Crazy 101 / Water & pH
Your water is part
of the formula.
Mix it. Measure it. Understand it.
A bottle does not know your water.
Neither do we—until we measure it. Starting at pH 8 does not tell us where your mix will finish. Starting at pH 6 does not tell us either. Alkalinity, the complete recipe and measurement conditions matter.
Living soil can buffer changes. That is a reason to understand the medium, not to assume every water behaves alike. Why organic and mineral growers hear different pH advice.
02 / Around the roots
Available is not
the same as absorbed.
Soil pH influences nutrient availability. This qualitative map explains broad soil trends; it does not show measured uptake percentages, sharp cut-offs or a feeding target.
See the relationship / Mineral soil
One pH change.
Different consequences.
Choose any of the 14 mineral nutrients. Explore carbon, hydrogen and oxygen too. Each has a different story.
Conceptual soil relationships, not measured uptake percentages. The numbers describe broad soil conditions, not exact switch-off points or target pH for your feed. This diagram does not model coco or hydroponics.
See the university explanation and traditional availability chartCompare all 14 mineral nutrients in one table
| Element | At lower soil pH | At higher soil pH | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| N Nitrogen | Context dependent | Context dependent | Form and microbial transformations matter. |
| P Phosphorus | Availability can fall | Availability can fall | Binding with soil minerals matters at both extremes. |
| K Potassium | Supply / retention matter | Supply / retention matter | A pH reading cannot tell you the K supply. |
| Ca Calcium | Can be limited | Often more available | More availability is not a reason to add more. |
| Mg Magnesium | Can be limited | Context dependent | Read actual supply and competing ions. |
| S Sulfur | Context dependent | Context dependent | Form, cycling and losses matter. |
| Fe Iron | More soluble; excess risk | Less available | Chelation and crop response change the picture. |
| Mn Manganese | More soluble; excess risk | Less available | Low pH can increase toxicity risk. |
| Zn Zinc | Generally more available | Less available | Supply and soil chemistry still matter. |
| Cu Copper | Generally more available | Less available | Small requirements; avoid blind supplementation. |
| B Boron | Context dependent | Can be less available | Deficiency and excess need careful interpretation. |
| Mo Molybdenum | Less available | More available | Does not follow the same trend as iron. |
| Cl Chlorine (chloride) | No universal pH band | No universal pH band | Assess chloride in water and total salts. |
| Ni Nickel | No band assigned | No band assigned | A precise universal uptake band is not supported here. |
Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen complete the 17 essential plant elements. They enter plant processes through air and water; they do not belong on a fertiliser-uptake pH band.
A plant also needs functioning roots, appropriate moisture, oxygen and a suitable nutrient supply. The table is a teaching aid, not a diagnosis.
Go to the source.
Soils and plant nutrition · University of MissouriSoil nutrient availability · Oregon State UniversitySoil test interpretation · Oregon State UniversityGrowing-media testing · University of New HampshireReviewed 8 October 2026 · General growing and ingredient research.
How we separate research, measurements and product guidanceExplore our water measurements
01 / Crazy Hills measurements
Same product.
Two water samples.
Each product was tested separately in 1 litre of each water sample. Compare both lines at the same tested dose. These are observations, not recommended rates or a prediction for your own mix.
| Dose | Purified water pH | Tap water pH |
|---|
Lines connect measured points as a visual guide. Where two readings were supplied, the line uses their midpoint; the table retains both. No error bars or statistical confidence are implied.
What this test can—and cannot—tell you
It shows the recorded behaviour of each separate product in the supplied samples. It does not establish how every water source or complete feed will behave. Do not add individual pH changes together.
The supplied worksheet records starting pH and dose readings, but not a full alkalinity analysis, calibration record or test date. This is an exploratory measurement record, not a controlled comparison against another brand.
Read the measurement notes