Nitric acid online source
- Thread starter Lowman
- Start date
TheBioMaster
Member
The most concentrated ph down available is shockingly by Advanced Nutrients, their ph down is the most concentrated....in fact you will need to dilute it before use unless your dealing with really large tanks like 200 gallons and larger.......
Most get a quart bottle of it, then use a separate quart bottle to dilute it down for use...do not get this shit on your skin or anything else as it will burn your skin and also ruin anything it comes in contact with......think battery acid....and treat it just like you would concentrated battery acid......dangerous stuff at this level of concentration for sure and precautions are needed like gloves and proper ventilation......
AN ph down is about twice maybe even three or four times as strong as Technaflora...
Most get a quart bottle of it, then use a separate quart bottle to dilute it down for use...do not get this shit on your skin or anything else as it will burn your skin and also ruin anything it comes in contact with......think battery acid....and treat it just like you would concentrated battery acid......dangerous stuff at this level of concentration for sure and precautions are needed like gloves and proper ventilation......
AN ph down is about twice maybe even three or four times as strong as Technaflora...
Lowman
Member
Yes I have heard AN ph down is strong. My goal is to use Nitric acid cause it works best for hard water. I have been using Sulphuric acid( battery acid) for years. Thanks for the tip...but I am sure AN does not use nitric acid in their ph down.
WishDoctor
Active member
nitric is used to make explosives, sure you want your name on a list?
the crystals that grow on an unused bottle are unstable and could go boom boom.
stick with Sulfuric acid it's a safer strong acid. plus it's used in plumbing etc and you can buy it without fear of being on a list.
the crystals that grow on an unused bottle are unstable and could go boom boom.
stick with Sulfuric acid it's a safer strong acid. plus it's used in plumbing etc and you can buy it without fear of being on a list.
Common sense always wins out doesn't it?
Not sure about restrictions on nitric acid, but you might search for chemical/science supply companies. Other options are food grade phosphoric acid (86% pure), used for producing bio-diesel and in certain food prep applications. It is much more concentrated than AN's ph down (26-28% pure). Or as you mentioned 100% pure sulfuric acid can be purchased from your local auto parts store as battery acid. I like sulfuric acid best because most store bought nutes have plenty of phosphorus in them already, but are usually a bit lacking in sulfur.
These are all strong acids and should be treated with respect. Always mix acid into water, never the other way around. It's much cheaper to buy these acids and dilute them yourself than purchase the hydro store version, but keep in mind you can burn yourself if not being carefull.
These are all strong acids and should be treated with respect. Always mix acid into water, never the other way around. It's much cheaper to buy these acids and dilute them yourself than purchase the hydro store version, but keep in mind you can burn yourself if not being carefull.
Lowman
Member
I appreciate the concern for my well being....but nitric acid is best when you have hard water. Sulphuric works great...but not quite as stable as nitric. I also don't like adding so much sulpher to my mix when coco has plenty of natural sulpher already in it.
In the UK you can buy canna ph down which is 38% nitric acid. If I could get that here I would be all good. But the Technaflora uses only about 8% or something weak along those lines.
Again...thanks for the concern...but this is not my first rodeo.
In the UK you can buy canna ph down which is 38% nitric acid. If I could get that here I would be all good. But the Technaflora uses only about 8% or something weak along those lines.
Again...thanks for the concern...but this is not my first rodeo.
BFG supply in usa or tlhort in canada. 67% nitric
pm me if you need help.
technaflora pH down is 5-10% nitric acid, though i've been told in an email from their tech support it was 13%
AN is 85% Phos acid
nitric acid over 15% ( i think its 15, could be 14) has to ship as a hazardous material. under that 15% conc and you can mail it orm-d.
which is a reason technaflora is so weak.
85% phos is orm-d
pm me if you need help.
technaflora pH down is 5-10% nitric acid, though i've been told in an email from their tech support it was 13%
AN is 85% Phos acid
nitric acid over 15% ( i think its 15, could be 14) has to ship as a hazardous material. under that 15% conc and you can mail it orm-d.
which is a reason technaflora is so weak.
85% phos is orm-d
TheBioMaster
Member
Nitric acid has lots of great uses in the garden, but honestly it is no better for hard water than anything else is....with hard water your biggest concern should be what the TA number is (total alkalinity), and if this number is to high no amount of ph down will help regardless of the source being from phosphoric acid (which, FYI is your best bet for a ph down solution).....or from nitric acid.......or from sulfuric acid.
They make hard water nutrient formulas to help balance the nutrient solution as well which can be the solution to your second biggest concern which should be the amount of minerals in your source water.....i.e.-calcium and magnesium
Your 3rd biggest worry or concern should be about the "other" things found in the water like bacteria or pathogens and heavy metals........
You should be worrying or concerned about your source water in that order.......
Some really GREAT suggestion have been given here..that will not only save you money but will help your plants out at the same time.
I will stop trying to convince you now though.....
If you ever need help please feel free to PM me or post, as we access to over 28 years of research study that has been done on water sources (hard water, soft water) and treatments.
Cheers!
They make hard water nutrient formulas to help balance the nutrient solution as well which can be the solution to your second biggest concern which should be the amount of minerals in your source water.....i.e.-calcium and magnesium
Your 3rd biggest worry or concern should be about the "other" things found in the water like bacteria or pathogens and heavy metals........
You should be worrying or concerned about your source water in that order.......
Some really GREAT suggestion have been given here..that will not only save you money but will help your plants out at the same time.
I will stop trying to convince you now though.....
If you ever need help please feel free to PM me or post, as we access to over 28 years of research study that has been done on water sources (hard water, soft water) and treatments.
Cheers!
Lowman
Member
Thank you Biomaster. I guess I really shouldn't call my water hard...as it's on the borderline of hard. It's 0.6ec. I understand what you're saying...but I have used all three acids you mention with my water. Nitric seems to cause left drift. Sulphuric is good....but the added sulpher needed is not my wish with coco. Phosphoric is fine....but I don't like the extra P in flower either with P boosters already in the recipe.
I have been able to get a gallon of Technaflora shipped finally by my supplier for 15.90 a Gallon. Can't complain about that till I get purer nitric acid. Fedex claims they are not allowed to ship more than 1 litre of it....but others online are...so they are gonna do this for me this time.
Cheers,
I have been able to get a gallon of Technaflora shipped finally by my supplier for 15.90 a Gallon. Can't complain about that till I get purer nitric acid. Fedex claims they are not allowed to ship more than 1 litre of it....but others online are...so they are gonna do this for me this time.
Cheers,
B
BrnCow
FleaBay...1oz...70% 3.99 plus shipping....
Lowman
Member
usually around 8.2
if you're in north america, grainger industrial supply has what you want.
you do realize that HNO3 is going to raise your N.
i'd be more concerned about that in flower than the P in H3PO4.
you do realize that HNO3 is going to raise your N.
i'd be more concerned about that in flower than the P in H3PO4.
TheBioMaster
Member
That is a very good point AG, as to much N is going to be problematic in a number of areas and to add on top of that, these are super short growing cycles.....and in all honestly they do not require a separate veg and bloom formula even but that is another story completely...LOL!......this is also why I think the phosphoric acid would be more ideal........
TheBioMaster
Member
Not sure how you came to that conclusion Avenger from just one water report......I can tell you that over the past 28 years that extensive water testing has been done using water samples from across the globe and still is being conducted today....phosphoric acid works GREAT for hard water.
You seem to have missed the part about TA (total alkalinity)........no amount of PH down regardless of the source will help to correct if your TA number is to high....
Your right in one aspect, lots of people do not know what they are talking about.....
You should also try reading the report that you posted...if you look at the notes on the use of acid to modify the water in the report you will read this.......
The type of acid used should depend on the nutrient type being used as well as the type of growing system being used.
So if you take that into consideration along with the type of plant your growing, anyone can plainly see that phosphoric acid is a better choice......in "most" cases, not "all" cases.
It also states that phosphoric acid is the safest.......
You seem to have missed the part about TA (total alkalinity)........no amount of PH down regardless of the source will help to correct if your TA number is to high....
Your right in one aspect, lots of people do not know what they are talking about.....
You should also try reading the report that you posted...if you look at the notes on the use of acid to modify the water in the report you will read this.......
The type of acid used should depend on the nutrient type being used as well as the type of growing system being used.
So if you take that into consideration along with the type of plant your growing, anyone can plainly see that phosphoric acid is a better choice......in "most" cases, not "all" cases.
It also states that phosphoric acid is the safest.......
Lowman
Member
Great chart Avenger. I was going to point out to the poster above that said I would be adding N to my mix that it is a minimal amount of N. But phos. Ph down adds alot of P and sulphuric acid adds alot of sulpher to coco that already is high in sulphur. Lots of reputable companies will tell you that nitric acid works best in hard water. My experience since switching to nitric proves it to ME.
If you used Nitric acid once I think you would come around to realize it is better at buffering the alkalinity of the hard water.
If you used Nitric acid once I think you would come around to realize it is better at buffering the alkalinity of the hard water.
