Conceptual questions about "pH perfect" nutes

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StoopidLungs

Well-Known Member
Advanced Nutrients new formula "pH perfect" grow-micro-bloom are supposed to contain buffers that actually literally adjust the pH of your water, as long as your water is in between 4.5-8.5 pH to begin with. This doesn’t sound that far fetched as pH buffers are well known and common in chemistry, just not very common in cannabis growing yet. My plan was originally to adjust the pH of my water manually AND use these nutrients, but after having problems with both my digital meter and regular drops, said F it and put my trust into these nutrients. So far, so good. I recently noticed that you are supposed to add these nutrients in specific order, micro then grow then bloom. Does anybody know why exactly this would matter? Also, using these nutrients, I first add h2o2 to the water, then the nutes, and last add rapid start root enhancer. Should the buffers in the pH perfect nutes still hypothetically work? I am having great results so far and would like to see more people experimenting with pH perfect nutes and more canna-scientists perfecting the formula- cause everyone knows pH is a bitch!
 
cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
The order of addition is usually specified to prevent nutrient ions from precipitating each other. You want to add the phosphate last, for example. (That's a prime reason for most hydro formulas, and all the really complete ones, to be a three-bottle proposition.) I don't think order of addition has any effect on the buffering capacity or effect. cn
 
dray86man

dray86man

Active Member
StoopidLungs said:
This doesn’t sound that far fetched as pH buffers are well known and common in chemistry, just not very common in cannabis growing yet.
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Curious. Most nutes will advertise "pH stabilized" or the like, indicating that good buffers are part of the formula. Buffers are pretty cool, and a good buffer compound will resist changes to both rising AND falling pH levels mostly by complexing excess H+ ions when the solution's pH falls, and releasing those H+ ions when the solution's pH rises.

Example: my tap water is about 9.0 pH out of the tap due to CO2 dissolved in the water. Leaving the water bubbling w/ an airstone blows off most CO2 and stabilized pH to about 7.6 or so within 24 hours. Adding my nutes (Flors Nova Grow) to straight tap water gives a nice pH of about 6.5, and it stays that way even when the nutes are stored in my rain barrel watering system.
 
decrimCA

decrimCA

Active Member
StoopidLungs said:
Advanced Nutrients new formula "pH perfect" grow-micro-bloom are supposed to contain buffers that actually literally adjust the pH of your water, as long as your water is in between 4.5-8.5 pH to begin with. This doesn’t sound that far fetched as pH buffers are well known and common in chemistry, just not very common in cannabis growing yet. My plan was originally to adjust the pH of my water manually AND use these nutrients, but after having problems with both my digital meter and regular drops, said F it and put my trust into these nutrients. So far, so good. I recently noticed that you are supposed to add these nutrients in specific order, micro then grow then bloom. Does anybody know why exactly this would matter? Also, using these nutrients, I first add h2o2 to the water, then the nutes, and last add rapid start root enhancer. Should the buffers in the pH perfect nutes still hypothetically work? I am having great results so far and would like to see more people experimenting with pH perfect nutes and more canna-scientists perfecting the formula- cause everyone knows pH is a bitch!
Click to expand...
I have no idea about the science, but I would guess it's something to do with the chemical processes, as well as the way that the water and other growth systems work together.

In my opinion, I think it's best to follow the advice of folks that have tested the nutrients out in a lab, but I think it's admirable when folks try to figure things out on their own too. I'm just not a chemist, well not really. I guess growing does make you a bit of an expert.
 
Sensibowl

Sensibowl

Active Member
decrimCA said:
I have no idea about the science, but I would guess it's something to do with the chemical processes, as well as the way that the water and other growth systems work together.

In my opinion, I think it's best to follow the advice of folks that have tested the nutrients out in a lab, but I think it's admirable when folks try to figure things out on their own too. I'm just not a chemist, well not really. I guess growing does make you a bit of an expert.
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I wish I knew too. I wonder how someone could look it up.
 
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