DWC Ph

I'm growing my first hydro grow in a 6 site DWC...i am using silica stone as my growing medium, and bc nutes...i am having trouble keeping my ph at 5.5, in fact within 2 hours after lowering my ph it's back up to 6.9-7.0. I rinsed the stones and changed my reservoir, but my clones are only in their 2nd week in the hydro setup. i need a few suggestions on how to keep the ph down...btw the clones are ST #4

What's the pH and TDS readings of your water that you're using? Are you using tapwater? If your water is really hard or if the initial pH is extreme on either end of the spectrum, an RO (reverse osmosis) filter might be in order. It will make nute adjustments a sinch and should easily solve your problem.

And if you don't feel like buying a pricey RO filter and you don't mind hauling it water instead, you can always get RO water from one of those coin-operated machines that many grocery stores have out in front.

Forty

I don't know anything about those nutes.I use the GH Flora series.This is my 1st hydro grow.I am using 2 18 gal homemade bubbler tanks,which is DWC.I'm using Hydroton clay pebbles to hold down rockwool cubes.The silica stones may be the problem.When I satrted using Fulvic Acid and Silica,my ph went a little wacky in the upward direction.Are you sure your solution is getting mixed well before you checkit?Just a thought.I use an old aquarium outside filter pump to mix mine.I have 1/2"pvc tubing hooked to it and cut a hole big enough for the impellar to fit through and cut a small hole for the tubing.I let it mix for at least 30 minutes before checking,then 30 minutes after I adjust.Once I figured out how much it was going to climb,I just started throwing a little more phosphoric acid into it at the beginning.I found an old gallon of nearly full strength phosphoric at work and 16 oz of it "followed me home" .That was enough to make 5 gallons of mixture equal to ph up .Some use vinegar.I don't know what you are using to drop your ph,but try adding a little extra.It's just something that you'll have to experiment with.Heh,my wife refers to the growing area as Dr.Frankenstein's Lab Lot's of tubing,wiring,lights,meters and other funny stuff that you wouldn't normally see in a.........
Hope I've been a little help anyway.Good Luck,BigPapa

i'm using normal distilled h20 with a starting ph of 7.0 and a starting ppm of 25-35...after adding nutes, i take the ppm up to 250-300

i use gh ph down, and i have dropped the ph all the way to 5.2 and it still climbs back up to 7.0 within a few hours...big papa--i know the feeling about the "frankenstein's lab"... my old lady won't even visit my babies for fear of knocking against the numerous duct fans, air pumps, co2 kit, wires, ports, etc....she calls it my spaceship...i

Something I forgot to mention. If you're having trouble with your pH levels rising, it might be a good idea to mix your nutes and adjust them in a reservoir beforehand as it may let them stabilize overnight. If you leave them be with a pump for mixing for about 24 hours, you might have less problems once you add the solution to your plants. I have never done this personally as I've never had any pH drift problems, but I've heard it helps with it. Good luck.

I do mix my nutes beforehand, but i don'e let them sit overnight...i'm gonna bump the ppms up tonight and i'll let it sit out for ahwile before adding...thanks for the advice..i'll keep posting updates

Still having problems?

Still having problems?

How have things been since you uped your nute strength?

Most nute mixes have been engineered to have a pH buffering quality. My system is a DWC style in 21 gallon rubbermaids similar to BigPapa's. If you are using a large container like this your problem might be that your nute strength is too low for you to see the buffer effect of the nutes. When I first moved my plants into the system I had wild pH fluctuations as you are/were experiencing. After I increased the nute strength to about 600 ppm, taking into account that my tap water runs about 200 ppm, so 400 nutes, the pH came under control. Keep an eye on them and adjust your nutes and pH accordingly, but this may help you.

GreatLakes THC