Conradino23
Well-Known Member
Yes, it will work. A tbs per half a gallon would probably be ok.
Using Vinegar For Lowering pH
- Thread starter trkyhntr420
- Start date
gypsywoman13
New Member
How often did you have to water with vinegar to keep the pH at that reading? I just tried it couple of hours ago with my auto NL and it brought it from a 7.6 to close to a 6.5 and i'd like to get it to at least a 6.0. Tks for the advice.
For about the last four years now I've used vinegar for ph down. I keep reading people hinting that it is bad somehow, but haven't yet learned why and haven't noticed any ill effects. But then my grow is never 100% perfect so who knows. Not the topic of this thread but-For ph up I use diluted potassium hydroxide, aka lye. Commonly available as the spa and pool ph up. Also pet stores have it I think for fish tanks. Again- people hinting that it shouldn't be done- but no hard facts and no ill effects that I've observed, though again not all my plants are always perfect. But I'm pretty sure I would have noticed over the years. One warning- lye is quite caustic undiluted (strongly alkaline) so be careful with that when mixing it.
I've been using White Vinegar for pH Down and Baking Soda for pH Up for decades on all of my house potted plants, indoors and out. I've never had any plant issues arise from using either. I'm talking dozens and dozens of different plants including sensitive things like Orchids and African Violets, so I don't think the expensive bottled pH products are worth the money. Of course your mileage may vary, but if you get a decent pH meter, I think Vinegar and Baking Soda are great for adjusting water pH at the lowest possible price. I also have kept several fresh water and salt water aquariums over the years using the same two for water pH adjustments. BUT fish are much more sensitive to both products ... 24hr aeration of the solution in a bucket with a air bubbler is a requirement prior to addition into a live tank, especially saltwater (IMHO).
The only fact I've heard people come up with as a reason not to use it, sodium bicarbonate that is, is because it can be too salty. I've never used baking soda. As I said I've always used lye- which also gets frowned on. But- even if I mix up a fairly strong batch of nutrients, like 1200 ppm, which in my case brings the ph down as low as 4 or even 3.8, I only have to add 30 or 40 ppm of lye to bring the ph up to the 6.5 -7 range. I'm not sure how much baking soda you are adding, but as long as you don't overdo it, it's probably fine. And like you- I've gone for years doing it this way with no ill effects, so I put way more value on that experience than on people just talking.
Juanbuddha420
New Member
By the way guys, Battery acid works and saves money, case closed. It's what everyone that I know uses and these guys grow some vip too notch og. Ive also been using it and no side effects. Thought some of y'all would like to know
wiley420
Well-Known Member
I use baking soda an cider vinegar, always have as well as a few family members an friends an none of us have ever had an issue from either.
Treblecleff
New Member
Hi All, wow this tread is great. Thank you very much. My seedlings, (first grow), are ready to be transplanted into my first hydo bubble buckets. I had trouble sourcing PH down. I tried the vinegar and it works. I also tried citrasoda (for human consumption), which can be bought almost anywhere. I read on a site "google" search, if you growing organic, it good to use citrasoda. And if you add too much, add more tap water.. I like that... save some money.. I'm 2 weeks in to my grow.. i will post pics of my "citrasoda and vinegar water" plants. Soon.
v4p3rcl0ud
New Member
So to be fair, and for the sake of keeping this post alive I've came to this conclusion. Many different things can be used to ph . and ph . , with positive consequences. White or apple cider vinegar and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) being the most popular besides store bought ph up and down. If at any time someone sees in a thread or experiences any negative consequences personally please update us, as we have seen by past posts that many have great experiences using these products for decades, so until then I believe everyone will be safe using these more cost effective alternate methods.
Using sodium bicarbonate over extended periods can be harmful. Just my 2 cents. It can be used for sure! However, I wouldn't recommend it as a daily fix. I have read many stories of the negative consequences. Let me see if I can provide the source to verify this. However apple cider vinegar agould be okay as Ph up from what I remember. I believe they recommended skim milk before baking soda for a quick fix . Be back with more deets
Rider509
Well-Known Member
I use hydrofluoric acid. I always keep a 55gal drum on hand in case I need to dispose of a body.
v4p3rcl0ud
New Member
Harmful in what way though?
High amounts of sodium aka salt. This can interfere with your nutrients and cause instability in your res. The nutrients are salt based if your growing hydro. I'm sure you can certianly use it but silica offers more benefits (strengthens plant) and better reseviour stability.
I use Botanicare nutrients including their cal-mag plus which is 2-0-0. Well I got thinking for flowering I didn't want to add that much more nitrogen in the reservoir so I got some cal-mag+ from general organics which is 1-0-0. Well upon opening the bottle from general organics it smells just like vinegar and the ph takes a nose dive. Funny the Botanicare cal-mag doesn't smell that way. Well if general organics thinks its okay to use vinegar in their product why wouldn't it be ok to control ph.
v4p3rcl0ud
New Member
Thanks for the info!
MadHatterJack
Well-Known Member
I'm sure somebody mentioned but lime is my preferred method. However I always use baking soda to lift my ph up as I don't ever have to ph down with my water.
Okay done my res change Friday night with cal-mag plus 2-0-0 from Botanicare instead of using the cal-mag+ from general organics 1-0-0
Been watching the ph which is at 5.4 as 5:30pm. It,s drifting down slowly and I can handle that. With cal-mag+ from G.O. the ph would drop from 5.8 to 4.8 overnight.
Been watching the ph which is at 5.4 as 5:30pm. It,s drifting down slowly and I can handle that. With cal-mag+ from G.O. the ph would drop from 5.8 to 4.8 overnight.
