Changing pH Level in a Hydroponic Garden

If you are growing marijuana plants in a hydroponic garden you will want to monitor the pH level regularly. Having a pH level between 5.5 and 6.8 is suggested but it would be recommended that it sits between 5.8 and 6.3 for optimal results. Anything under 5.0 or over 7.0 could lead to serious issues. You should check your pH levels weekly and if they are too low or too high you should fix them.

pH-up and pH-down

There are two solutions that you can use (pH-up and pH-down) to change the pH level in the nutrient solution or growing media. pH-up will make the pH level go higher and pH-down will make the pH level go lower. The solutions are not too expensive and are very helpful in case the pH levels fall out of place. You should purchase the solutions that are meant for hydroponic or aquarium usage only.

You can use various things like nitric or citric acids to make the pH level go down. Some people even use vinegar to decrease the pH level. On the other hand some people will use potassium hydroxide to increase the pH level. People who have a lot of experience with growing marijuana plants can use alternatives instead of purchasing the solutions which would be a little more expensive.

If you don’t know the right amount of pH-up or pH-down to put in the nutrient solution or growing media then you will have to play with the best pH level until it sets in place but be sure to follow the instructions you are given.

If the instructions do not tell you to increase or decrease your pH level by any more than 0.2 each day then don’t do it. if you make large changes of pH level through just a couple days it could lead to negative effects. If you need to drop the pH level by 0.5 then you should lower it over the process of five days so 0.1 per day.