Water pH in Humidifier?

[echdk3]

Hey guys! Those of you that use a humidifier, do you pH-correct the water you add to the humidifier tank? It’s been a while since high school chemistry, but I don’t know if the mist that dissolves into the air contains the elements that cause the pH to be high or low. When this extra moisture in the air is absorbed by our plants’ leaves, could that have an impact on nutrient uptake, based on pH? Thanks!

[Xena]

I’m pretty sure ph doesn’t matter, I was gonna get distilled water if/when I get one because I have fairly hard water and all our stuff limes up and quits working otherwise.

[bboyfromwayback]

I just pour it in straight from the tap

[Poppa]

Do not have a humidifier in grow room. Do have one I use in main living area and use a product added to water when refilling to protect against bacteria and lime/scale build up on filters in it. This fall early winter in grow room I just used a towel draped over a 20 inch box fan with bottom in a container of water that I would soak daily when refilling container this worked well for me in a 7' by 9' room. All water used either in grow room or main area was city tap water and did have to switch out the towel in grow room weekly as it gets crusty from mineral buildup. If I buy a new humidifier for main area and current one still works I would move it to grow room and use same product to treat for bacteria and scale. Including pic of product I use.

[echdk3]

Thank you all for your responses. I’m going to continue just using tap water and disinfecting weekly by filling the tank with 1 gallon of water plus 1 tsp of bleach for half an hour with the unit unplugged as the humidifier’s instructions say to. I’ll note that my tap water pH is between 9 and 10, so I suppose I can expect lots of mineral build up so I’ll have to clean that as well.

I am still really curious about the chemistry of this question: once the mist is incorporated into the air and then absorbed by plant leaves, does the original pH of the liquid water have any effect on the pH of the liquid water in the plant, roots, and soil? Who knows. I wonder if we have any chemists among us growers!

[Catfish22]

Probably not those kind of chemists! 😎

[MagicMike66]

Definitely not needed. Straight from the tap is good

[Rwise]

What my question would be here is on WPM as many of the "cures" seem to change the PH of the surface of the leaf high or low depending on what was used so that the mold simply cannot grow.

[Poppa]

From what I've read air flow is the most important part in preventing WPM. I use two 20 inch box fans set on floor a couple of feet away from my grow. This gives me a current of air flowing around my room. It can be seen in the leafs constantly moving, any of the cloth strips I've hung to keep me from hitting my head fluttering around and my lights gently swaying. Only down sides I have found so far is all dust/dirt gets blown to back of grow and once in a while when trimming a leaf will get blown to the back making it a pain to cleanup or retrieve those dam run away leafs.

[echdk3]

Poppa, sounds like you have one helluva breeze going! Do you ever have problems with wind burn?

[Poppa]

By the end of every grow with the exception of last grow (other issues) the fan leafs definitely look over all healthy all be it a bit beat up.