To JB,
Sounds like you have the
nutrient solution pretty well under control. Actually, a bit of Ammonia (use VERY sparingly) will help green-up your plants fast. Since you use mainly the nitrate Nitrogen (as should be) a little ammonium won't hurt. Ammonium (ammoniac nitrogen) is absorbed by the plant almost immediately in hydroponic applications because there are no micro organisms to hold it "in check" (slow it down) as in soil. It can do a very quick green job but too much will cause "leggy"
growth.
I would stick to Potassium Hydroxide or calcium oxide for adjusting pH up and Nitric, Phosphoric or citric acid for pH down. in the case of Potassium Hydroxide, since so little is used for pH correction, the addition is so small that only a negligible amount of potassium will be added. All this is basically a repeat of what the folks at the Eco nutrient facility have explained to me.
Ron K
hygro@gte.net