# Vinegar



## th3dr0 (Mar 13, 2007)

Is Vinegar sufficeint for lowering your Ph? I have heard it "doesn't work" even though it seems to be working for me. Will this have any harmeful effects.


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## AlienBait (Mar 13, 2007)

If you are growing in soil, it will probably be fine.  If you are growing Hydro, then it will cause problems.  Since this is in the hydro section I will assume you are using Hydro.

Here is what will happen:  the vinegar will only lower the PH for 12-24 hours then the PH will shoot up again.  So the next day you will add more and more.  As you do so, a bunch of white slime will develop in your reservoir and it will be even harder to control the PH and you will go through a bunch of vinegar.

I strongly recommend that you get some proper PH-down made for hydroponics and save yourself the headache.


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## Elephant Man (Mar 13, 2007)

AlienBait said:
			
		

> If you are growing in soil, it will probably be fine. If you are growing Hydro, then it will cause problems. Since this is in the hydro section I will assume you are using Hydro.
> 
> Here is what will happen: the vinegar will only lower the PH for 12-24 hours then the PH will shoot up again. So the next day you will add more and more. As you do so, a bunch of white slime will develop in your reservoir and it will be even harder to control the PH and you will go through a bunch of vinegar.
> 
> I strongly recommend that you get some proper PH-down made for hydroponics and save yourself the headache.


 
Exactly what happened to me.  For synthetic growers, I would reccomend General Hydroponics Dry ph adjusters, a tub will last forever.  For organic growers, I would use Earth Juice ph down...which is based on citric acid.


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## th3dr0 (Mar 13, 2007)

cool, thanks for the help. I will go to the hydro store and pick some up. 

Yes, it is hydro, and i am having that problem, were the ph just shoots right back up.

Does the "correct" PH up and down last for a nutrient cylce (10 or so days), or do you have to add more every 5 or so days? Not like it really matters, just curios. Thanks.

EDIT: just realized my sister has PH up down stuff for her fish tank(not being used)..Will this work properly for my hydro system-thanks.


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## the_riz (Mar 13, 2007)

yeah, it should last about 6 days to a week, at which point you should be changing water anyway...well we do it every week not 10 days, although its still worth checking every day.

Its only really worth getting some PH down if your buying it, PH up is really not nessacery in hydro as your PH will always be climbing, and if you really need to bring it up, you can just add tapwater. and rockwool cubes are alkaline based so youll want to keep it nicely acidic, and after a few tries you will pretty much nail the ammount of drops youll need to lower your water to the desired level.

Your sisters PH down will work fine, is it phosferic acid?


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## Magoo (Mar 13, 2007)

I believe that PBP has an 'organic' (at least that's what they call it) ph adjustment....


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## KADE (Mar 13, 2007)

the_riz said:
			
		

> rockwool cubes are alkaline based so youll want to keep it nicely acidic


 
Wrong. =)

Rockwool cubes should be prepared before use... no one does it.. and that is why they think they are alkaline. The process of making rockwool will leave some residual lime in the fibers... but if prepared rockwool will never effect ph values.


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## MJ20 (Mar 14, 2007)

^^So you're saying that if rockwool or any other water retention media isn't pre-saoked to a recommended (for example: let's say 6.7 Ph) level, then they have have frequent ph shifts?Does this apply to most such as Oasis or just rockwool?


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## the_riz (Mar 14, 2007)

KADE said:
			
		

> Wrong. =)
> 
> Rockwool cubes should be prepared before use... no one does it.. and that is why they think they are alkaline. The process of making rockwool will leave some residual lime in the fibers... but if prepared rockwool will never effect ph values.



Ok... so, preparing them before use? as in soaking them in some more acidic water or something along those lines? meaning that if this is not done, as you said "no one does it.." they will affect the ph on the alkaline side of the scale. meaning technically they are an alkaline influence on the PH level so what i said was correct? or am i still wrong


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## KADE (Mar 14, 2007)

the_riz said:
			
		

> Ok... so, preparing them before use? as in soaking them in some more acidic water or something along those lines? meaning that if this is not done, as you said "no one does it.." they will affect the ph on the alkaline side of the scale. meaning technically they are an alkaline influence on the PH level so what i said was correct? or am i still wrong


 
ahhh but it isn't the cubes.... it is lime residue... which.. if rockwool is used *properly, *would not happen. So technically... you are still wrong. =)

Peace n love :joint:


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