Hard Learned Lesson

[ChatNoir]

I used to think that everything was perfect, I was using bottled water and boiling it... I decided to test my Red Cabbage pH indicator this morning and bottled water got pH rating around 8... I was like ***! Then I added a few drops vinegar, to drop total pH to around 6...

I was so happy but I wanted to test it anyway so I boiled the water, as I guessed vinegar broken down to main particles by heat and total pH changed to 9! I almost got fainted, added some vinegar again and saw that indicator was still working.

One last test was necessary, I boiled bottled water without any additives and added pH indicator, colour came as GREEN and I was always using pH 9 water! I added some vinegar and changed colour to purple. Let water to cool down and I will be using this method from now on till I can find a shop with decent pH Up as well as pH down...

I will be saving cash for a decent digital pH meter as well so I can have accurate readings, as they say measure twice, cut once.

I hope it will be a lesson for all newbies like me.

 

[kailiwela44]

my tap water where i'm from is around 9pH also. I use to use vinegar to get the pH down untill i discovered that a water filter (jug kine) would drop my pH to the low side of 6ph. to counter it, takes some time, i have a few water bottles and i keep mixing the low with the high. i haven't figured out the exact algebra, but it's best to start low and work your way up. Hope this helps.

peace,
kailiwela44

 

[ChatNoir]

my tap water where i'm from is around 9pH also. I use to use vinegar to get the pH down untill i discovered that a water filter (jug kine) would drop my pH to the low side of 6ph. to counter it, takes some time, i have a few water bottles and i keep mixing the low with the high. i haven't figured out the exact algebra, but it's best to start low and work your way up. Hope this helps.

peace,
kailiwela44

I am doing exactly the same right now, I adjusting pH and letting water sit for a while, probably I will be buying an air pump today as well as pH Up and pH Down (if I can find) and have water both at right pH and aerated.

 

[docfishwrinkle]

ph down cant find look @ pet store in fish aisle. sounds crazy but it works & not an arm & leg. if fish can live & prosper in it & you flush final week cant hurt right

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I am curious why you boil bottled water?

 

[ChatNoir]

I am curious why you boil bottled water?

I do not trust water company, there may be harmful bacterias in water! Last year a lot of people poisoned because of water...

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I'm not sure that boiling your water is a good idea.

The act of boiling water can do several things:
Eliminates most of the dissolved gases--like dissolved oxygen
Evaporates much pure water, leaving higher concentrations of dissolved minerals and salts.
Affects the pH and the PPM of your water.
While it kills living bacteria, it does nothing to remove other toxins.

Water that is toxic to humans may be just fine for watering plants. For instance, I wouldn't drink rain water, but when my ex-bf grew, we collected rainwater in 50 gal (food quality) barrels to water his girls. He believed that they did better with rainwater.

However, if you are uncomfortable with your water, can you find a "safe" water source or have you considered an RO? Water that has been boiled is not good for your girls. I don't like to use water that has been heated at all when watering.

 

[Puffin Afatty]

I have excellent water from my artesian well, same aquafir sys that feeds into lake superior, but I still use ro water for the plants, if for no other reason than to make it easier to control the res ph and mineral content :hubba:

I dont get the ph shifts so common with tap water, and I have a really good idea what is in my res at any time. for instance, great lakes water supplies usually have a ph of about 6.5-6.8 and have about 150-200 ppm of minerals like calcium and magnesium. oftentimes, the water is purified with reverse osmosis and the minerals actually added for taste and in either case those minerals need to be accounted for in your nute formulas :farm:

 

[ChatNoir]

However, if you are uncomfortable with your water, can you find a "safe" water source or have you considered an RO? Water that has been boiled is not good for your girls. I don't like to use water that has been heated at all when watering.

I have excellent water from my artesian well, same aquafir sys that feeds into lake superior, but I still use ro water for the plants, if for no other reason than to make it easier to control the res ph and mineral content

On my way actually, in "to-do" list... Just not within this year.

 

[SativaWeed]

I have a very small pond in my backyard with small fish in it, I take that water for my plants as well as my indoor aquarium. The pond water stays crystal clear in the fish tank and the natural waste from the fish give my girls an added treat in organic nutes. I would NEVER steilize water meant for plants or other living organisms. While I worked at a large pet store, one of the most important bits of info we always gave to our new aquarium owners was DO NOT fill the tank with distilled water. It's sterile and fish will suffocate in it as there is NO Oxygen. Do you boil yer water in a tea kettle? There's a fair amount of lime scale that can build up inside and THAT will definately muck with yer PH #'s. Like real shells in yer aquarium, NOT a good idea unless you WANT yer PH thru the roof! Just my 2¢ worth.

 

[ArtVandolay]

ph down cant find look @ pet store in fish aisle. sounds crazy but it works & not an arm & leg. if fish can live & prosper in it & you flush final week cant hurt right

I'm a soil grower, not a hydro. But I have a swimming pool and PH down is baking soda. I don't think you'd like PH up fow swimming pools, though (diluted hydrochloric acid).

 

[ChatNoir]

pH down is Sulfuric Acid 5%... I better stop boiling water, just adjust pH till buffer breaks down and total pH goes down to 6.5...

 

[Tater]

Ha oh how I remember when I used to dote over my plant(s) everyday. Trust me after you prepare a 1000L of water you'll start to care less and look for faster ways to get things done. Remember the main things and you'll be fine, remove the chlorine (if using tap water let it sit out over night), add your nutrients THEN ph your solution and tell your girls to quit complaining or next week they'll get no dinner

 

[ChatNoir]

Ha oh how I remember when I used to dote over my plant(s) everyday. Trust me after you prepare a 1000L of water you'll start to care less and look for faster ways to get things done. Remember the main things and you'll be fine, remove the chlorine (if using tap water let it sit out over night), add your nutrients THEN ph your solution and tell your girls to quit complaining or next week they'll get no dinner

Sounds like what should I do... I should be forgetting them for a few days...

 

[ArtVandolay]

I'm a soil grower, not a hydro. But I have a swimming pool and PH down is baking soda. I don't think you'd like PH up fow swimming pools, though (diluted hydrochloric acid).

Ooops, actually, the reverse. It's either too much drinking or too much smoking. Sorry.

 

[tankdogster]

I have a very small pond in my backyard with small fish in it, I take that water for my plants as well as my indoor aquarium. The pond water stays crystal clear in the fish tank and the natural waste from the fish give my girls an added treat in organic nutes. I would NEVER steilize water meant for plants or other living organisms. While I worked at a large pet store, one of the most important bits of info we always gave to our new aquarium owners was DO NOT fill the tank with distilled water. It's sterile and fish will suffocate in it as there is NO Oxygen. Do you boil yer water in a tea kettle? There's a fair amount of lime scale that can build up inside and THAT will definately muck with yer PH #'s. Like real shells in yer aquarium, NOT a good idea unless you WANT yer PH thru the roof! Just my 2¢ worth.

Is there any problems using Old aquarium water with 1100 PPM and 7.5 PH? I know the PH is high but what about Nitrites and Nitrates?

 

[Tater]

Is there any problems using Old aquarium water with 1100 PPM and 7.5 PH? I know the PH is high but what about Nitrites and Nitrates?

Tone doesn't transfer very well across the internet and so I'm not sure if that was a joke or not.

 

[tankdogster]

I was not trying to be a smart ***. I was just asking a dumb question. I did not intend any ill tone. That must have been a pretty dumb a$$ question to be mistaken for sarcasm. Sorry

 

[SativaWeed]

Is there any problems using Old aquarium water with 1100 PPM and 7.5 PH? I know the PH is high but what about Nitrites and Nitrates?

No. I wouldn't get too involved with the worry on the nitrites/trates, if yer using old aquarium water (and I'm guessing yer doing a partial water change on the aquarium and reusing it for plants?) it should be fine, that PH seems a tad high for the tank though. You have sea shells in yer tank or hard water? I wouldn't be overly concerned. Taters right, let'em grow with out a lot of fussing.Fidgeting with them all the time is usually when someone makes a problem for themselves.

 

[Tater]

Man no no no that is not ok to use aquarium water. Unless you can tell me exactly what makes up that 1100 PPM (which is higher than most people have there water AFTER fertilizers for most of their grow) then this is a really really bad idea. Is tap water that expensive? I wasn't accusing you of being a smartass I seriously thought you were joking because I didn't expect that to be a serious question.