My tap pH is high and not in a good way

My plants are sad =(

I've read that if your tap pH is too high coming out, adding enough pH down to get it to where it's supposed to be is actually detrimental to the plant. Microbes, nutes, idk what it has to do with.

Anyways, I was wondering if this is a potential problem with my grow. Filtered Water pH coming out at 7.2. Takes about 7 or so drops of pH down to get it to about a 6.4

Need only to ph when feeding nutes usually.
FF

FastFreddi said:

Need only to ph when feeding nutes usually.
FF

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I always pH balance my water.

right now doing 1 on 1 off feedings with Lotus Bloom. going full strength next watering (we did 2 weeks of 1/4 and then 1/2 strength)

did a 10-3-6 for veg

Lagged said:

I always pH balance my water.

right now doing 1 on 1 off feedings with Lotus Bloom. going full strength next watering (we did 2 weeks of 1/4 and then 1/2 strength)

did a 10-3-6 for veg

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Maybe it too much ph solution.
Peace .
FF

My water comes out at 7.6 and I ditched the ph down by using citric acid. Only takes a tiny sprinkle to drop the ph in a gallon. Seems to be working, I'm not seeing any negative side effects and it's been a few months

SwampYankee said:

My water comes out at 7.6 and I ditched the ph down by using citric acid. Only takes a tiny sprinkle to drop the ph in a gallon. Seems to be working, I'm not seeing any negative side effects and it's been a few months

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Nice tip.
FF

SwampYankee said:

My water comes out at 7.6 and I ditched the ph down by using citric acid. Only takes a tiny sprinkle to drop the ph in a gallon. Seems to be working, I'm not seeing any negative side effects and it's been a few months

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OFF TO THE GROCERY STORE!

Dope tip brother. I've always heard about natural pH downers but never inquired.

4 drops of this in one gallon tap water took me from 7.8 to 6.6.

Lastmanstandin31 said:

4 drops of this in one gallon tap water took me from 7.8 to 6.6.

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Be careful with lemon juice..I have heard not so good things.
FF

Lastmanstandin31 said:

4 drops of this in one gallon tap water took me from 7.8 to 6.6.

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Another member on here told me to use lemon or lime for now until i got ph down which i got today but haven't tried yet.

7.2 is perfect if it's a soil grow. Don't worry. My ph comes out close to 10... I've given it to them straight with no real issues.. I do lower the ph usually, but not always. But when I do lower it, I only lower to about 7... neutral. And something to remember, most nutrients you add will lower the ph. You need to test after all nutes are mixed up in the water.

If it's a hydroponic grow, ignore what I said. I know nothing about hydro

Kerovan said:

7.2 is perfect if it's a soil grow. Don't worry. My ph comes out close to 10... I've given it to them straight with no real issues.. I do lower the ph usually, but not always. And something to remember, most nutrients you add will lower the ph. You need to test after all nutes are mixed up in the water.

If it's a hydroponic grow, ignore what I said. I know nothing about hydro

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Organic soil topped dressed with some EWC/perlite. Are you sure 7.2 is okay to give directly? even on the non-feed cycle? Seems a bit high given the pH chart I have been referencing for nutrient absorption.

Lagged said:

Organic soil topped dressed with some EWC/perlite. Are you sure 7.2 is okay to give directly? even on the non-feed cycle? Seems a bit high given the pH chart I have been referencing for nutrient absorption.

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The soil has all kinds of decomposing matter that lower the ph as it goes in. You lower it, then the soil does it could go too low actually.. you have practically neutral water, give it straight. You may even need to use a ph up when you add nutes to the mix. Test after the nutes are mixed

Kerovan said:

7.2 is perfect if it's a soil grow. Don't worry. My ph comes out close to 10... I've given it to them straight with no real issues.. I do lower the ph usually, but not always. And something to remember, most nutrients you add will lower the ph. You need to test after all nutes are mixed up in the water.

If it's a hydroponic grow, ignore what I said. I know nothing about hydro

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Go look at the advice given to me in my other posts. Based on the responses I have received and the reading I have done ph means alot to what we are trying to do or perfect.

Lastmanstandin31 said:

Go look at the advice given to me in my other posts. Based on the responses I have received and the reading I have done ph means alot to what we are trying to do or perfect.

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"Root ph" The soil will lower the ph as the water passes thru to the roots. And adding nutes changes the ph, so if you check before the nutes are mixed you have a completely incorrect reading.

Kerovan said:

"Root ph" The soil will lower the ph as the water passes thru to the roots. And adding nutes changes the ph, so if you check before the nutes are mixed you have a completely incorrect reading.

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That makes sense. But does that mean you shouldn't check the plain water being used when your not feeding the plants? Does it cause harm to check and adjust plain water for ph? Is there any sort of benefits to doing it?

Kerovan said:

The soil has all kinds of decomposing matter that lower the ph as it goes in. You lower it, then the soil does it could go too low actually.. you have practically neutral water, give it straight. You may even need to use a ph up when you add nutes to the mix. Test after the nutes are mixed

Click to expand...

Lastmanstandin31 said:

Go look at the advice given to me in my other posts. Based on the responses I have received and the reading I have done ph means alot to what we are trying to do or perfect.

Click to expand...

Kerovan said:

"Root ph" The soil will lower the ph as the water passes thru to the roots. And adding nutes changes the ph, so if you check before the nutes are mixed you have a completely incorrect reading.

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Such good advice guys. Thank you so much!

Tomorrow I'm going to do a full strength bloom feed and not touch the water.

Last grow we didn't hit the pH perfectly so I think I may be overcompensating.

Lastmanstandin31 said:

That makes sense. But does that mean you shouldn't check the plain water being used when your not feeding the plants? Does it cause harm to check and adjust plain water for ph? Is there any sort of benefits to doing it?

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I second this question

Lastmanstandin31 said:

That makes sense. But does that mean you shouldn't check the plain water being used when your not feeding the plants? Does it cause harm to check and adjust plain water for ph? Is there any sort of benefits to doing it?

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You can check it yes, that is good. Just don't get carried away. The water in question is just .2 above neutral and the optimal zone for absorption. Since it's a soil grow, that will be just about perfect with the lower ph in a good soil. Hydroponics is where you really have to be careful because there is no soil to buffer the water.

To be clear, people who aren't ph'ing their water are growing in soil. If you grow in hydro or soilless mix/coco, you PH everything. I also use citric acid as ph down if I need it, but usually my nutes and fulvic acid put it right in the sweet spot. I also have high PH tap, but the ppms are around 150 to start with so it's not really that hard.