pH buffers and hard water . . .

[Amorphous]

I have exceedingly hard water in my DWC (275 ppm on a Trucheon straight outa the tap). In the past I've used the typical pH down sold at the local HP store. But to get to a desirable pH I end up with 4-450 ppm before I even add nutes! I know some advocate nutes before pH but all I end up with that route is nute lockout and crust so bad it clogs the system. pH first and then adding nutes seems to limit the precipitate.

Pushing a max 1350 ppm on a grow I'm already giving up a third of the ppm to getting the water right which I can only assume limits nute uptake. Short of installing an RO filter, does anyone have any suggestions on limiting ppm for purposes of nailing the pH? Has anyone tried sulfuric (H2SO4) or muriatic/hydrochloric (HCL) acid as a pH buffer?

Many thanks . . .

 

[pcduck]

those are the same as ph down just a different pH down. buffers are what keep the pH the same even after adding pH down. Maybe your water supply also has a high calcium level too, many places use that as a buffer

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

What kind of nutes are you using? Most nutes buffer the solution at least somewhat, which is the reason that we pH after we add nutes. If you are having problems like that if you pH after you nute your solution, I suspect some other problem--ie I do not believe that the nute lockout and crust is because you pH after adding nutes--look for something else.

I would though recommend either buying bottled water or getting an RO. I do not like to give my plants 275 ppm of who knows what. Where I lived before I had well water and a starting ppm about that high. We caught rain water when it was available and used bottled water the rest of the time. I installed an RO not long before we moved, but I kind of don't like them as they waste a lot of water.

 

[Amorphous]

Thanks for the advice everyone . . .