Making Your Own Ph Up/Down Solutions

Trian79

Trian79

Active Member
Has anyone tried this? Instead of buying PH up/down, why not just mix your own? I figure a tablespoon of regular baking soda mixed in a half gallon of water would be great for PH Up, and then do the same thing with apple cider vinegar for PH down. I havent tried this yet, but since I battle PH levels every few days, I figure it might be a good idea. Any reason not to try this? It'll save a little money in the long run for sure.

:?
 
kush714

kush714

Active Member
I use lemon to lower the ph, like when i soak my rockwool. I have to drop the tap water to 5.5
 
Trian79

Trian79

Active Member
Nice. Does lemon juice alter the flavor in any way in your opinion? I just want to make sure using baking soda and vinegar for these reasons won't affect my final product ya know?
 
MoneyCount

MoneyCount

Well-Known Member
Actually depending on how far off the ph is, a tablespoon sounds like a whole lot. Buy a ph test kit from petsmart with 250 tests for about $10. But using baking soda & vinegar wont hurt.
 
KuLong

KuLong

Well-Known Member
Phosphoric Acid is what I used to lower PH and Potassium Hydroxide to raise it before switching to distilled water.

Bought both at a janitorial supply store here since we do not have any access to brand names of PH up/down.

I should also add, doing it this way is the cheapest way to do it per volume.
 
Xcon

Xcon

Active Member
IDK, it just doesn't seem worth it. Caustic chemicals, inexperience.... not to mention you're going to need a PH meter to measure what you're mixing in the first place and if you can afford that...

which brings me to my next point, if your soil or water tends to go in one direction, then you only need one bottle of solution ($12) but you will be adding salts to your soil with any ph solution, exacerbating your PH problems later on. It's better to buffer your soil before rather than add PH solutions later. In your situation OP, I'd flush with several gallons of distilled water per plant rather than mix my own solution and guess the PH.

Milwaukee makes some decent $25 ph meters, just as (in)accurate as a $125 Hanna. (I've used both) Then you have to add calibration/storage solution ($20 qt) and your PH solutions ($25 for both). I no longer use my PH solutions, by the time I bought all this crap I figured out how to maintain my PH without it, lol.

Good luck man!!!
 
choempi

choempi

Well-Known Member
Xcon said:
IDK, it just doesn't seem worth it. Caustic chemicals, inexperience.... not to mention you're going to need a PH meter to measure what you're mixing in the first place and if you can afford that...

which brings me to my next point, if your soil or water tends to go in one direction, then you only need one bottle of solution ($12) but you will be adding salts to your soil with any ph solution, exacerbating your PH problems later on. It's better to buffer your soil before rather than add PH solutions later. In your situation OP, I'd flush with several gallons of distilled water per plant rather than mix my own solution and guess the PH.

Milwaukee makes some decent $25 ph meters, just as (in)accurate as a $125 Hanna. (I've used both) Then you have to add calibration/storage solution ($20 qt) and your PH solutions ($25 for both). I no longer use my PH solutions, by the time I bought all this crap I figured out how to maintain my PH without it, lol.

Good luck man!!!
Click to expand...
what about hydro?

Whats the best PH up and down to use?
 
PeacefulKid1992

PeacefulKid1992

Well-Known Member
Trian79 said:
Has anyone tried this? Instead of buying PH up/down, why not just mix your own? I figure a tablespoon of regular baking soda mixed in a half gallon of water would be great for PH Up, and then do the same thing with apple cider vinegar for PH down. I havent tried this yet, but since I battle PH levels every few days, I figure it might be a good idea. Any reason not to try this? It'll save a little money in the long run for sure.

:?
Click to expand...
hahah i know what youtube video you saw this from.....
 
N

NoBarriers

Well-Known Member
Up and Down is cheap and most people only use one so why bother? Consistency.... I know exactly how much ph up to add to my nute mix. I mix it, check it and most of the time I'm dead on. For $10 or $20 per grow I won't risk it...
 
Murfy

Murfy

Well-Known Member
i use TONS of down-

i gallon of water,minus 2 cups. then add back ONE(1) cup of 33% battery acid(what they sell at the auto parts).

voila, one gallon of ph down.

battery acid is really only dangerous for newbs if you get it in your eye. on your skin at the most you will get a decent burn, that's all. DO NOT GET IN YOUR EYES! LOL
it doesn't burn my skin at all, but i have thick skin!
 
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