# Ph Fluctuations



## MJ20 (May 18, 2012)

:icon_smile: 
Ph rises or drops over time...Does more water (larger resevoir) mean the ph would be slower to do this?I'm trying some hydro with non illegal substances and have to check and balance ph daily...no fun @ nearly 15mins versus just pouring water for a plant.
Would a larger res mean I spend less time balancing and checking?


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## BackWoodsDrifter (May 18, 2012)

I be checkin mine time to time regular too, raise my right arm or left dependin on availablity takes a quick sniff and if my Personal Hygien be off a bit yes more water would help so I ussualy jump into the river and that balances my ph (personal Hygiens) just right. Good luck with yur ph friend sure others with experience with there own ph propblems be along shortly to help ya .

BWD


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## pcduck (May 18, 2012)

A larger rez would help stabilize ph.

What are you using for pH control?

The uptake of nutes also changes the pH.

This is what I do: 
Let water set out with an air stone for 24 hours.
Add nutes and let bubble another 24 hours
Check pH and adjust if necessary. 
If adjustment is made I bubble for another 24 hours and readjust, if needed.
When in rez,I start at 5.5 pH and allow it to creep up to 6.0 before readjusting. This usually take a week, by that point  I am ready for a new batch of nutes and I dump and clean the rez.


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## MJ20 (May 18, 2012)

I use sodium hydroxide to go up and sulfuric acid to go down.
If you don't dump the res, what happens with the water?How big is your res?
How often do you adjust ph on average?


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## pcduck (May 18, 2012)

> If you don't dump the res, what happens with the water?



You will get a build up of excess nutes, as the plants feed on what they need at that time and will not use what is not needed. Leaving these nutes in your rez.



> How big is your res?



When I grow hydro(during cooler months), I run DWC in 5 gallon buckets with a 6" netpot filled with hydroton. I change these out every 7 to 10 days during veg and once a week during flower.

My nute mixing rez, (this is where I mix the nutes before using in buckets) is 34 gallons. I mix my nutes in this, in the way I posted in above post.




> How often do you adjust ph on average?



I adjust once a week, when mixing my nutes. I start at 5.5 and allow to raise to 6.0, this takes about a week.

When I first started I was adjusting constantly. Then I learned how many milliliters of pH down it took to stabilize the pH(per your water source). Then after awhile I just my myself a RO filter and now I just use that and hardly any up or down. Most nutes have buffers in them you just need to allow the time for them to work.


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## Hushpuppy (May 18, 2012)

I also run hydro and I use a 30gal rez. You will find also when you run light nutrients (low ppm) the PH will bounce all over because there isn't enough material in the water to stabilize upon, and at the same time, the plants are steadily taking in both water and nutes, and depending on which they are taking more of when you check the PH will determine which direction the ph goes.

You say you are using sodium hydroxide to raise the PH. That will break down over a short period of time and cause salt build up in the rez which can kill your plants. You need to use Potassium Hydroxide. When it breaks down it releases potassium which is good for the plants.


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## MJ20 (May 19, 2012)

Hmmm, never heard of potassium hydroxide, im guessing it would also make the time between ph fluctatuations longer, which is good, potash to stabilish the ph...hmm..hmm..thanks guys, info well received


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