My Greens Hydroponic Tower
Support and Growing Guides

Great question — both nitric acid and lemon juice (citric acid) can be used in hydroponics to lower pH, but they aren’t equally effective. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Strength of Acid

• Nitric acid (HNO₃) is a strong acid. It dissociates completely in water, so small amounts cause a predictable and stable drop in pH. Handle with care.
• Lemon juice (citric acid) is a weak, organic acid. It only partially dissociates in water, so it requires a lot more to shift pH, and its effect can fluctuate.

2. Nutrient Contribution

• Nitric acid adds nitrate (NO₃⁻), which plants use directly as nitrogen fertilizer. It’s highly compatible with hydroponic nutrient formulations.
• Lemon juice adds citric acid and small amounts of potassium, magnesium, and other trace compounds — but these don’t provide consistent plant nutrition. Excess citric acid can even chelate (bind up) micronutrients like iron, making them less available.

3. Stability Over Time

• Nitric acid keeps pH stable for longer, since it doesn’t get metabolized by microbes easily.
• Lemon juice breaks down quickly and can encourage microbial growth in the reservoir, leading to biofilm, clogs, or nutrient imbalances.

4. Practicality & Cost

• Nitric acid: Requires careful handling (it’s corrosive), but it’s efficient, long-lasting, and economical in the long run.
• Lemon juice: Safe to handle but very inefficient — you’ll need much more of it, pH drifts back quickly, and it can create maintenance issues.

Verdict:
Nitric acid is far more effective and reliable than lemon juice for hydroponics. Lemon juice might work in a pinch or for very small, hobby setups, but for consistent pH control and plant nutrition, nitric acid (or phosphoric acid, depending on crop stage) is the professional standard.

This varies based on the weather, in hotter weather the plants will use more nutrients and evaporation happens faster. Maintenance time can range from 5 mins per week to 15mins per week, depending on many often you're refilling and testing your tank.

Leafy greens and strawberries thrive in this system! Due to weight restrictions, tomatoes, zucchinis and large brassicas are not recommended. All root vegetables are not able to be grown in this system.

Leafy greens include: watercress, wide range of lettuces, herbs, mesculin, bok choi and pak choi, Chinese cabbage, spinach, silverbeet, miniature cabbage, cauli and broccoli so long as they don't get too big as they can be difficult to remove if so, kale, spring onions, leeks.

Plants love the sun! All day sun is the best option, this can be reduced in the peak of Summer. During the winter, under a shelter to protect from frosts is most ideal. The type of plants grown in this system need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.

The My Greens system can also be grown indoors in a conservatory or in a greenhouse. This product has not been tested under UV lights. Growing inside your home is not recommended, due to the condensation the system can cause.

Your My Greens system comes with a plug, which is attached to your water pump. This can be plugged into an outdoor plug or an outdoor-approved extension cord can be used.

A gentle wash down weekly helps your tower to look great as outside growing can create a build-up of grime, dust and bug waste.

A deep clean after each growing cycle is recommended, to remove any built-up minerals, plant roots and leaves and algae that may have grown. See the 'HELP' page for our how-to guides and step-by-step instructions on cleaning your system.

Once ordered, your tower comes 95% assembled so you can jump straight into growing some delicious produce.

The wheels are not attached to your tower, and this will need to be done prior to setting up your system. Instructions are supplied for your x2 lockable and x2 non-locking wheels.

Yes! Go with the seasonal planting guide for the best outcomes.

Think no soil, fewer pests and no pesticides. Perfectly nurtured plants with the correct amount of nutrients. The taste difference can only be experienced yourself, let's get started!

Part A - White pellets, contains Calcium Nitrate. Part B - Powder mixture, contains Potassium Nitrate, Magnesium Sulphate and trace elements. Hydroponic fertiliser composition: N (Nitrogen) - P (Phosphorus) - K (Potassium) 30-10-40. Our mix is made up of the following: Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Boron and Molybdenum, and is designed to optimise plant growth and health.