Hi everybody!!! First post in the infirmary, If this is not the right place for this please move it where it should go. I don't have sick plants so much as I have under performing plants. Some have done great others only OK, some not so good at all. All could have been much better. And I think PH is my issue.
I have completed five or six grows with decent results. However I think I'm not getting the results I could because I have not been considering PH at all.
I knew my water was around 8 but had no idea what it was after adding my nutrients of choice.
I'm ready now to go down the PH rabbit hole. I'm tired of plants just making it to harvest. I want them to make it there as healthy as the can be. I think that's key to getting my quality up.
I have a PH meter and tested my water it came in at 8.2, this is what I thought based on a previous water quality test kit I used.
After adding nutrients the PH went down to 7.1.
First question
Is 7.1 ok? (Pretty sure its not but had to ask) I read that ideal PH should be 6 - 6.5.
I don't have any store bought PH down so as an experiment I used organic apple cider vinegar. It required 2.5 teaspoons to bring PH down to 6.3.(didn't feed with this wanted ask here first)
Second Question
Is it ok to use apple cider vinegar?
I read yes use it, works great. But I also read that vinegar can be used as an herbicide. I'm confused
Third question
Does 2.5 teaspoons of ACV to go from 7.1 down to 6.3 seem right?
I read where people say it only took them a hand full of drops to lower it around the same amount.
Fourth question
Is citric acid crystals a good PH down to use?
I read that a lot of commercially sold organic ph down is citric acid. But again I also read it can be used as an herbicide. I'm really confused now
Soil is a locally sourced OMRI certified organic soil.
I have completed five or six grows with decent results. However I think I'm not getting the results I could because I have not been considering PH at all.
I knew my water was around 8 but had no idea what it was after adding my nutrients of choice.
I'm ready now to go down the PH rabbit hole. I'm tired of plants just making it to harvest. I want them to make it there as healthy as the can be. I think that's key to getting my quality up.
I have a PH meter and tested my water it came in at 8.2, this is what I thought based on a previous water quality test kit I used.
After adding nutrients the PH went down to 7.1.
First question
Is 7.1 ok? (Pretty sure its not but had to ask) I read that ideal PH should be 6 - 6.5.
I don't have any store bought PH down so as an experiment I used organic apple cider vinegar. It required 2.5 teaspoons to bring PH down to 6.3.(didn't feed with this wanted ask here first)
Second Question
Is it ok to use apple cider vinegar?
I read yes use it, works great. But I also read that vinegar can be used as an herbicide. I'm confused
Third question
Does 2.5 teaspoons of ACV to go from 7.1 down to 6.3 seem right?
I read where people say it only took them a hand full of drops to lower it around the same amount.
Fourth question
Is citric acid crystals a good PH down to use?
I read that a lot of commercially sold organic ph down is citric acid. But again I also read it can be used as an herbicide. I'm really confused now
Soil is a locally sourced OMRI certified organic soil.