DWC pH NIGHTMARE! Plz Help!

[YungGrower]

Hi Everyone! I'm running a DWC in 5gal buckets, 175MH, with AN nutrients. My first day everything was running great, ph at a stable 6.4, then I added some hydroguard, and GH Sub Culture, and ever since then my pH has been all over the place, I remember one morning coming in and it was 2.7!!! this morning i checked and it was 8.8!!!! WTF!? I've been battling this for the past week and I completely regret adding the Sub culture, and hydroguard.

Anyone out there know whats going on? and suggestions on keeping the pH stable? Thanks!

 

[asher1er]

is this a recirculating system or individual buckets? To begin with IMO 6.4 is way to high to be running in DWC i keep mine at 5.8 most of the time but let it swing through 5.2-6.2 as that is what Canna recommends. If they are individual buckets why not dump them out and start a new batch of food? if recirc give them a good flush and start over.

i never used Hydroguard nor SubCulture so i don't know what effects they have on anything

 

[YungGrower]

Yes, they are in individual buckets so I do have the benefit of just switching out the water, I was hoping I wouldn't have to though But I was just thinking, that might be the only solution right now, because I went back and checked the pH again from about and hour and a half ago and its back up to 8.8!! arg!

 

[JohnnyToke]

what are you using to check your PH?

 

[YungGrower]

I'm currently using an electronic pH meter by Hanna.

 

[eLiguL]

Sounds like your using vinegar for PH down. If thats the case, go out and buy some proper PH down. Vinegar doesnt cut it for hydro.

Someone mentioned this in an earlier post, 6.4 is way to high for hydro, try aiming for 5.5-58 and your plants will thank you for it.

 

[YungGrower]

Nope, just using some GH pH Down, and Up.

 

[stinkyattic]

I'm currently using an electronic pH meter by Hanna.

Have you calibrated your meter recently, or checked its accuracy against a solution of known pH like your buffer or a solution that you have tested with another device, or with drops?

What is the medium in which your plants are physically supported? Not hydroton by any chance is it? If so... did you pre-soak it prior to use?

 

[YungGrower]

Have you calibrated your meter recently, or checked its accuracy against a solution of known pH like your buffer or a solution that you have tested with another device, or with drops? What is the medium in which your plants are physically supported? Not hydroton by any chance is it? If so... did you pre-soak it prior to use?

Yes, I have checked and the meter is calibrated, like I said it was showing a consistent pH up until I added the hydroguard and Sub culture. And yes, I am using hydroton, and I've heard about how it can give pH problems if not presoaked, so yes I did presoak them. Only thing is I used bleach.... thats what it should be done with correct?

Thanks

 

[stinkyattic]

Only thing is I used bleach.... thats what it should be done with correct?

I'd actually avoid the bleach ENTIRELY unless you are desperate to completely sterilize used media. It's not only at a higher pH than you want, but it is also a sodium compound, and therefore potentially hazardous to your plants if there is too much residue left over.
So if you use bleach, you have to do another step, which is to drain, rinse, and then re-soak the pebbles in a fresh solution of plain clean tap water, preferably with an air stone going. You're going to be monitoring the pH of this water- you will likely see it rise, and you need to bring it down with pH down until you see it remain stable after 24hours at pH 6.

 

[YungGrower]

I think I'm going to just switch out the water, because like I said the first few days the pH stayed at 6.4, which I understand now is still too high. But even if it was the hydroton what could I do about it now, my plants have been in for about a week and a half now, wouldn't that disrupt the roots and whatnot if I took all the hydroton out?

 

[stinkyattic]

At this point, you don't have the option, and anyway you don't need to. Just do a res change, but right before you do that, pour a pitcher of pH adjusted water over the pebbles to give them a bit of a rinse. Then swap out your res and monitor your pH, adjusting as necessary. IT should stabilize shortly if you don't have another problem as well.

 

[YungGrower]

Yeah that sounds like a perfect solution!! Thanks! I'm gonna get started on this ASAP, i'll post and let you know how it goes.

 

[asher1er]

the hydrotron will not affect your ph in a dwc Bucket setup as the water does not flow through the rocks nor should it be sitting in the water.. dump all your food and make a new batch adjust ph to about 5.8 or so without adding sub culture and see how it goes...may i ask why you are using hydroguard? is it for heat issues?

 

[YungGrower]

Well, I decided to add the Hydroguard because the guy told me at the shop, that the hydroguard and the subculture would work together. It seemed like a good idea to me at the time, but I have a hunch it was that darned subculture that made this mess.

New water is being added as I type... i'll keep ya updated.

 

[YungGrower]

Good news!! I changed the water, simply added the AN nutes, and the pH leveled itself out @ 5.8!!!! Woohoo!! I'm just going to leave it alone, even though I feel like I got gyped out of a Hydroguard and Subculture!! ARG!! Later on I'll experiment.....for now......GROW!

Thanks guys!

 

[dubwise]

glad to hear things are back on track!

 

[asher1er]

Yung, you can use the Hydroguard... What lights are you running and what are your water temps at inside the buckets? IMO If the temp is anything above 74 in the buckets run the hydroguard if you dont have a chiller

 

[phatnuggetz]

I think hannah suck ass! I talked to a very reputable hydro shop in the east bay area and they told me that they refuse to sell it becuase everyone brings it back with issue, I bought a combo check and it sucks ass the ph reading flip flopped like crazy no way to accurately ph even when calibrated. Did you wash your hydroton out very very very well?

 

[asher1er]

I think hannah suck ass! I talked to a very reputable hydro shop in the east bay area and they told me that they refuse to sell it becuase everyone brings it back with issue, I bought a combo check and it sucks ass the ph reading flip flopped like crazy no way to accurately ph even when calibrated. Did you wash your hydroton out very very very well?

The Hydrotron has no effect on a setup like this as the nutrients don't flow through the rocks nor are the rocks sitting in the nutrients... It was more then likely the sub culture