How to Prepare water/feed for a 140litre reservoir?

[NorthofEngland]

Today I got a Atami Wilma Big 9.
It has 9 x 18litre pots and a 140litre reservoir (or lower tank) and a Maxijet 1000 water pump.

My question is this:

With an unlimited supply of tap water, a 10 litre container, Canna A&B and pH up/down
How do I prepare the feed solution for the reservoir?

I have Essentials pH meter, CF meter and pH/CF calibration fluids (so finding specific levels should be manageable).

P

 

[GrowersWarehouse]

Today I got a Atami Wilma Big 9.
It has 9 x 18litre pots and a 140litre reservoir (or lower tank) and a Maxijet 1000 water pump.

My question is this:

With an unlimited supply of tap water, a 10 litre container, Canna A&B and pH up/down
How do I prepare the feed solution for the reservoir?

I have Essentials pH meter, CF meter and pH/CF calibration fluids (so finding specific levels should be manageable).

P

Canna Aqua are the base nutrients that you would use not Canna Coco. Also you would need an RO with a charcoal or coco filter to really optimize your results. You will also need a cal mag I prefer Botanicare's Cal-Mag or General Hydro's CaliMagic. I use both cal mags at first at 5 ml per gallon and then raise the Cal-Mag to about 8 ml per gallon for most strains. If you notice purpling on your stalks or on your the veins of your fan leaves you need to raise the cal-mag. Also another MUST is adding 3 ml of SM-90 to the reservoir this will keep pythiums (most common form of root rot) from forming.

To prepare you reservoir I recommend using 100 ml syringes to extract the exact amount of ml you need from your bottles and then squirt it into the reservoir. Make sure to add the A and B, one first and the other last. If A and B are mixed directly after one another solidification could occur. Canna says to let the mixture set for "some hours" before pHing it I usually let it set about 5 minutes pH it and then do it again the next day. After that I check the pH about every other day. Canna Aqua is great because of all of the nutrients I've ever used it has the least amount of salts and the reservoirs pH holds pretty steady.

If you have anymore questions msg me I'll be more than happy answer them as quickly as I can.

 

[NorthofEngland]

Canna Aqua are the base nutrients that you would use not Canna Coco. Also you would need an RO with a charcoal or coco filter to really optimize your results. You will also need a cal mag I prefer Botanicare's Cal-Mag or General Hydro's CaliMagic. I use both cal mags at first at 5 ml per gallon and then raise the Cal-Mag to about 8 ml per gallon for most strains. If you notice purpling on your stalks or on your the veins of your fan leaves you need to raise the cal-mag. Also another MUST is adding 3 ml of SM-90 to the reservoir this will keep pythiums (most common form of root rot) from forming.

To prepare you reservoir I recommend using 100 ml syringes to extract the exact amount of ml you need from your bottles and then squirt it into the reservoir. Make sure to add the A and B, one first and the other last. If A and B are mixed directly after one another solidification could occur. Canna says to let the mixture set for "some hours" before pHing it I usually let it set about 5 minutes pH it and then do it again the next day. After that I check the pH about every other day. Canna Aqua is great because of all of the nutrients I've ever used it has the least amount of salts and the reservoirs pH holds pretty steady.

If you have anymore questions msg me I'll be more than happy answer them as quickly as I can.

"you would need an RO....."
What's an 'RO'?

I need to find some conversion tables for litres/gallons
(we Brits stopped using gallons).

 

[waterdawg]

IMO you may not require RO depending on water quality. Its a filter that basically removes everything from the water. Then yes you need to add back some of what you removed like cal mag. What is the base ppm of your water in tds? Is there additives in your water from municipality or is it well water? I do the same as "growers" re addition of nutes and ph adjustment. Keep notes! That way you will know what amounts to add at each res change to achieve what is required. Keep things on the low side re nute levels as well when starting out. Watch the plants and they tell you if they need something. Again keep notes and things become way easier.

 

[NorthofEngland]

IMO you may not require RO depending on water quality. Its a filter that basically removes everything from the water. Then yes you need to add back some of what you removed like cal mag. What is the base ppm of your water in tds? Is there additives in your water from municipality or is it well water? I do the same as "growers" re addition of nutes and ph adjustment. Keep notes! That way you will know what amounts to add at each res change to achieve what is required. Keep things on the low side re nute levels as well when starting out. Watch the plants and they tell you if they need something. Again keep notes and things become way easier.

Concerning the make up of my tap water (and it is tap - or faucet, I think you Yanks call it? Not from a well - and I read not to use rain water...) I do not know the 'base ppm in tds' (what's 'tds'?).

I imagine it will be easy to find out what's in the water.
Yorkshire Water probably have all the info on their web site....?
The part of England I am from is very green and wet and lush with many lakes, reservoirs and rivers (as well as coal burning power stations, unfortunately).

I know that fluoride is added.

 

[waterdawg]

Not a yank FYI, Canadian with clean spring fed well here lol. TDS stands for total dissolved solids, which if you have an EC meter can be calculated. You'll want to know this to know levels of nutes to add to water. Not familiar with municipal water and the things that could be in it that are possibly harmful. I know lots of people let there water sit for 24hrs before adding. Once you find out whats in it then find out if its ok to use IMO.

 

[NorthofEngland]

Not a yank FYI, Canadian with clean spring fed well here lol. TDS stands for total dissolved solids, which if you have an EC meter can be calculated. You'll want to know this to know levels of nutes to add to water. Not familiar with municipal water and the things that could be in it that are possibly harmful. I know lots of people let there water sit for 24hrs before adding. Once you find out whats in it then find out if its ok to use IMO.

Hello Cannuck,
If I cannot use tap water I'm in a bit of a situation.
I do have an EC meter (and calibration fluid) so finding the total dissolved solids shouldn't be a problem.

At the moment I have financially over extended myself and cannot afford a water butt for a few weeks.
I do have a big plastic bin, with hinged lid.
I was thinking of giving it a really good clean and using that - until I can buy a 100lt water butt.

 

[waterdawg]

RO filters are around the $300-450 range here for a small one I think. And then they need to be plumbed in with a drain so yes hopefully you wont need one. Do some reading on what harmful things municipalities add to water. Im sure lots of people get by with out an RO filter. Have you checked the ec of your water yet and if yes what is it. What model of ec meter do you have and do you know the conversion factor? This is my 12th run doing hydro using well water. They are 55 days old from seed.

 

[NorthofEngland]

I have an Essentials pH and an Essentials CF meters.
Plus the calibration fluids for both.

I'm not even sure what 'conversion factor' you're referring to (which is probably not a good sign).

Those plants look healthy and alluring - Nice picture.

 

[jondamon]

EC doesn't need a conversion factor.

Its a universal standard.

1EC = 1EC = 1EC.

Its only ppm's that need a conversion factor. Ppm's are either calibrated to the .5 or .7 scale.
This means that .5 scale 500ppm=1EC.
.7 scale = 700ppm = 1EC.

Just concern yourself with EC. If your tap water measures 0.2-0.4EC you can use it just fine. If its above 0.4EC then it is considered very hard and an RO should be contemplated.

If it reads 0.0EC then you'll need a calmag supplement which you add until you reach 0.2EC then add all your nutes to make up the rest.

If you live anywhere near Illingworth then your tap water will be fine.



J

 

[NorthofEngland]

EC doesn't need a conversion factor.

Its a universal standard.

1EC = 1EC = 1EC.

Its only ppm's that need a conversion factor. Ppm's are either calibrated to the .5 or .7 scale.
This means that .5 scale 500ppm=1EC.
.7 scale = 700ppm = 1EC.

Just concern yourself with EC. If your tap water measures 0.2-0.4EC you can use it just fine. If its above 0.4EC then it is considered very hard and an RO should be contemplated.

If it reads 0.0EC then you'll need a calmag supplement which you add until you reach 0.2EC then add all your nutes to make up the rest.

If you live anywhere near Illingworth then your tap water will be fine.



J

Succinct as ever, Jon.
Many thanks.

Illingworth ??? - I don't even know if that's North or South.
I have literally no clue where Illingworth is.

 

[jondamon]

Halifax


Is that north or south?




J

 

[NorthofEngland]

Halifax is West Yorkshire - Flat caps and ferrets (and the occasionally home grown suicide bomber) It's as third world Northern as you can get in England.

Cleckheaton, Huddersfield and Halifax = Clegg Huddersfax.

Why are you asking about Halifax - have I missed something?

 

[NorthofEngland]

I've just Googled Illingworth and I feel particularly dense....

I used to buy old editions of National Geographic from a book stall in the Peace Hall.
Once went on a cycling/camping holiday to Holmefirth and got food poisoning.
Projectile vomiting and tents are not a nice combination - especially as Vindaloo and several pints were the last things consumed.

 

[waterdawg]

Just to clarify lol. If i have an ec meter that reads 1 could it not be either 500ppm or 700ppm tds depending on conversion factor?