Saturday, September 26, 2009

hydroponic resources

This article explores hydroponic nutrients used in hydroponics gardening as well as some plant growth factores such as ph

Hydroponic Nutrients - PH Basics

Author: The urban gardener

The process of pH testing is also called the power of Hydrogen. It is the way of measuring the acidity (alkalinity) of the nutrient formulations by defining the hydrogen ion content. pH level can be between 0-14, bases range between 7-14 (14 being the strongest), and the content of acids measures between 0-7 (0 is the most acidic). If the nutrients are added to the solution, they stir up to activity hydroxide and hydrogen ions, thus changing the pH level. It is advised to constantly check pH to be sure it has not changed. Ideal pH for Plant Growth The perfect pH level of the solution is nowadays believed to be 6-6.5; however, the majority of plants will grow well if watered with solutions, which pH ranges between 5 and 7. Nevertheless, there are many plants that require further studying of this topic and need some other pH level. Therefore, a gardener should always do the research to know what level exactly is necessary for the particular plants he is growing. Be Careful When Handling Chemicals Chemical solutions can be quite dangerous for the human skin and eyes if their pH level is under 3 or beyond 10. It is best to work with them wearing goggles and gloves to protect yourself from the accidental spill of the formulations, which can be strong bases or acids. Controlling pH Level A gardener should get used to the frequent and constant checking of the pH level of the solutions and water he uses to nourish the plants. The latter absorb the nutrients and the acidity of the remaining solution increases. If it is frequently too high, the solutions should be changed more often. These days there is a great variety of different pH test kits a gardener may use to define the pH level of the solutions. Many of them are inexpensive, easy-to-use, and reliable. Liquid pH tests and litmus paper may be used to measure pH for the majority of the plants; however, some more delicate species may need the use of the more accurate test kits. It is possible to adjust the pH of the solution with the help of pH UP and pH DOWN chemicals.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/hydroponic-nutrients-ph-basics-1271551.html

About the Author:
My name is guy. I am the founder and owner of the urbangardenershop.com.au . I fell in love with hydroponics gardening. As time went by I gathered a vast knowledge base and 2 years ago I decided to find a way to make hydroponics gardening a hobby that anyone can peruse. I added a hydroponic gardening information center to our hydroponic supplies site that offers a large range of hydroponics articles. Thank you for your interest and feel free to ask questions on hydroponics gardening in our site
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