ph down with citric acid??

Jaypot · Feb 21, 2010

hi all,again i hope this is in the right place and that some of you maybe able to help with my question
as the ph of your water or nutrient solution is extremely important,i've had a look at mine and would like to get it down from it's present level to a ph of approx 6(does that sound right for a soil grow?).anyway i see that certain products contain citric acid to facilitate this lowering,my question is,is it possible to use the pure powdered(chrystal) citric acid that you can purchase in plastic tubs for wine making,etc to lower the ph?or is this not a good thing to use?

thanks

grasper · Feb 21, 2010

i have no experience using powder form, but liquid citric acid is only effective for a short
period of time before the ph swings back up. better off using any hydro-grade ph downer -
works much better and in small amounts it shouldn't harm your soil plants

Jaypot · Feb 21, 2010

i grasper thanks for the reply,the only reason i'm asking about using the pure citric acid is because i have seen bottles of specific ph downer that has citric acid in it's name or says "contains" 50% citric acid".
can anyone else give me some info if using the powdered(chrystal) citric acid is either the same as using a ph down containing citric as it's active element or if using citric would be a bad idea?
thanks

Jaypot · Feb 23, 2010

hi all
is there really no one who can give me alittle more help/info on this subject?

moonie · Feb 23, 2010

I wouldnt do that. To lower the PH I occasionally use 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice to a half gallon of water, fresh squeezed, not concentrate. My soil PH stays around 6.8

VerdantGreen · Feb 23, 2010

i use powerdered citric acid - dirt cheep off ebay. i mix 1-2 tsp in 1 litre of water and then use this solution as pH down. citric acid is very safe and one of the things that roots naturally exude to help the plant feed.

having said that, if your water is pH 6 then that is perfect for soil anyway - mine is 8-9 and i use citric acid to make mine around 6 before watering

V.

Syd · Feb 24, 2010

I've always used lemon juice. Years ago I've emailed the Plagron support service asking about my method and they answered it was good and also compatible with their ferts.

microgram · Feb 24, 2010

grasper said:
i have no experience using powder form, but liquid citric acid is only effective for a short
period of time before the ph swings back up. better off using any hydro-grade ph downer -
works much better and in small amounts it shouldn't harm your soil plants

++, Good answer. Better off spending the 4$ and buying a bottle of phosphoric acid (ph down) from your local hydro shop.
Remember, cash = no tax. (and no paperwork)

HempAlchemist · Feb 25, 2010

citric asid is ok for a quick fix but its effects are very short lived. epsom salt would be better for a cheep pH down. it pH's to about 6.0 is longer lasting then citric acid and provides nutes to the plant as well. start with .5tsp/gal and see how your plants react dont exceed 1tsp/gal. the best idea would be to go to the hydro store and buy some pH down u can get a few OZ for like 5-9 US but u already know that right ?

VerdantGreen · Feb 25, 2010

grasper said:
i have no experience using powder form, but liquid citric acid is only effective for a short
period of time before the ph swings back up. better off using any hydro-grade ph downer -
works much better and in small amounts it shouldn't harm your soil plants

dont do this if you are working with organics as it will kill the microherd.

as i say, i use citric acid as decribed above. take a look at my plants and decide for yourself if it works or not

Buffalo Brown · Feb 25, 2010

if i were to lower to ph for soil applications, citric acid would be the choice...Earth Juice has a pound i think for seven bucks-inflated price. Distilled vinegar is better imo.

for hydro, the citric acid is futile as the vinegar. citric acid will feed the good bacteria and with the right combination can turn your rez into like a compost tea with a high ph. phoshporic acid is very strong ,quick,and stable

sorry i dont know the correct terminology but thats what i experienced.

*mistress* · Feb 26, 2010

distilled white vinegar lowers ph... very well...
w/ very little amount.
it doesnt input any minerals/nutrients, either.

5 gal bucket of nutrient @ ~6.5 ph, can be lowered to ~5.8-6.0 w/ ~1 - 1 1/2 tbsp... or, 1 full bottle cap of small 1 liter bottle, or 1 cap full of gallon jug of vinegar...

apple cider also work, & may contribute to flavor... but does break down (decomposition).
distilled white vinegar consistent & steady...

also... earth juice bloom 0-3-1 can be used as ph-down... very concentrated...
probably more than vinegar. 1/2 cap full of gallon jug in 5 gal bucket get ph down to 6.0 or so, from full-strength nute @ ~6.5ph... if use full cap full of 1 gal jug of ej bloom, will take ph down to 5.0, from 6.5 or so...

if want to top off nute solution, w/ ph-down, w/out adding any nutrients/mineral, distilled white vinegar... if want to ph-down & add p-k & micros, ej bloom work - especially in soil.

hope this helps. enjoy your garden!

bcell · Feb 26, 2010

1/4 tsp per gallon white vinegar (acetic acid) drops mine from 7.8 to 6.6. I have heard of many using vinegar with good results.

I am not a chemist but different acids - citric or acetic, natural or chemical probably differ in their concentration - the amount you need to add to lower ph a certain amount and their buffering - ability to maintain a certain PH.

I prefer natural ingredients - some PH down products also include salts that can build up with potential adverse effects.

VerdantGreen · Feb 27, 2010

commercial organic pH down products such as Canna are made from citric acid

Dr. Dank · Feb 28, 2010

I have powdered ph down from the hydro store, but use vinegar. It works great, keeps the ph stable, and is much easier to use than powder.

Guido Sarducci · Mar 1, 2010

I've used concentrated lemon juice for years. A little goes a long way and you're not throwing $$$ away at the hydro store...

Same with ph up--just use a pinch of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

¿kama3 · Mar 1, 2010

i used freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice in my water reservuor and after a week there was some green slime, i think early grow of some algicide or moss.whether was it good/bad :chin:

greenomatic87 · Jul 16, 2012

citric acid works great as ph down most nutrient companies use it its just vitamin C so its really healthy for the plants compared to the other stuff

fungzyme · Jul 16, 2012

greenomatic87 said:
citric acid works great as ph down most nutrient companies use it its just vitamin C so its really healthy for the plants compared to the other stuff

Vitamin C = ascorbic acid. Which can be used to neutralize the chloramine in tap water.

supermanlives · Jul 16, 2012

right next to canning jars at walmart ^^^^^

ph down with citric acid??

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