whats a cheap way to raise PH?

[Scrogerman]

potassium silicate. great shit! av a look at potsil, never got the chance to try it(potsil) but its what im buying next round from my usual budlink/liquid silicon etc. just follow mixing instruction exactly. cheap!

http://www.potsil.com/

The Q i should be asking is why are you after a PH up sol, have you got problems?

I bought 2L of Potassium hydroxide(B.A.C) 5 years or so ago & ive used it once, what a waste, its useless to me! only cost me £5. sucker" waste.

 

[highonmt]

potassium silicate. great shit! av a look at potsil, never got the chance to try it(potsil) but its what im buying next round from my usual budlink/liquid silicon etc. just follow mixing instruction exactly. cheap!

http://www.potsil.com/

The Q i should be asking is why are you after a PH up sol, have you got problems?

I bought 2L of Potassium hydroxide(B.A.C) 5 years or so ago & ive used it once, what a waste, its useless to me! only cost me £5. sucker" waste.

Interesting link thanks scroger love that silica, makes for light work when tying up a warehouse full of plants...the fact that you were buying a liter of the KOH makes me immediatly suspicious, someone sold you a weak solution of KOH . The solid is a very strong base and it works very well. I like to mix up 225g in a liter of water and add it with a syringe dropwise it moves ph rapidly and plants love it. This is approximately 4 moles/liter or 4Molar; at this conc [4M] it is strong enough to burn you so be careful, also remember that old chemists mantra 'do as ya otta add yer base to yer water' to avoid uncontrolled boiling, as it is it will really heat up your bottle of water , so add the 225 grams in portions or you can mix it weaker and just add more to your nutes. I am going to pick up some potassium siliate and give it a try.
HM

 

[PuReKnOwLeDgE]

35.00 is what I get a gallon of PH for, will las a long ass time even with lots of use.

 

[spurr]

Fertilizer grade potassium bicarbonate (don't use baking soda)

EDIT:

Oh yea, by using potassium bicarbonate you not only increase pH, but also buffering capacity of pH swings via. increasing alkalinity.

 

[*mistress*]

what is the starting ph of the nutrient solution?

what ph do you want to get to?

what is the ph in the medium?

what element(s) are desired to be soluble & available @ the higher ph?

what type of nutrient solution is in use? (type of nitrogen?)
...

ph changes depending on...

1. the initial nutrient solution composition;

2. the reaction with the specific medium used in the container;

3. the amount of tyme that the nutrient solution remains in the container;

4. the size & age of the cultivar;

5. the cation exchange capacity of the medium.

... in general, a range between 5.0 - 5.5 as the initial input works well... if the nutrient solution is primarily nitrate nitrogen -based.... as nitrate nitrogen will generally make the ph in the medium rise after cation-exchange (exchange of ions between the roots, and the nutrient solution &/or the collidial particles of the medium).

... threads on ph:

pH.... 5.2, or 5.8?
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=178959

Coco and pH, what do you like yours set at?
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=167519

... &

Cation Exchange Capacity in Coco
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=133012

... potassium silicate (pr0tekt) will raise the ph... but, plants only require about 50ppm of silicate... so, maybe using this as the source for ph increase may provide too much silicate... also, the potassium silicate -type supplements contain a large amount of potassium, which may influence the regular nutrient solution....

the type of ph-up used, & how much to use depends on the starting ph of the medium....

generally.... the ph tends to need lowering in soilless / hidr0 -type gardens.... as more elements are available & less reactive w/ other elements @ lower ph`s ( ~5.0-5.5-5.8-6.0)...

&...

to original question, for alternative sources of pH-adjusters...

the ph of some common substances at standard concentrations (the groweng edje)

(substance => ph)

lemon juice => 2.4

vinegar => 2.8

orange juice => 3.0

tomato juice => 4.0

coffee => 5.0

detergent => 6.5

milk => 6.8

...

baking soda => 9.0 (only a pinch should make a +change)

milk of magensia => 10.7

bleach => 11.0

caustic soda => 14.0

...

how much...
... depends on...

=> the starting ph of the medium
=> the type of medium used
=> the starting ph of the nutrient solution
=> the amount of nitrate or ammonium nitrogen in the nutrient solution
=> the desired ph to reach
=> the desired element that will be available (soluble & non-reactive & non-precipitative)
.....@ the desired higher ph

hope this helps

 

[highonmt]

Fertilizer grade potassium bicarbonate (don't use baking soda)

EDIT:

Oh yea, by using potassium bicarbonate you not only increase pH, but also buffering capacity of pH swings via. increasing alkalinity.

Spurrs you are correct potassium bicarb is good stuff, a bit weak for a ph up imo especially with a large rez, but it will work and it works great for pm outbreaks in veg as well. hm

 

[Beanfish]

2.2 pounds of General Hydroponics dry PH up/down can be had for under $10 per tub. 1 tub will make GALLONS of solution. I've been using this stuff for 3 years now and have barely put a dent in it. I use 1-2 tablespoons per quart of RO water to make a solution that will move my PH 1 full point by adding 5ml to my 20 gallon rez. I'll never buy liquid again!

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/ph-dry-adjusting-solution-c-87_488.html