Description of the project

RECOMMENDATION
With potassium bicarbonate you can raise the pH value to the desired level. Bicarbonate provides a stable pH value in the solution.
To reach a pH value of around 5.8, aim to maintain a bicarbonate content (alkalinity) of 50 mg/l.
Standard dosage: 82 grams of potassium carbonate per 1000 l of irrigation water or 820 g of potassium carbonate in 100 l of stock solution, which is then diluted 100 times (1:100) gives a bicarbonate content of 50 mg/liter. If any acidic product has been added to the water, the dose may need to be increased.
Potassium bicarbonate must be mixed in its own stock solution vessel and added to the nutrient solution in diluted form. Otherwise, when mixed with other plant nutrients in the stock solution, bicarbonate would form precipitates with phosphates (magnesium phosphate precipitates due to high pH if bicarbonate is added to the stock solution) and with calcium (calcium carbonate).

Small chemistry lesson:

To obtain a stable pH value, a buffer system with acid and base is required to stabilize the pH value. If hydrogen ions (acidic) are added, they will be neutralized by the base. If hydroxide ions (basic) are added, they will be neutralized by the acid. Carbonic acid, bicarbonate ions and carbonate ions form such a system. If you have bicarbonate ions in the nutrient solution and hydrogen ions are added, carbonic acid will be formed. If hydroxide ions are added, a hydrogen ion will be released from the bicarbonate and carbonate ions will be formed while neutralizing the hydroxide ion. In this way, the ratio of these ions will change without the pH value changing significantly.
Addition of acid: ^HCO3- + ^H+ to _H2CO3

Supply of base: ^HCO3- + ^OH- à ^{CO32-+ H+} + ^OH- à ^CO32-+_H2O

We recommend an alkalinity water analysis to check that the alkalinity of the finished nutrient solution is correct. It is also important to analyze recirculated nutrient solutions to be able to adjust both plant nutrition and alkalinity before the nutrient solution goes back to the crop again.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Substance Content weight %
Potassium 38
Bicarbonate 59%.

Miscibility Aqueous solution
Packaging 25 kg
Form Crystalline
Density
pH 9-10
Unit Kg
Dangerous goods No
Other