PH fluctuation problems

Pictures of my current grow....flooding once a day!

Here it is

I always wash before handling anything with the grow. I don't know if there is chlorine in the city water, all I know is the ppm is 150-170, and the ph is 7.8. I would just get some distilled water, but once I put my girls in the flood and drain, the res is 40g, and will be changed weekly, so buying water that often is out of the question.

Ironmike61 said:

I always wash before handling anything with the grow. I don't know if there is chlorine in the city water, all I know is the ppm is 150-170, and the ph is 7.8. I would just get some distilled water, but once I put my girls in the flood and drain, the res is 40g, and will be changed weekly, so buying water that often is out of the question.

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That's a really big reservoir, how many trees are you growing?

Hey marc, that's a flood and drain, and you only flood once a day? The guy at the local hydro store told me to flood for 15 min every 4 hours. Seems to be a lot of different ways to approach this. Looks like it's working for you.

Yeah, it's a big table, so I needed a big res. I could probably grow 50, but usually just do around 30.

Check it everyday my friend or buy a ph stabalizer. Then your ph will stay exactly what you want it to the whole grow so you can get the most uptake. Feel me. I use the general hydro ph down everyday just like the other man above.

Yeah overfeeding is a big issue with hydro..it really depends on your grow medium. I use 4x4 rockwoll cubes and that sits on a coco mat. The rockwoll stays pretty moist. I always do a test on feeding. I start with 1 feeding 1 hour after lights come on. If the plants are drooping when I check on them, I will go to 2 spread equally between the light cycle (don't feed in the dark) and so on..its rare I need more than once a day on any strain. I ussr a 1000w I keep the room at about 77 lights on

So Bob, do you think it could be something in my tap water? Maybe they add a ph stabalizer and that's why it keeps going back up. Is that a buffer to keep it stable? I think the GH ph down has a buffer in it, so I'll use that when I get some.

I think the problem is chlorine..you can go to a pool supply shop and get test strips for a few bucks. It will read chlorine , and other shit...you just want to focus on the chlorine..that's my guess. How to get rid of chlorine in tap water is lame! You need to full up a big bucket of your tap water ( enough for a rez fill and let it sit for 24 hours. Put an airstone in it and it should all be gone!

Or get an RO filter from your hydro shop, its a hassel too and a bit pricey. I think RO water is over rated. Tap water contains things the plant needs anyway, Ca,MG..but if its high in chlorine it will pose a problem unless you let it sit for 24 hours. Chlorine evaporates very fast...that's why pools need so much of it

marc88101 said:

I think the problem is chlorine..you can go to a pool supply shop and get test strips for a few bucks. It will read chlorine , and other shit...you just want to focus on the chlorine..that's my guess. How to get rid of chlorine in tap water is lame! You need to full up a big bucket of your tap water ( enough for a rez fill and let it sit for 24 hours. Put an airstone in it and it should all be gone!

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Some areas use a form of chlorine that won't evaporate off. Didn't his OP say his pH was 8.9?

Red1966 said:

Some areas use a form of chlorine that won't evaporate off. Didn't his OP say his pH was 8.9?

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Yea, that's out of control...that ph is of the charts for tap water

With appm of 150/200 and a PH that high..it can only be chlorine. IMO

if the chlorine evaporates fast what about boiling the water for about 30 seconds (same problem smaller res.)??

BouncinBob said:

if the chlorine evaporates fast what about boiling the water for about 30 seconds (same problem smaller res.)??

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I probably wouldn't do that, try letting it sit 24 hours then check it

if that worked wouldn't it stop fluctuating after 24 hours in the res.??

For water treatment both chlorine and chloramine is used. Chlorine will evaporate in about 24 hours but chloramine won't. The easiest way to test for chloramine is to leave your water out for a couple days then test with a pool orthotolidine or phenolphthalein test kit. If the water tests positive for chlorine after sitting out 48 hours you have chloramine and I would use a different water source or run it through an RO filter.

As for pH rise that is relatively normal to get a rise but I would never lower my reservoir below 5.6 or let it go above roughly 6.2. Wild pH swings can be a sign of root rot. So if you are having trouble controlling your pH look at your roots are they brown and/or slimy? If so you might want to add a bit of H2O2 or even a little chlorine to the water either will control the biofilm that is the sign of beginning algae (It's white before it gets light and turns color). Algae can run the gamut of colors.

Al B Fuct wrote some great posts on this.

so u know stealth hydros ph up and down are repackaged big brand names so its unlikely that was your problem

My PH stopped going up and down when I dropped my PH meter. LOL I have been flying blind. I know about how much down to use with my well water so I have been adding the same as I used too. What ever my ph truly is it's got to be close caus my plants look fantastic.