried this?
Click to expand...

Well as long as it's food grade it will be the same as Advanced Nutrients, just double the strength. AN is 44%
 
Lightgreen2k

Lightgreen2k

Well-Known Member
bakenast said:
I use general hydro ph down and its just too weak, compared to ph down from advanced nutes that I bought before but its more pricey,

can anyone give me a suggestion of what they use,, thats potent..

i was reading food grade phospherice acid 85% is good any one tried this?
Click to expand...
KryptoBud said:
DIY PH Down from Sulfuric Acid. (Battery Acid)
Click to expand...
Why do People suggest such Fuck shit. The ph that you purchase in a bottle is designed to work and maintain the ph in the water.

Don't be some backyard hill billy...
 
K

KryptoBud

Well-Known Member
Lightgreen2k said:
Why do People suggest such Fuck shit. The ph that you purchase in a bottle is designed to work and maintain the ph in the water.

Don't be some backyard hill billy...
Click to expand...
Maybe you should read something before running your mouth. "It's designed to work and maintain the PH" How? What's in it genius? ACID!! every PH down product "designed" is some kind of acid whether it's citric, sulfuric, phosphoric acid (made with sulfuric acid) and probably muriatic acid.

Look into how fertilizers are made. 50% of sulfuric acid produced is used to make fertilizers. Have you noticed how the ph drops when you add fertilizer to water?

I'd bet if it had pretty label and was on the shelf next to the super bionic bud blaster or the freshly bagged unicorn farts for $50 you'd be first in line singing it praises cuz "that's what it's designed for" Get a small clue what you're talking about before calling names, it makes you look dumb.

https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/floriculture/plugs/alkalinity.pdf

sulfuric acid: Uses of Sulfuric Acid - Infoplease

https://www.plantfoodco.com/golf-professional-turf/products/water-treatments/phirst-urea-sulfuric-acid/

http://www.hydroponics.com.au/what-acid-should-i-use-for-ph-control/

http://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/is-diluted-sulfuric-acid-safe-to-lower-ph.46637/
 
ruwtz

ruwtz

Well-Known Member
Whats the problem with it being too weak?

I run it and actually dilute it again to avoid precips or massive pH changes too quickly and/or too local (poorly mixed).

Example: 1oz GH pH down - diluted in 8oz of straight water - in a 25gal tank brings pH from 9 to a stable 6.5 after adding K-silicate. Not a drop more required after adding all other nutes and sits stable at 5.8 the whole time until refill in 7 days time.

There are concentrated versions of pH up/down available, and I have seen dry flakes of phosphoric acid too, but since i've arrived at a balanced way of working i'm not about to fuck with it.

$20/gallon goes a long way too.
 
fridayfishfry

fridayfishfry

Well-Known Member
Potassium bicarbonate
It's not as strong as typical pH up
(potassium hydroxide)
It acts as a buffer so you don't have to add it as frequently
It's the number one choice for hydro-organic
~$6 / lb
 
Last edited:
rikdabrick

rikdabrick

Well-Known Member
fridayfishfry said:
Potassium bicarbonate
It's not as strong as typical pH down (potassium hydroxide)
It acts as a buffer so you don't have to add it as frequently
It's the number one choice for hydro-organic
~$6 / lb
Click to expand...
I think you might have mixed that one up. Potassium bicarbonate is pH up. Citric acid is what Earth Juice uses for their natural pH down.
 
C

churchhaze

Well-Known Member
SheepsBlood said:
I use Advanced Nutrients PH Down. It adds a little Phos but thats ok.
I have 2 55 gallon tanks. I only need 10ml to drop my PH from 6.5 to 6. So, 1 quart will last quite a long time.
Don't use battery acid. It's not pure Sulfuric acid. Depending on the source, it could have arsenic, lead, cobalt, or many other heavy metals.
Always use products from the shelf at your local grow store, online, or pharmaceutical grade.
Click to expand...

lead sulfate's solubility in water = "0.00443 g/100 mL (20 °C)"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_sulfate

Good luck getting any appreciable amount of lead in battery acid.

If you're worried about heavy metals, avoid the ground.
 
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