Frank_White
(superposter)
3/13/00 05:15 PM
|
Vinegar as PH Down?
[Post#: 72795
/ re: 72521
]
|
|
|
is there anything wrong with using vinegar as a ph down as opposed to nitric or sulfiric acid?
peace
frank white
|
reesehydro
(stranger)
3/14/00 00:40 AM
|
Re: Vinegar as PH Down?
[Post#: 72797
/ re: 72795
]
|
|
|
I was just reading my Handbook and wanted to let you know that there is nothing wrong with using vinegar for lowering your pH. I like that idea also. I find that, compared to sulfuric or nitric acids, it just requires greater amounts of vinegar. If you have any more questions, just let me know.
|
desertdawg
(superposter)
3/14/00 03:19 AM
Attachment
|
|
Re: Vinegar as PH Down?
[Post#: 72801
/ re: 72795
]
|
|
|
frank, i e-mailed a hydro dealer with this question, he discouraged it, but then he has a vested interest, if everyone used vinegar, he wouldn't sell ph down.
i do it when i fertilize, but then i'm in soil.
maybe a good experiment is in order, with a control plant(no vinegar) and a few others with varying vinegar solutions to see how it affects the plants.....
damn, when is my gas spectrometer gonna get here?
ddawg
|
Frank_White
(superposter)
3/14/00 03:27 AM
|
|
Re: Vinegar as PH Down?
[Post#: 72802
/ re: 72801
]
|
|
|
well it seems like its time for an experiment-o!
i'm going to pop into the hydro shop and pick up some ph-down, but i'm going to keep using vinegar on one bubbler.... i'd really love to prove that there's no reason to buy ph-down :)
will keep you posted! & thanks everybody for your help!
peace
frank_white
|
AesoP
(old hand)
3/14/00 09:57 AM
|
|
Re: Vinegar as PH Down?
[Post#: 72803
/ re: 72795
]
|
|
|
As my hydro shop told me, Vinegar works fine, but is short in it's effect. You may have to adjust pH daily.
|
rounderx
(master)
3/14/00 10:06 PM
|
|
Re: Vinegar as PH Down?
[Post#: 72810
/ re: 72803
]
|
|
|
Might better research it a bit, a while back someone tried it and burned his plants up, your decision though. rounderx..PS, catch some rain water, my tap is 8 but rain water here, is 7, so it saves money that way. I also get radioactive slime and poisionous chemicals in my rain water thanks to the petro chem ind. but I just consider it trace elements, right?!! rounderx
|
Frank_White
(superposter)
3/24/00 05:02 AM
|
|
Re: Vinegar as PH Down?
[Post#: 72904
/ re: 72810
]
|
|
|
ok i did the experiment and so the jury has decided on the vinegar as ph-down issue.
in a word (or three): don't do it.
here's the deal: day one you start with a ph of 7.3. you add vinegar until it goes to 6.1 and life is good. next day, you get home from work and check the ph and holy shit! it's gone up to 7.6! so you add even more vinegar to get it back down. next day, you check it again, and it's gone up to 8.0!!!!! anyone see a pattern yet? i can go on if you want :)
on the hydro unit beside it i used dilute sulfuric acid (your average "ph down") on day one. i lowered the ph to 6.0 and it stayed constant until i added more nutes/ water, at which time it raised a little.
use the real acids and keep the vinegar for pickles.
peace
frank white
|
MisterIto
(old hand)
3/25/00 07:36 AM
|
|
Re: Vinegar as PH Down?
[Post#: 72916
/ re: 72904
]
|
|
|
Distilled vinegar (5% acetic acid) is a very weak organic acid. The ph is around 3.0, but is not capable of maintaining lowered ph in a high ppm strictly chemical based nutrient solution. I have also experienced the ph creep you mentioned to a lesser degree, on occasion. I rarely need to use any ph adjustors with my buffered, bioponic solution, but alternate vinegar and citric acid with sucess for maintaining lowered ph levels of 5.1 to 5.3.
See my thread under General Grow for my recommendations for ph adjustment.
Peace...
|
