How to lower ph for well water/hose?

[Drewmullin1]

My ph in Miami dade co is about 8.4. I rent so I'm not going to do an ro or rainwater system.

Is there any way to lower ph, like is there an attachment or anything for a hose etc?

Or when I fertilize should I just lower then? If so what should I use to lower ph with fertilizer in the mix / in my backpack sprayer?

Thanks 😊

[Roberta]

Don't worry about the water in general, most orchids don't care. For your fertilizer solution, you can check the pH after you mix it up (fertiliaer formulations like 20-20-20 may have enough phosphrus to lower the pH somethat, that's what is is there for. If your water is as stubborn as mine, you can use a bit of vinegar (I did a tablespoon per gallon before I stared using RO, you just have to experiment).

[Drewmullin1]

Oh interesting did not know fertilizer would lower ph, good to know. Can't remember if I've done a reading on it w fert. Thanks again!

[estación seca]

There are siphons that attach to a hose bibb and suck concentrated solution from a bucket for dilution in the hose. Look up the Hozon fertilizer injector.

[Roberta]

A caution on Hozon injectors... they are sensitive to water pressure and length of hose (less than 50') So you need to make sure that the concentrate is actually being drawn up. (I could never make it work for me, I used pump sprayer until I got my battery powered sprayer. My water pressure was too low and my yard too big)

[Drewmullin1]

Yea I've been looking at it. I don't quite understand the 1:16 ratio?

[estación seca]

Ease of measurement. There are 16 US tablespoons in 1 US cup ( 8 US ounces.) Whatever solution in the reservoir is diluted 1:16. So if you want your final fertilizer concentration at 1 tablespoon per gallon, commonly used for tomatoes, flower beds, lawns and Vandas, the reservoir concentration is 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of fertilizer per gallon.

Because a teaspoon measure is 1/3 of a tablespoon, if you want your final concentration 1 teaspoon per gallon, the reservoir should have 1/3 cup per gallon. If you want 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, 1/6 cup per gallon. But nobody has 1/6 cup measures. Remember the concentrate is 16 times the final concentration. So to get 1/2 teaspoon per gallon final concentration, the concentrate should have 16 x 1/2 teaspoons or 8 teaspoons per gallon. That is two tablespoons plus two teaspoons. Level measures, not heaping.