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pH Management & Maintenance |
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| If you’re growing in hydroponic systems then the pH and cF (feed strength) of your nutrient will need initial and regular adjustment to create and maintain the optimum growing conditions for your plants. Read how here. |
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What is pH?
pH (potential Hydrogen) in reality is a measure of the electrical potential of the Hydrogen atoms in the water - whether they are more positively or negatively charged. In practice it is a measure of how acid or alkaline the water is. Generally the more alkaline or “hard” the water is the higher the pH and the more acidic or “soft” the water is the lower the pH. A neutral pH is said to be 7, and for hydroponics the solution should ideally be slightly acidic with a pH of about 6 for best nutrient absorption.
The 16 or so nutrient elements we dissolve into our hydroponic feed solution are only available for uptake by the roots within a narrow range of pH values so it is important to maintain. In soil the range of values is much greater and no adjustments are normally necessary.
Measuring pH
Most people test their pH with a manual pH test kit which is cheap, reliable and good for a couple of hundred tests. If you fancy something a bit quicker and easier and to use maybe an electronic meter is for you. The Hobby pH Meter is a good measuring pen for £39.00 with a digital readout. These type of electronic pens should last up to a couple of years before the gel inside gets used up. More expensive pH equipment that has a separate probe will last longer as the gel can be topped up when it runs low. Monitors which give a continuous readout, with a probe from the box to the solution tank are also available, most notably from Bluelab who are well known for their precision testing equipment.
Making up nutrient solutions
1. When making up Hydroponic nutrient solutions we recommend you:
de-chlorinate the water first by letting it stand for at least 12 hours, as the chlorine will effect the pH of the water.
2. Next add the nutrient solution at your required strength and add all your favourite additives as all these things can affect the pH of the solution.
3.Now adjust the pH of the nutrient solution using pH up or down as required. Aim for between 5.4 and 6.8. With about 6 being ideal.
4. If you overdo the adjustment of your pH by accidentally adding too much pH up or down, DO NOT use more acid to correct the problem. Simply add more water to the solution until you have corrected the problem.
Maintaining solution pH
When using hand watered hydro pots use pH adjusted nutrient solution at every watering. If you find you are adding a lot of acid to bring the pH down, or your tap water ph and EC are very high, you may need to use hard water feed which would automatically adjust the pH down to some degree for you. Another reason to add feed first, then adjust pH.
In Re-circulating Hydroponic systems you may find the pH changes on a daily basis, often continuing to rise. The trick here is to use the right feed and not to adjust the pH every day even if it rises a bit as you may do more harm than good by adding too much acid, especially in rockwool slabs. Try to adjust the solution at most every other day.
What if I’m Having Problems?
If you are having problems with your pH or are unsure about anything in this article, please feel free to call our technical team on 0845 345 5176 and we’ll be only too happy to answer any questions you may have.
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GroWell Hydroponics Ltd, Solihull, Birmingham, UK
Blooms Garden Centre, Kenilworth Road
Hampton-In-Arden, Solihull, B92 0LW
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