I have some questions/concerns with my well water quality. I think it’s a bit harsh for hydro but RO isn’t an option at the moment. Have the potential to set up a rain barrel down the road like next spring lol. So my well water is about all I have to use

results:
Hardness - 336ppm
EC - 0.93ms (460ppm)(163mv)
Ph - 7.32
Temp - 56F

Less important
turbidity - 1.04NTU
Alkalinity- 286
Iron - .2ppm
Color - 7Ptco

So with my starting EC so high what are my options as far as adding nutrients?
I’m using General Hydroponics, and I also did get there FloraMicro for hardwater(which has less calcium in it I believe).

**also these are RAW water numbers. My drinking water goes through chlorination, softening, then a charcoal filter **
 
Last edited:

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
no offense but your well water isn't an option either. almost 1 EC is what most people are running during full on veg and bloom

i'd buy distilled or RO water from a store until you get a better option.
 
no offense but your well water isn't an option either. almost 1 EC is what most people are running during full on veg and bloom

i'd buy distilled or RO water from a store until you get a better option.
Haha I’m no offended not like I made the water. You definitely didn’t tell me anything I wanted to hear though lol. I don’t think buying distilled would be an option either. 30 gallon (2 17 gal totes) times .80 cents gallon equals 24$ a refill. At best using 50/50 for a 12 week grow would be 144$. Prolly be better off setting up 50GPD to system now I guess. Chewy has an aquarium 50gal 4stage one for 60$
 

hempty

New Member
well water actually helped my plants tremendously because of the high calcium carbonate dissolved in it. Without it being periodically added to the reservoir the plants would not have survived (which were started on purified water).
 
well water actually helped my plants tremendously because of the high calcium carbonate dissolved in it. Without it being periodically added to the reservoir the plants would not have survived (which were started on purified water).
Yea I’ve read mixed things with well water and quality. I read somewhere where a guy had like .5 something ec and was fine but like someone else said my starting ec is already what it would be pretty muchafter just adding nutrients so … I think60 for a to system to have JUST in case will probably be money well spent so probably just gonna go ahead and set one up. But this may push mystart time back a month … what are you gonna do lol
 

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Haha I’m no offended not like I made the water. You definitely didn’t tell me anything I wanted to hear though lol. I don’t think buying distilled would be an option either. 30 gallon (2 17 gal totes) times .80 cents gallon equals 24$ a refill. At best using 50/50 for a 12 week grow would be 144$. Prolly be better off setting up 50GPD to system now I guess. Chewy has an aquarium 50gal 4stage one for 60$
if you could cut your EC in half with RO that would be a big help. but still 0.5EC starting water is high. ,
 
if you could cut your EC in half with RO that would be a big help. but still 0.5EC starting water is high. ,
well, we’ll see what happens I just bit thefuckin bullet and bought an RO system.
When I took my initial quality test, I also may not have gotten all of the storage solution off the probe which will cause high results. I re sampled my water last night and got 0.63ms after a good rinse of the probe in di water.
 

kingromano

Well-Known Member
my well water is very similar
it measure around 1.0mS out the tap

0.9mS is too much, ideally you want to cut it with RO to aim 0.5mS, 0.6mS(with c02)
you can use it straight from the well but you will need to change reservoir often to avoid calcium accumulation

well water is perfect to use with beneficials in hydro

do you have some AC/ dehumidifier ? you can recover the water from it, 100% demineralized water to mix with your well

i see you have 0.2ppm of iron it in ? i think its problematic
 

1212ham

Well-Known Member
I also may not have gotten all of the storage solution off the probe which will cause high results. I re sampled my water last night and got 0.63ms after a good rinse of the probe in di water.
Storage solution? For an EC/ppm meter?
 
my well water is very similar
it measure around 1.0mS out the tap

0.9mS is too much, ideally you want to cut it with RO to aim 0.5mS, 0.6mS(with c02)
you can use it straight from the well but you will need to change reservoir often to avoid calcium accumulation

well water is perfect to use with beneficials in hydro

do you have some AC/ dehumidifier ? you can recover the water from it, 100% demineralized water to mix with your well

i see you have 0.2ppm of iron it in ? i think its problematic
I did end up getting an RO unit so once that’s in I’ll hook that up and probably just run straightRO since I invested in it lol. Then as I progress and expand my set up and learn myself I’ll start experimenting
 

1212ham

Well-Known Member
I did end up getting an RO unit so once that’s in I’ll hook that up and probably just run straightRO since I invested in it lol. Then as I progress and expand my set up and learn myself I’ll start experimenting
I'm using Jacks 321 in RO, I use my 700 ppm tap as pH up.
 
What did ya get? Got a link?


the biggest selling point was the 1:1 waste:filter ratio. I’d imagine water quality may effect that to so we’ll see, regardless it’ll be a lower waste model
 
Top