| Ph is the balance between acidity & alkalinity. It is rated on a scale from 1 to 14. A ph of 7 is nuetral. From my experiences with hydro, I've had the best results with a ph of between 5.8 to 6.3. But some plants have special ph requirements. If just starting out monitor your ph and ppm levels daily, this will give you data on how the plant(s) are doing. The hydro shop sells chemicals to raise and lower the ph. Use a high quality fertilizer like Pure Blend Pro (organic) or General Hydroponics(mineral based). It is possible to grow successful hydroponics without a ppm meter, (parts per million). Follow mixing ratios on label. I highly recommend a digital ph & ppm meter. I've seen them on Ebay for under $20, they run about $100 retail. You can also buy a drip ph tester for $5, this is a must if you don't have a digital. Ppm is the amount of dissolved solids in pure water. Also called a Tds meter. A standard reference solution is used to calibrate the digital meter. It is usually set to 1000ppm (Nacl) 930ppm (Kcl). Turn a little screw to set it. Ph levels will fluctuate, the level of deveiance is usually attributable to evaporation or nutrient uptake and resevoir size. Rapidly growing plants will usually increase ph, this can be counteracted by adding more fertilizer, acid, or organically, by adding catalyst by Earth Juice. It is also good for making my tomatoes ripen. Earth Juice makes many types of fertilizers, so you can dial in your fertilizing needs. Earth Juice is a perferred ingredient in soil organics. Also at the end of a growing cycle you can mix EJ with water in a container let sit overnight. Then add to your hydroponic resevoir for added flavors and aromas at harvest. All of these good quality fertilizers have a ph buffer, so when mixed with the right amount of water in my area they are usually the perfect ph. You need to leech your plants periodically. I spray with pure water then use clearex brand mixed with water to rinse excessive salt buildup to revitalize plants uptake. Clean entire system with warm bleach water, rinse and wipe with towel or allow to dry. |
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