Indoor Anyone Use pH drops with Nutes in their water? Need help

[Slow2Gro]

I mixed in my Nutes (1/2 strength Lucas formula) and Epsom salt into a gallon of Distilled water.
The water is pretty dark with that. Now will that color of the water affect the color of the water I test with drops?
Cause I thought Distilled water measures at about 6 for pH (I didn't test water before I mixed) and After adding nutes it measured at 4 or below.
I then added 5 drops into water and measured and it was between 4-5. I then added 5 or six more drops and the water still looks like it's between 4-5.
So I'm getting worried I'm upping the pH too much, but can't tell because the water has Nutes in it which changed the color of the water.
This is for a Soil grow, just in case that info. is needed.
I need to water them tomorrow so I need to know ASAP if I need to get more distilled water and start again, or keep trying to pH what I have now.
Thank you

 

[Jackal]

With the nutes changing the color, it really throws off the dropper test. It can't be trusted. Only with clear water you should get more accurate readings. I believe it was FD who went thru that same exact thing.

 

[TshirtNinja]

yah you are gonna need to get a ph tester.

 

[Truu]

I use the drops myself. Using nuets it turns the water a slight green. So I normally try to get it between 6-6.5, havent had any probs yet with this.

However, you said that you are adding drops of PH up. I've noticed that adding 2 drops of PH down will drop the PH alot. But when I add up it probably takes 40 drops to get the PH to go up 2. So PH up isnt as strong as down, in my experience.

Also, does your PH indicator say to use 5 drops? Mine says 3. I know if I fill the vial up to much 3 drops will not give me an accurate reading. It has to be half full with 3 drops for a perfect reading.

 

[Slow2Gro]

Thank you much guys.

Does adding Nutes change the pH much? If I add in my Epsom salt and then pH the water to 6.3-6.5 and then add in my nutes will it change my pH much?
Yeah I'm planning to order a MI pH 600 very soon (all I can afford and seemed to get decent reviews for the price).

 

[Muddy]

Yes, depending on how much nutrients you add it can drop the pH several points. You want to adjust your pH after you add the nutes.

 

[TshirtNinja]

depends on how much you add but yet it can lower it quite a bit.

 

[mr.mcgregor]

yes, if my ph is 7.5 and I add just over half strenth veg nutes the ph goes down to around 6.4 so I dont need to ajust the ph, unless im flowering and il raise it a bit. but thats just the nutes I used and my water. for you it will be differnet, but the same principle

basically.....ajusting your ph is the last thing you should do.

 

[Slow2Gro]

Yeah I was just reading where some people start their water with a pH of about 7.5-7.8 and then add nutes and they say it lowers pH to about 6.5. I'm doing 1/2 strength Lucas Formula (4ML GH Micro, 8ML GH Bloom/each plant).
And on the Lucas Formula site it says:
"Lucas Formula with tap water
You may use Lucas Formula with tap water successfully, but this may require pH adjusting on your part. Keep the pH close to 5.8." So does that mean GH nutes Micro and Bloom raise the pH some? I'm confused now.

I'll have to call around and see if I can find a cheaper pH pen in this small town, otherwise I'm S.O.L.
I need to water plants today so I may just use my tap water which is close to 8.0 and just add nutes and epsom and hope that works.
DAMN IT wish I could've afforded a pH meter soon. I wonder if that's also what my problem was about a month ago. I've only given them nutes a few times though, but still.

Thanks alot all for the help. I appreciate it.

**EDIT** well I threw an offer out on a MI pH 600 tester on ebay for $22 shipped. All I have for now and if it lasts me only 6 months I'll be happy. I'll get something better when I have the money for sure. I just need something now.

 

[mr.mcgregor]

I think on the back of my canna terra nutes it says to keep the ph between 5.8-6.0, but thats more hydro ph. I go about 6.2-6.4 with veg feeds, then 6.5-6.8 with flowering feed (this is all with canna tera range) and watering is allways pH 7.0

My pH tester off ebay was around £10 and lasted me for ages, thy only brake when im stoned and try to put th lid back on and smash the glass ball bit (which ive done twice lol)