DIY PH Down from Sulfuric Acid. (Battery Acid)

Carthoris

Well-Known Member
HOW TO MAKE IT:

Buy sulfuric acid at the auto parts store for 7 dollars. Just ask them for battery acid. Get the 33% kind (that means its already partially diluted)

Get a gallon of distilled water, pour out 2 cups.

Put 1 cup of battery acid in your gallon jug of water. Wait a minute or two. Put top back on. Lightly agitate to mix.

Thats it, you have just made a gallon of PH down for a maybe a dollar or so.

SAFETY:

Never pour water into an acid. Always pour acid into water. Wear gloves. Wear safety glasses. If you get it on you, wash it off. Don't drink it.

BENEFITS:

Availability: You can buy sulfuric acid anywhere in the world no questions asked.

Cost: Sulfuric acid is many times cheaper than ph down from the store.

Stealth: Sulfuric acid is used in batteries, and people will assume you are using
it for batteries. If you buy hydroponic ph down they assume you are
growing something hydroponically.

Ease of use
for large
growers: If you have a large res you can use battery acid straight into the
remote res, you wont have to dump cups of ph down into it any
longer, as a small amount of sulfuric acid undiluted(33% is undiluted)
does the same thing.

MYTHS AND FACTS:

Sulfuric acid has Lead in it - FALSE: There is no lead in battery acid, there is lead in batteries. No one is saying to drain batteries and use the acid from it.

Sulfuric acid is Very Dangerous and you will die a horrible death and your hand will melt off and your penis will shrivel - FALSE(mostly): We aren't dealing with pure sulfuric acid, if it was 100% sulfuric acid it would be bad, but you aren't going to find 100% acid anywhere. Haven't any of you ever had battery acid on you? Ive had car batteries explode on me, and I get my homemade battery acid ph down on my skin all the time. Its not like its going to eat you alive, it just itches. If you get it in your eyes, it will be bad, so wear eye protection. Sulfuric acid you will buy at the auto parts store is most likely 33%, which means its already diluted, so you end up with a 3.3%. Household bleach in your eyes sucks too. Are you afraid of bleach? When I get it on my hands when concentrated(33%), I just wash my hands. Unconcentrated, I just rinse it off with water. Ask any mechanic, you wont see them wearing safety glasses while changing batteries or filling them with acid unless their boss makes them simply because it isn't that big of a deal. You don't dress up in a space suit to pour chlorine or shock into your swimming pool do you? You will die, but probably from cheeseburgers and sodas (sodas contain phosphoric acid lol)

Phosphoric is much safer than Sulfuric - FALSE In diluted form the difference is minor. Either one will make your skin itchy. They use Phosphoric acid in tile cleaners, rust removers, and things of that nature. Phosphoric acid is made from Sulfuric acid. They put rocks high in phosphate into sulfuric acid to make it.

Fact: Many people use sulfuric acid as a ph down. Not just marijuana growers, also berry growers, people who run orchards. They also use sulfur, which breaks down into sulfuric acid in the ground. This is a naturally occurring acid in the ground. Its not like you are pouring antifreeze into your res.

Fact: Most people who say using sulfuric acid for PH down doesn't work have never used it, don't understand what ph down does, and don't know why they are using it. They only know what someone else told them or they are reacting to the term 'battery acid'
 

abudsmoker

Well-Known Member
so if im reading this right i can save money by putting my leaking old battery in my Res, this will lower my ph and give that old worn out battery new life.


Thanks,

abud
 

Carthoris

Well-Known Member
"Sulfuric acid has Lead in it - FALSE: There is no lead in battery acid, there is lead in batteries. No one is saying to drain batteries and use the acid from it."

No, it was pretty obvious not to use acid that has already been in a battery.
 

abudsmoker

Well-Known Member
My local USDA agent who grows blueberries just got a huge vat of sulfuric acid for adding to the irrigation lines---at some huge dilution, of course. I'm not sure at all what dilution is needed (maybe ask a USDA extension agent), but I know at least that it IS used. He said that commercial blueberry growers also use it. However, it is most certainly NOT safe to handle. One little splash in the eyes and you're talking about a seeing eye dog and a cane. The other question is, how pure is this sulfuric acid used for batteries? If it contains heavy metals or other undesirable impurities, it could spell death to your plants. If it's pure, 100% sulfuric acid, it would work, if you're able to come up with the right dilution, and if you're willing to deal with the risks.

growers: Please do not fiddle around at home with sulphuric acid. It is just too dangerous and caustic. There are many alternatives for lowering Ph like garden sulphur, iron sulphate, and organic mulches. Use something like that.
 

abudsmoker

Well-Known Member
Concentrated sulfuric acid has appearance and viscosity similar to corn syrup. To handle it safely, you must have an acid resistant apron, rubber boots, appropriate gloves, and a splash shield protecting your face. If water is added to a container of concentrated sulfuric acid, the water will turn to steam, causing the acid to erupt and possibly fracture the container. If concentrated acid is carefully added to a container of water, the heavier acid will mix with the water as it flows down to the bottom of the container, and the solution will heat up, but not erupt. I have never used sulfuric acid on our blueberry patch, but I do use standard food grade white vinegar, about 6 fluid ounces, per 4 gallons of tap water, to lower pH. Our tap water has considerable dissolved lime.

Even the sulphuric acid you can buy at pet stores to lower pH in aquariums comes plastered with dire warnings. Better to go with soil additives such as garden sulphur
 

Carthoris

Well-Known Member
Abud, its 33% sulfuric acid, and then water. Its no different than if you bought concentrated PH down at 33%. I used to grow blueberries, that is why I started using it in my hydroponics setups.

Abud, you dont know anything about it, so why give people advice?

Here is some pictures of me pouring it on my hand, this is 33% sulfuric acid.

IMAG0115.jpgIMAG0111.jpgIMAG0113.jpgIMAG0114.jpgIMAG0108.jpgIMAG0107.jpgIMAG0110.jpgIMAG0112.jpgIMAG0109.jpg

Its hard to take pictures and pour it at the same time, but you get the idea. What do these pictures prove? Sulfuric acid isn't going to melt your hand off. I left it on for a full minute, and it didn't even start burning yet. Nothing like proof to prove a point.
 

TruenoAE86coupe

Moderator
This is why i don't use any ph up or down, if my nutrients aren't making my ph right then im getting new nutrients, not smoking sulfuric acid. You guys are crazy, try some better nutes!!!

Carthoris= the name of the disease thats going to be caused by smoking plants grown with Sulfuric Acid.
 

bestbuds09

Well-Known Member
hey carthoris im with ya on this one bro. Ive never used it before but from what i understand about ph i dont see no reason what so ever of why not to use it. I will definately give it a try. why? because if you dont try it then you will never know for sure. on the other hand ive used vinegar for adjusting my ph and everything was fine so i really dont see why car battery acid would not work or why i wouldnt give it a shot. im a pioneer, i didnt get to where im at by just doing the same old thing that the same people do over and over and over again. expand your knowledge a bit and if you make mistakes on the way well then learn from them. plus rep for the info bro
 

Carthoris

Well-Known Member
Trueno, they use it in commercial fruit operations as a ph down, and I am not the only person on the web who uses it to ph down for buds either. I wouldn't mind having a disease named after me though, sounds cool. If you aren't using any ph up or down, you probably aren't qualified to give grow advice anyway.
 

Carthoris

Well-Known Member
Best Bud, I appreciate the rep. The point of the post was to spread valuable information to people who wanted it, and I am glad it has found some of them. I think people should stop and say "What is this doing in my res" Then once they understand what it is doing, a whole new world opens up for them. Those are also the people that move on to the next level. You cannot build a house without a foundation, nor can you gain knowledge if you don't understand the foundation of the hobby you are doing. Thanks for reading.

Carthoris
 
HOW TO MAKE IT:

Buy sulfuric acid at the auto parts store for 7 dollars. Just ask them for battery acid. Get the 33% kind (that means its already partially diluted)

Get a gallon of distilled water, pour out 2 cups.

Put 1 cup of battery acid in your gallon jug of water. Wait a minute or two. Put top back on. Lightly agitate to mix.

Thats it, you have just made a gallon of PH down for a maybe a dollar or so.

SAFETY:

Never pour water into an acid. Always pour acid into water. Wear gloves. Wear safety glasses. If you get it on you, wash it off. Don't drink it.

BENEFITS:

Availability: You can buy sulfuric acid anywhere in the world no questions asked.

Cost: Sulfuric acid is many times cheaper than ph down from the store.

Stealth: Sulfuric acid is used in batteries, and people will assume you are using
it for batteries. If you buy hydroponic ph down they assume you are
growing something hydroponically.

Ease of use
for large
growers: If you have a large res you can use battery acid straight into the
remote res, you wont have to dump cups of ph down into it any
longer, as a small amount of sulfuric acid undiluted(33% is undiluted)
does the same thing.

MYTHS AND FACTS:

Sulfuric acid has Lead in it - FALSE: There is no lead in battery acid, there is lead in batteries. No one is saying to drain batteries and use the acid from it.

Sulfuric acid is Very Dangerous and you will die a horrible death and your hand will melt off and your penis will shrivel - FALSE(mostly): We aren't dealing with pure sulfuric acid, if it was 100% sulfuric acid it would be bad, but you aren't going to find 100% acid anywhere. Haven't any of you ever had battery acid on you? Ive had car batteries explode on me, and I get my homemade battery acid ph down on my skin all the time. Its not like its going to eat you alive, it just itches. If you get it in your eyes, it will be bad, so wear eye protection. Sulfuric acid you will buy at the auto parts store is most likely 33%, which means its already diluted, so you end up with a 3.3%. Household bleach in your eyes sucks too. Are you afraid of bleach? When I get it on my hands when concentrated(33%), I just wash my hands. Unconcentrated, I just rinse it off with water. Ask any mechanic, you wont see them wearing safety glasses while changing batteries or filling them with acid unless their boss makes them simply because it isn't that big of a deal. You don't dress up in a space suit to pour chlorine or shock into your swimming pool do you? You will die, but probably from cheeseburgers and sodas (sodas contain phosphoric acid lol)

Phosphoric is much safer than Sulfuric - FALSE In diluted form the difference is minor. Either one will make your skin itchy. They use Phosphoric acid in tile cleaners, rust removers, and things of that nature. Phosphoric acid is made from Sulfuric acid. They put rocks high in phosphate into sulfuric acid to make it.

Fact: Many people use sulfuric acid as a ph down. Not just marijuana growers, also berry growers, people who run orchards. They also use sulfur, which breaks down into sulfuric acid in the ground. This is a naturally occurring acid in the ground. Its not like you are pouring antifreeze into your res.

Fact: Most people who say using sulfuric acid for PH down doesn't work have never used it, don't understand what ph down does, and don't know why they are using it. They only know what someone else told them or they are reacting to the term 'battery acid'
1. Lead is in the acid of a battery or it would not be used in batteries. Sulfuric acid will dissolve lead into lead sulfate. When lead is in it's soluble form it is the most toxic because it can readily be absorbed by the body. That makes it very poisonous. Also, it will make it more easily transferred through the roots and into whatever plant.

(I had to edit this post because I missed a very important detail of your post): The sulfuric acid you have explained above would not have the lead of a already assembled car batter. My bad. I left the above for those who would do the car battery thing. Do, however, know that this sulfuric acid COULD have some heavy metal impurities that isn't listed on the label because it's intended use is for batteries.

2. Sulfuric acid CAN be dangerous. Diluting the acid is highly exothermic, even the already diluted form you describe above. Even dilute concentrations of sulfuric acid are enough to cause serious burns when on the skin or other surfaces. Sulfuric acid has a unique property that when it causes acid hydrolysis on it's substrate that the proton (H+) is recycled back to the H2SO4 molecule. This is the reason why even dilute solutions must be used with care.

Someone tell me if you know, but sodium sulfate may be a better substitute acting as a buffer for pH. I can't think of it off the top of my head. This would definitely be a better way to get sulfur deficiency under control.

As for pH up or down, you can use vinegar for up or baking soda for down. I'm just saying. Respect your chemicals.
 

Carthoris

Well-Known Member
1. Lead is in the acid of a battery or it would not be used in batteries. Sulfuric acid will dissolve lead into lead sulfate. When lead is in it's soluble form it is the most toxic because it can readily be absorbed by the body. That makes it very poisonous. Also, it will make it more easily transferred through the roots and into whatever plant.

(I had to edit this post because I missed a very important detail of your post): The sulfuric acid you have explained above would not have the lead of a already assembled car batter. My bad. I left the above for those who would do the car battery thing. Do, however, know that this sulfuric acid COULD have some heavy metal impurities that isn't listed on the label because it's intended use is for batteries.

2. Sulfuric acid CAN be dangerous. Diluting the acid is highly exothermic, even the already diluted form you describe above. Even dilute concentrations of sulfuric acid are enough to cause serious burns when on the skin or other surfaces. Sulfuric acid has a unique property that when it causes acid hydrolysis on it's substrate that the proton (H+) is recycled back to the H2SO4 molecule. This is the reason why even dilute solutions must be used with care.

Someone tell me if you know, but sodium sulfate may be a better substitute acting as a buffer for pH. I can't think of it off the top of my head. This would definitely be a better way to get sulfur deficiency under control.

As for pH up or down, you can use vinegar for up or baking soda for down. I'm just saying. Respect your chemicals.
1) Lead is not in sulfuric acid. Lead is not anywhere near the acid before it is in a battery. It isn't like they are making it in Joe Bob's backyard. You might read about how they make sulfuric acid - or alternatively how they make PH down for fishtanks and hydro applications which involves sulfuric acid as well as how they make batteries and how they work.

2) Sulfuric acid isn't any more dangerous than ph down at the same percentage. Or even as dangerous as say bleach. Here is some pictures of my running 33% sulfuric acid on my hands, I left it on for a couple minutes. It had not even started to itch yet. People don't exactly dress up in a space suit to change batteries. If you read the MSDS for sulfuric acid it says certain things about how to safely handle it. It also says the same thing for phosphoric acid, tooth paste, and water. Hell, toothpicks are known to cause cancer in California according to the label. Marijuana causes horrible side effects too.



 

Dirty Harry

Well-Known Member
1) ... You might read about how they make sulfuric acid - or alternatively how they make PH down for fishtanks and hydro applications which involves sulfuric acid as well as how they make batteries and how they work...
THANK YOU! I have pointed out how liquid aquarium PH- contains sulfuric acid and the fish don't mind it. I do treat it as dangerous due to me working with really corrosive chemicals so it is habit for me. But yea, it will not burn as fast as it is talked about but for God sake be careful of your eyes. Only fuming sulfuric acid will burn on contact but most will not run across that strength as there is no non-industry use for it. If in doubt, blow over a small container of it. If it creates a visible fume, that is some strong shit you should not really have. The normal auto store sulfuric acid is already diluted with water and you would need to do things to it to bring the concentration up to fuming. Other than eyes or ingesting it, it is saver than lye in terms of chemical burns.
 
Obviously, you did not read the entire post.
Purposefully putting the sulfuric acid on your hands is idiotic! Even dilute concentrations are powerful enough to hydrolyze a large amount of substances even if it take more time.
From academic and industrial experience, I've learned much about chemical refineries, and how chemical companies trade wastes to find a potential use in low risk to consumer applications. With those kinds of dealings, products end up with trace compounds like heavy metals or organics. In general, it is legal to NOT include ingredients on a list if they contain less than 1% of the total composition.
Be safe people. I've seen too many accidents firsthand to know you need to respect your chemicals. What you don't know can hurt you.
 
Top