I just called GH tech support 2 weeks ago to ask the same question. Because of the issues I was having with AN pH Perfect in my hydro I was having to add a lot of pH down to try and keep it stable. What they said was that in the small, normal quantities needed in most situations their products do not kill the microbes, but at higher concentrations, they will. But to reach that point you would need to add about 1 oz. per gallon, far beyond what is normally needed to bring the pH in line.