[Jaypot]

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]

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]

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]

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

[moonie]

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by grasper

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]

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]

Originally Posted by grasper

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