Help -I can’t get the pH down of my soilless growing medium PH down

[Franimal]

buy a ppm/EC meter for $25. It's also useful for checking solution strength. If your tap water is higher than 200ppm, it can cause rising pH problems. However a ppm/EC meter doesn't tell you the bicarbonate level. That is the most important number to know. Bicarbonate can be estimated by your total ppm. A water report can also determine the bicarbonate level.

Awesome thank you!!

 

[Maxwax]

Once I have that, is there a chart or anything explaining healthy ranges?

You need a TDS Pen that measures the Total Dissolved Solids in the water. Testing your normal water gives you a baseline and a reading of what level of nutrients and heavy metals are in the water. Calcium and Magnesium included. Its not a specific number but a general in total number. Then.....people shoot for a certain number level when they add nutrients to the water. When you do that the TDS number goes up and people use that number to sortof weigh their nutrient levels if you will.. You can do that prior to feeding of course and also after you get enough runoff to test. Thats the very basic jist. Its not perfect science but a decent gauge. That said a water report is always a good idea.

 

[FlintBackwoods]

I'm going thru the same thing now! I got this one plant for the life of me I cannot get my ph down for shite. I'm using peat moss, Perlite, and Dolomite lime. No matter what I do the ph keeps going up lol. I even gave it Ph. of 3.0. I check the runoff and it's a perfect 6.7 smh. Today gave it ph 3.0 again and it shot up to ph of 7.4 lol. This been going on for 2 weeks. This ho refuse to drop her ph. The lower the ph I give her, the higher the run off. Now she's all limp. I'm ready to pour straight vinegar into her to she if she alkalize it.

 

[Edinburgh]

A bit of white vinegar waterd down will lower pH and a bit of baking soda waterd down will raise it but have only used in dirt.

 

[Billymgb]

It’s prolly the coco you added ? Did you treat or wash it?
As far as ole boy up there running 50/50 it’s only his 1st or 2nd grow I bet it is not as smooth as he says buts that’s my experience and opinion .

promix is very easy and forgiving in my opinion

I know you know a lot more than me about growing, but you are wrong about coco and promix HP. It was suggested to me by a grower on here couple years ago. Its my 2 year indoor growing and again they work great together. So I guess its like they say don't knock it till you try it. My plants have been great and big.