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Checking the pH of Freshly Mixed SNAP Hydroponics Working Solution

The SNAP Hydroponics working solution is the water and nutrient solution mixture that is used together with growboxes and seedling plugs to grow plants. This set of pictures shows how the pH of the solution starts initially and how it performs overtime.

pH checks are not required to run a SNAP Hydroponics system. This grow is for experimental purposes.

We are trying to grow Kale Red Redbor by Ramgo seeds. Seeds were sown on the 28th of June and were transferred to seedling plugs on the 14th of July.

pH meter reading 8.2
The water from the tap is basic.

The water from the tap is very basic. It is full of carbonates and other materials. Our municipal water supply is of poor quality. It is taken directly from a creek and fed through the pipes often without any filtration. We don’t drink water from the tap.

Measuring cup with 5mL graduations
Measuring cup with 5mL graduations
pH checks.-5
Measuring cup with 12mL graduations on the other side.

Above is the measuring cup I use. SNAP Hydroponics nutrient solution is added to water at 2.5mL per liter.

jug with 50mL graduations containing 2L of water.
Two liters of tap water
Adding 5ml of SNAP A to 2L of tap water
Adding 5ml of SNAP A to 2L of tap water
dipping and rising the measuring cup
I dip and rinse the measuring cup to get it ready for SNAP B.
mixing SNAP solution well.
Mixing the solution well. SNAP B follows and it is important that SNAP A is diluted well.
thermometer and pH meter showing readings of the SNAP working solution
After adding SNAP A and SNAP B. This is the working solution. It has a slight yellow color.

As you can see from the pictures above. SNAP is acidic enough to pull the pH from 8.2 down to 6.4. A fresh mix of SNAP working solution has a pH of 6.4. This measurement is consistent with the pH of the solution in the growbox I’m growing kale in.

The measurements below are taken nine days after the system is setup.

pH meter reading 7.6
The pH of this solution was 6.4. Nine days later it went up to 7.6.
digital thermometer displaying 33?C
Ambient temperature
laboratory thermometer reading 30?C
The temperature of the solution is just 30°C.

I rechecked the pH a couple of days later and it reads 7.2pH. I’ll continue to post updates about this grow.