what do you use to control your ph level?

[fiddyonefiddy]

just curious as to what youse guys recomend for controlling your ph level
mine keeps rising with vinegar.
im using tap water that is boiled,should i use something else?im doing this in a power bucket set up.

fiddyonefiddy Reviewed by fiddyonefiddy on 12-10-2008. what do you use to control your ph level? just curious as to what youse guys recomend for controlling your ph level mine keeps rising with vinegar. im using tap water that is boiled,should i use something else?im doing this in a power bucket set up. Rating: 5

[stinkyattic]

Don't boil your tap water. That outgasses all the precious oxygen!
Vinegar is not correct for pH down. You can use it to pre-condition hydro medium since that is just neutralizing exposed basic materials, but for your res, it is an unstable pH adjuster, like all organic acids. Organic acids each have a pH that they 'like' to buffer at. You need to adjust with an INORGANIC acid, preferably Phosphoric, which is the component of commercial pH down.

I control my pH with GH up and down, and I also use a nutrient that was designed to buffer in the range of the system type I run. I am in plain hydroponics and use a Canna hydroponic nutrient, Cann Aqua, and with my other nutes, it actually sets the pH right around 6-6.4 so VERY little adjustment is necessary. I do pre-condition my hydroton with distilled vinegar though because it's so darn cheap.

Good luck!

[fiddyonefiddy]

thank you stinky you always come through for us
where do i get it at my local hydro store?

[stinkyattic]

Yeah, they should have the GH up/down and liquid indicator. It's cheap.