Live Stoner Chat I've discovered a way to lower Ph without using PH down! If anyone is interested?

[SmokeJunior]

I've only recently decided to start growing, this is my first time and of course I was getting my Ph scale too high and disliked using another chemical to bring it down. Then halfway through my grow I thought maybe pumping oxygen into my water would maybe mix the chemicals up a bit and bring it down and low and behold! It works I don't think it's the mixing of chemicals bringing it down but the oxygen being pumped into the water I use a pipette to pump it from the bottom of my 1 gallon jug and hold the ph meter in there while I pump away. I don't know if many people do this or even know but I thought i'd mention it anyway keep it green peeps

 

[Roark]

Nice. Added oxygen. No your talkin hydro!

 

[SmokeJunior]

I'm talking about the water you pour into a soil grow

 

[Muddy]

It's more likely the chemicals. Oxygenating the water before use normally raises the pH of the water by about 1 full point.

 

[az2000]

I don't think it's the mixing of chemicals bringing it down but the oxygen being pumped into the water

Try that with some ordinary tap water. Just set a glassful on the table. You should see the PH rise over 2-4 days. Water absorbs carbon from the atmosphere, converting it to carbonic acid. Many growers use an aquarium air pump and bubbler stone to accelerate this process (stabilize the ph) and add tiny air bubbles to the water which is supposed to be beneficial to the roots.

You must be oxygenating your nutrients somehow, causing an acidic reaction. Like, oxidizing iron (or whatever). Whatever it is, it's probably good to get it out of the way before feeding. Better to get the ph stabilized rather than have it drift in the pot as it drys and gets aired out there. For example, if you didn't aerate, used "ph down" to get to your desired ph, it would probably do the same lowering of ph as it sat in the soil exposed to air. Whatever direction it goes, for whatever reason, I believe it's better to get that out of the way before watering.