First DWC. overwhelmed with names and chemicals and additives

[Badchoice]

lol bro, looks like we have our differences. I'm not trying to argue with you but some places an individual can't just purchase battery acid. Hell i tried it with different methods. also, i did it and if you follow the instructions correctly, nothing will happen and you'll end up with ton of free sulfuric acid.
but then again Safety First!

I agree on this some states have really weird regulations on products and what can and can not be sold. Like for me to get sulfuric acid outside of pre made product I would have to be like a chemistry teacher or something with valid sources that proves I’m not some psycho buying it ya know lol. Shit even on Amazon I can’t get ff soil or half the botincare products shipped to my address.

 

[User59204626117]

Canada is fully legal and we’re allowed to grow so I don’t need to hide any of that

But it does seem lots of products are banned up here and hard to get. Hygroguard, power.si, armour.si. And I’m sure others too. So that’s interesting.

as far as being sold snake oils... I can’t help it. It’s a 2 hour drive to the city and this was a one shot deal. They were only $15-20 a bottle and the guy was helping me a tonnnn so I threw him a bone. But still.

I’m gonna let it settle and simmer for a few days. I don’t even have a ph pen yet and am scared to dump yet another $150 into something that I’m not fully enjoying. Plus I’ve already bought a cheap ph pen and am bitter about it.

don’t spend too much more time on me. I’m a lost cause

 

[tobh]

don’t spend too much more time on me. I’m a lost cause

My kind of people man. You don't need to spend much else. I understand the Northern restrictions, they suuuuck. Though, I think there's more to it than just the powers that be saying "you can't have this." Us Americans like our cancer and insane medical costs. Work harder if you wanna be healthy type thing.

Of all things, a pH pen will be your best expense. Those strips are great for confirmation (trust, pH pens are hella unreliable unless you shell out $$$). But, getting a baseline, semi-trustable #, pens are great.

Let er simmer, cool the nerves. You did good today, and came out better off. We'll work out what you need to do with what you've got. This isn't a pull-the-plug spot yet man.

 

[Kampbe1l]

don’t spend too much more time on me. I’m a lost cause

slow down, calm down. you're in a rush. break it down, keep it simple.

it's not a lost cause, you're just having a bad day. deep breaths, you're super-keen and you're kinda tripping over your shoe laces.

go do the punching bag for 2 minutes....

understand the frustration, persistence and patience are 2 traits which will be constantly tested. i think you're just saying it out of frustration, don't give up, now.

Canada is fully legal and we’re allowed to grow so I don’t need to hide any of that

But it does seem lots of products are banned up here and hard to get. Hygroguard, power.si, armour.si. And I’m sure others too. So that’s interesting.

As an Aussie, understand about limited supplies - but you can make do, or you have to make do, with what is available locally. typically, there is a substitute you can use. it can be trial & error.

yes, take every (manufacturer's) claim with a grain of salt.

I’m gonna let it settle and simmer for a few days. I don’t even have a ph pen yet and am scared to dump yet another $150 into something that I’m not fully enjoying. Plus I’ve already bought a cheap ph pen and am bitter about it.

yup, take a small break. do something else. you've bashed yourself against this roadblock enuff.

you need to get a pH pen - probably don't have to spend as much at $150. a pen is an capital investment. not sure which pen you first bought, check some reviews, see if you can get it locally, go for middle-range.

you only transplanted from soil to DWC yesterday, so the plants would be in total shock, no? anyway, i've had plants looking like death, which revived back to full recovery - so, that's the worst case scenario, there should be still plenty left worth fighting for.

rest up, tackle it later when you're freshened up a little.

 

[Aqua Man]

The ph down he bought being 0/55/0 is phosphoric acid and is a great choice. Ph pens are very reliable if you look after them. They need proper storage and calibration. Like any tool if you don't maintain it is not going to work well for you.

 

[User59204626117]

I have a vivosun ph pen. It sucked even when new. Then I let it dry. Apparently if the probe dries it dies.

I think that’s the only thing missing now is a solid ph tester.

 

[Aqua Man]

I have a vivosun ph pen. It sucked even when new. Then I let it dry. Apparently if the probe dries it dies.

I think that’s the only thing missing now is a solid ph tester.

Nah they need to dry multiple times. You just need a long soak in kcl. Then verify it against a known meter or test solution.

 

[User59204626117]

I have distilled water and those 4.0 and 6.86 ph packs.

I can calibrate it perfectly then dip it into 6.86 and it won’t even read that properly just seconds after a flawless calibration.

I feel the strips are wayyyy more accurate than my vivosun ph pen. Still want that bluelab though. Local store has the H&M ph80. I like my H&M tds meter so far.

This is the final piece to my puzzle. And it’s a big one too. Pretty important piece. I need it sooner than later too.

 

[PK1]

I have a vivosun ph pen. It sucked even when new. Then I let it dry. Apparently if the probe dries it dies.

I think that’s the only thing missing now is a solid ph tester.

when you do buy your ph pen make sure to buy a storage solution for it other whys the prob will get damaged. You can buy a prob solution from amazon for 30-40$

The strips are not accurate. That's because the colours are very close to each other and that won't allow you to pick the right ph.

Nah they need to dry multiple times. You just need a long soak in kcl. Then verify it against a known meter or test solution.

nobody said his ph down solution was bad, we just said that it consist of other nutrients which will change his water chemistry.
@User59204626117 if you have a pen reader and some ph solution of 7 or 6.86 then you can calibrate the pen and use it.

 

[Aqua Man]

when you do buy your ph pen make sure to buy a storage solution for it other whys the prob will get damaged. You can buy a prob solution from amazon for 30-40$

The strips are not accurate. That's because the colours are very close to each other and that won't allow you to pick the right ph.


nobody said his ph down solution was bad, we just said that it consist of other nutrients which will change his water chemistry.
@User59204626117 if you have a pen reader and some ph solution of 7 or 6.86 then you can calibrate the pen and use it.

All acids do.

Can make a lifetime supply of storage solution with kcl (potassium chloride) and distilled water. 1 pound is like $10 and will make enough for a lifetime.

 

[PK1]

All acids do.

Can make a lifetime supply of storage solution with kcl (potassium chloride) and distilled water. 1 pound is like $10 and will make enough for a lifetime.

i am happy with my sulfuric acid. As long as the final harvest and the product smokes good with no taste to chemicals then i am a happy camper. I say this because i find that the ph drift in hydro is a headache and getting that to stabilize is the main key of hydro IMO

 

[Aqua Man]

i am happy with my sulfuric acid. As long as the final harvest and the product smokes good with no taste to chemicals then i am a happy camper.

Sulfuric adds sulfur, nitric adds nitrogen, phosphoric adds phosphorus but all in vey small amounts. Phosphoric is the most stable IMO. Sulfuric is also a good option. Nitric is to weak and citric reacts with bicarbonate and is useless.

They all change ratios but not in any meaningful way.

 

[PK1]

@User59204626117 here is the ph pen i bought for 18$ from amazon. Cheap and adjustable.

 

[User59204626117]

This thing can’t even read my 6.86 solution seconds after calibrating. It sucked right from the first day. never stabilized. Constantly creeps until it’s some ridiculous number.

 

[PK1]

it does stablize. follow the packaging instruction on making a 6.86 solution and calibrate it the pen. There is a hole on the backside side that has a little golden screw. You can calibrate it with that screw. You don't need fancy 200$ ph pen. lol! however, the bluelab 500 dollars ph/TDS reader is a nice one for rdwc

 

[PK1]

by the way i forgot to mention, if you don't have a storage solution then make another ph solution but with the red packaging. my storage solution ph is at 4, so i think if you just make a ph4.01 solution and store the ph pen in there.

 

[User59204626117]

I don’t think mine has a screw

 

[Aqua Man]

This thing can’t even read my 6.86 solution seconds after calibrating. It sucked right from the first day. never stabilized. Constantly creeps until it’s some ridiculous number.

Soak it for 24 hrs then calibrate it. Do you have a pic of the bulb? Where the fluid is on the probe.

 

[Badchoice]

man reading all this about ph pen calibration and I feel kindof ghetto since I just use house hold items to do mine

 

[User59204626117]

Ok I made a ph4.0 solution to let it sit in

tested it just for fun. Meter jumped to 4.5 and then settled to 3.5.