PH before or after adding nutrients?

[resinryder]

You know, I've done it both ways. What I've found is this. You can adjust the water prior to nute addition. Adding the nutes is gonna change the ph and then you have to readjust after addition. Making the first adjustment therefore was a waste of ph up/down. Soooo, I just add the nutes to the water, let it sit and bubble for a while then adjust to where you want it. I use calmag in my res at the rate of 2ml/gal when using plain tap water(usually 7.2-7.3 here) and 4 ml/gal when using RO water. I do notice my ph drifts more when I use just RO water more so than when using plain tap water. Just my take on ph adjustments. RR
Tip for using Clearx, I use it once a month during the growth cycle mixed at 15ml/gal water. As it floods the table(usually for about a hour, or until EC/PPM settle out) about every 15 minutes I scoop some up in a container and pour over the top of my rockwool cubes and lightly "rub" off any salts residue.Just seems to clean it up a bit better allowing better air exchange. At the end of the bloom cycle when I begin the final flush I mix at 30ml/gal water and do the same way as stated above. Flush until ec/ppm settles out then pour out that water and add fresh water and a product name "Final Flush"(unscented) and let it run on your normal feed cycle for 2 days.I then replace that with plain water for another 4-5 days changing the plain water daily. I have found that doing it this way really increases the flavor factor and removes any chemical elements. I know that was a lot off topic(lol) just tryin to help.

 

[Guest]

Since changing to RO water, I find that the nutrient itself is perfect to adjust the pH to between 5.5 and 5.7 and it seems to stay absolutely stable for two weeks or even more. I haven't adjusted pH since buying the RO filter.

 

[Guest]

Locked and loaded. Just got the Karma, CalMag, SilicaBlast, Sweet, Clearex and Hydroguard (prolly didn't need that one). Might as well be wearing a Botanicare T-Shirt

Which bloom formula are you using? If you are using the PBP Bloom for hydro, I have been told to add a secondary bloom booster.

People have had success with the soil formula of PBP, but that was unavailable at the time to me. Hydroplex is another botanicare product that can be used (Again, unavailable at my time of purchase.).

I ended up using Tiger Bloom, or rather, will be using it, as this is my first grow with the botanicare stuff. I've been told that pk 13/14(?) is good to use as well.

Texas Kid (iirc) uses TopMAx.

So far I've been having good luck with the PBP line.

Since changing to RO water, I find that the nutrient itself is perfect to adjust the pH to between 5.5 and 5.7 and it seems to stay absolutely stable for two weeks or even more. I haven't adjusted pH since buying the RO filter.

Same here. I'm almost ready to stop checking (but I probably wont)

 

[aeric]

My tap water is always 7.0 but no idea about the PPM yet (meter soon i hope!). I always add pH down first because I already know what the final result will be...I add 1.5-1.7 ml/gal for mild and medium veg formulas respectively and 1.2-1.5 for mild and medium flowering. The result is always the same....it's not like you don't already know what will happen if u add say 1ml pH down and 10ml of your nute and wait 2 hours. So why add anything after if you don't need to? Then again I am talking about fresh solutions made for run to waiste, reservoirs are a different story. I think the best thing for a reservoirs pH is to use mostly RO and cultivate beneficial bacteria, never completely dumping the tank (via Hurtback or an aquarium style). If adding say 15ml of nute brings down the pH of your solution (with RO water) too much, why not add 1/2 of that or whatever brings it to the right pH, then add more when it goes back up? (assuming your ppms are also going down)

 

[Guest]

Which bloom formula are you using? If you are using the PBP Bloom for hydro, I have been told to add a secondary bloom booster.

People have had success with the soil formula of PBP, but that was unavailable at the time to me. Hydroplex is another botanicare product that can be used (Again, unavailable at my time of purchase.).

I ended up using Tiger Bloom, or rather, will be using it, as this is my first grow with the botanicare stuff. I've been told that pk 13/14(?) is good to use as well.

Texas Kid (iirc) uses TopMAx.

So far I've been having good luck with the PBP line.

PBP Bloom. And yes, I too feel you need an additional P/K booster to supplement the PBP. Some strains shown me a P deficiency using PBP, but upping the dosage also upped the Nitrogen which gave me problems.

 

[3legdog]

late flower formula

late flower formula

I ve been using the EJ bloom (0-3-1) bubbled for 24-48 hrs'...it stabilizes the ph at mid 6s' where i like to feed & works well late/last few 'feedings'. Take care all 3ld

 

[Guest]

My RO water is about PH 6.0. With PBP, Cal-Mag your PH will drop to about 4.8... It is a never ending battle bringing it up into the range I wanted for my ebb and flow tables.

I recently switched my flower nutes from PBP to Age Old Organics, which IS OMRI certified and suitible for hydro, as mentioned on the current label. So far I've had great success with this nute. I still add Cal-Mag and sometimes a little iron (Fertilome brand) to the mix. As a blowm booster, I've used TopMax with good success.

With this combination, my PH holds very well with little if any adjustment.

Monitor your PH often... you can't go wrong that way.

Mais-

 

[Sleepy]

bump...

those of you having success with the r/o units, do you also have a water softener?

thanks.

 

[Guest]

Sleepy:

Part of the problem with my tap water is that the city softens it as part of the purification process. The TDS coming out of the tap is around 420. The RO unit removes all the salts & crap and gives me an effective TDS between 0 and 10.

 

[00420]

i add ph as needed.

after adding nutes a day later ph can jam right back up too 7.0....
u have to add ph down after nuting theres no way u could not n stil have green plants.......

i have all so had water evap or plants up take it one of the 2... & then found my ph at 4.7... having to add ph up most the time u can get away with just adding water but theres all ways the 1 time its just not enuff....

so i say....... add it as need.

 

[Sleepy]

ok, i have decided to group my nutes/additives by the way they affect my pH...

one group that raises pH and another that lowers pH...

i have also started to check my pH LAST...after whatever i am adding to the water, but just before i water the plants with it.

is this a good way to go about it?

i think i will use less pH adjusters this way...we'll see.

 

[buhdyman]

Im glad to see everyone knows their ph techniques. a fun experiment i did a while back was to do exactly that . I used two home made powergrowers i made out of 5 gallon buckets u know the ones with the ciphen water system. well i found that the best way to maintain a precise stable ph was to ph after the nutrients are added .

 

[00420]

ok, i have decided to group my nutes/additives by the way they affect my pH...

one group that raises pH and another that lowers pH...

i have also started to check my pH LAST...after whatever i am adding to the water, but just before i water the plants with it.

is this a good way to go about it?

i think i will use less pH adjusters this way...we'll see.

i add my nute's by AN's 2+ chart..in the order it say's then adjust ph

 

[Sleepy]

...so i'm on the right track then??

 

[mrwags]

I myself fill my rez with plain water except for 5 gallons shy. Then I fill a 5 gallon water bottle 1/2 full and mix the PBP and Liquid Karma together (the 2 heaviest) and shake the shit out of it for a few dump in the rez then 1/2 fill again and mix the remainder of the nute's.I never adjust ph before nutes it is a waste, by using the PBP tho I hardly every adjust but having a nutra drip meter in the rez makes for a lot of RESTFULL nights knowing exactly whats up without having to dip all the damn time. Oh and Sleepy I got a Christmas gift for ya brother if ya can use it?

my 2 cents

Mr.Wags