Live Stoner Chat PHing WATER QUESTIONS

[seb56]

I always PH my water using distilled before I add my nutes. But adding Cal Mag lowers the ph. Should I adjust the ph after adding the cal mag or before like I have been.

 

[Simplicio]

I always PH my water using distilled before I add my nutes. But adding Cal Mag lowers the ph. Should I adjust the ph after adding the cal mag or before like I have been.

It's slightly better to adjust pH after adding nutes.
pH Up and pH Dn both affect the ppm slightly, and provide no useful nutrients, and it's best to avoid such things when possible.
Ions responsible for pH value (Hydrogen H and Hydroxyl OH) don't care where the opposite ions come from that partially neutralize them when adjusting pH.

 

[Arthur]

pH should be taken and adjusted after all things added. There are a few items out there that call to be added after, but few.

Distilled and RO are very hard to get an accurate reading on due to the cleanliness of the water.

Both should be @ or near 7, but I've seen some wild readings causing me to recalibrate my meter... all ended up as false readings.

 

[Arthur]

It's slightly better to adjust pH after adding nutes.
pH Up and pH Dn both affect the ppm slightly, and provide no useful nutrients, and it's best to avoid such things when possible.
Ions responsible for pH value (Hydrogen H and Hydroxyl OH) don't care where the opposite ions come from that partially neutralize them when adjusting pH.

Try Olympus up from oregons only, ionized limestone... haven't had soil ph drift since I switched over.

 

[Dr.Bubbles]

After everything....as the nooooots are what changes the pH. You will see things like Cal-Mag and Silica can throw pH pretty far....also, get into the habit of adding noooots in the same order everytime. Also, be sure to double check your pH by scoring a second meter for $12. Keep a bottle of known pH solution around and at least check, if not fully calibrate the meters every time you use them for best results. Having accurate pH affects EVERYTHING, as well as nooot lockup and unavailability of your noots. The pH scale is a base-10 logarithmic scale like the Richter scale, meaning going from 5.0 to 6.0 represents a full 10x change. And going up 2.0 points is a 100x change, so accurate measuring is VERY important. I did some damage against my better judgement by a faulty pH pen....I was getting weird readings on a known noots solution and pH adjusted wrongly based on inaccurate results. I should of trusted my gut knowing something was off. Cost me a pair of plants 2 - 3 weeks before they were properly finished. $12 will stop that forever. Also be sure to turn em off....lol.....that's what caused my meter to be whacky. Rinse em in clean water and put em away wet always. Happy pHarming!!

There called KAAHBS Joe

 

[BII]

It's slightly better to adjust pH after adding nutes.
pH Up and pH Dn both affect the ppm slightly, and provide no useful nutrients, and it's best to avoid such things when possible.
Ions responsible for pH value (Hydrogen H and Hydroxyl OH) don't care where the opposite ions come from that partially neutralize them when adjusting pH.

I agree. You should not be pH-adjusting distilled (or RO) water; and there is no logic in correcting starting pH vs. the pH of solution that goes to the plants. Since salts/ions/ppm levels are so low, theoretically zero, our crude handheld meters can't actually accurately measure the amount of ions in solution, and measurements can vary greatly and not reflect reality. Check and correct pH as your final step.

But be aware that adjusting pH is still largely a matter of luck, with pH of these complex feed mixtures often naturally drifting, microbial growth affecting pH, and pH going in generally overpowered by pH conditions in the medium/soil, besides the meter needing to be calibrated.

All that matters is whether nutes are taken-up by the plant. Better chelated nutes, absorbable over a wider range of media/soil pH, could be better than nutes where you have to adjust pH, which only just adds more salts/ions/ppm. I use AN pH Perfect and am now switching to MegaCrop as base nutes. I add lots of supplements and have poor (≥225 ppm) tap water. But I haven't even checked pH for years and see no deficiencies or excesses.

 

[Cotton46]

I agree. You should not be pH-adjusting distilled (or RO) water; and there is no logic in correcting starting pH vs. the pH of solution that goes to the plants. Since salts/ions/ppm levels are so low, theoretically zero, our crude handheld meters can't actually accurately measure the amount of ions in solution, and measurements can vary greatly and not reflect reality. Check and correct pH as your final step.

But be aware that adjusting pH is still largely a matter of luck, with pH of these complex feed mixtures often naturally drifting, microbial growth affecting pH, and pH going in generally overpowered by pH conditions in the medium/soil, besides the meter needing to be calibrated.

All that matters is whether nutes are taken-up by the plant. Better chelated nutes, absorbable over a wider range of media/soil pH, could be better than nutes where you have to adjust pH, which only just adds more salts/ions/ppm. I use AN pH Perfect and am now switching to MegaCrop as base nutes. I add lots of supplements and have poor (≥225 ppm) tap water. But I haven't even checked pH for years and see no deficiencies or excesses.

So if using distilled water you should only keep your ppm in check?

 

[BII]

So if using distilled water you should only keep your ppm in check?

No, this is not about ppm; never even mentioned so far. I was noting that the time to adjust pH is after you are done mixing the nutes, with that (the mixing) where any ppm concerns should be involved.