Unless you live in the EU where they use H2O2 instead of chlorine, then you are dealing with multiple issues. Chlorine is a whore, combining with damn near anything else to create VOCs (VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS) on top of this are drugs flushed down the drain in municipalities that recycle waste water (look it up) add hot water to open your pours and away we go
How to prepare your water
- Thread starter Joncoh101
- Start date
Unless you live in the EU where they use H2O2 instead of chlorine, then you are dealing with multiple issues. Chlorine is a whore, combining with damn near anything else to create VOCs (VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS) on top of this are drugs flushed down the drain in municipalities that recycle waste water (look it up) add hot water to open your pours and away we go
My Name is Mike
Well-Known Member
Chlorine and chloramine are both whores. Installed ispring 6 stage 2 weeks ago. IMMEDIATE stop to ph fluctuations. I run 2 WF and couldn't believe how much time I spent balancing PH with municipal water at only 180ppm previous grows. Coffee has never tasted better when using RO water if that helps 
Yes, you'll need to treat with cal-mag and a good nute will ph buffer for stabilization. I feel guilt with the 3:1 ro waste water so I capture all my ro waste and water from nute flushing in a rain bucket that I use for outdoor garden and trees.
Yes, you'll need to treat with cal-mag and a good nute will ph buffer for stabilization. I feel guilt with the 3:1 ro waste water so I capture all my ro waste and water from nute flushing in a rain bucket that I use for outdoor garden and trees.
Exactly. WILD fluctuations man. Comes out 7.2, in a few hours it's 8. I'm getting about a 6.7ish RO according to my meter using an APEC 5 stage I got a while ago. I tested my pressure at the outside water spigot closest to the kitchen and got about 68psi, not bad, should be getting at least 50 inside.Chlorine and chloramine are both whores. Installed ispring 6 stage 2 weeks ago. IMMEDIATE stop to ph fluctuations. I run 2 WF and couldn't believe how much time I spent balancing PH with municipal water at only 180ppm previous grows. Coffee has never tasted better when using RO water if that helps
Yes, you'll need to treat with cal-mag and a good nute will ph buffer for stabilization. I feel guilt with the 3:1 ro waste water so I capture all my ro waste and water from nute flushing in a rain bucket that I use for outdoor garden and trees.
Chlorine and chloramine are both whores. Installed ispring 6 stage 2 weeks ago. IMMEDIATE stop to ph fluctuations. I run 2 WF and couldn't believe how much time I spent balancing PH with municipal water at only 180ppm previous grows. Coffee has never tasted better when using RO water if that helps
Yes, you'll need to treat with cal-mag and a good nute will ph buffer for stabilization. I feel guilt with the 3:1 ro waste water so I capture all my ro waste and water from nute flushing in a rain bucket that I use for outdoor garden and trees.
catch up bro. In the early days of RO, yes 3:1 waste, but membranes got considerably more efficient some 15 years ago. Plus, waste water is a factor of water pressure: the lower the pressure the greater the waste. My <$300 iSpring comes with a booster pump. Smartly built ROs (with efficient membranes and booster pumps) are a lot closer to 1:1. How much plant water do you need? Most households waste way more washing dishes, and taking showers
speedwell68
Well-Known Member
I have been growing for 20 years. I use tap water. I fill up big containers and leave them vent in the grow room for a few days. Mainly because it allows the water to adjust to the ambient temperature of the grow room. There is nothing worse than applying cold water directly to the root system.
Kassiopeija
Well-Known Member
if you have a water analysis I would be able to seep through it, but basically you're looking for something like this:
- Ca 60-120mg/l
- Mg 20-40mg/l (make that 1:3 to Ca)
- S around 50mg/l (could be higher)
- N (count that in if it's high e.g. like 20mg/l)
- Sodium Kation should be lower than MG
- Chlorine needs to be lower than S
In an organic grow, the CaO3 is going to add to Ca because microbes will break it down, or a plants exsudates can do this as well, slower.
Then you'll have to pay attention to some of the micros, esp. Fe & Bor because a Box-tox is deadly if the concentration reaches a certain threshhold (O.05mg/l IIRC)
Renfos advice is spot on, around EC 0.2-0.4 is an optimal mineralic range for plants, before bottled nutes. And because most tapwater is much richer in Ca than Mg, everything one needs is half a tbs Epsom Salt and you're good to go.
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if you have a water analysis I would be able to seep through it, but basically you're looking for something like this:
- Ca 60-120mg/l
- Mg 20-40mg/l (make that 1:3 to Ca)
- S around 50mg/l (could be higher)
- N (count that in if it's high e.g. like 20mg/l)
- Sodium Kation should be lower than MG
- Chlorine needs to be lower than S
In an organic grow, the CaO3 is going to add to Ca because microbes will break it down, or a plants exsudates can do this as well, slower.
Then you'll have to pay attention to some of the micros, esp. Fe & Bor because a Box-tox is deadly if the concentration reaches a certain threshhold (O.05mg/l IIRC)
Renfos advice is spot on, around EC 0.2-0.4 is an optimal mineralic range for plants, before bottled nutes. And because most tapwater is much richer in Ca than Mg, everything one needs is half a tbs Epsom Salt and you're good to go.
Water Quality Reports - Decew - Niagara Region, Ontario
www.niagararegion.ca
My Name is Mike
Well-Known Member
I'm going by what specs ispring has stated. I didn't opt for booster pump since my pressure is fine. I know which kit you're referring to. Maybe the ratio is better than 3:1 but thats my baseline. I'll measure actual waste in my barrel from use and see where I stand. I'm caught up bro - recycling my water to benefit my outdoor plants works out well for me.
Kassiopeija
Well-Known Member
Water Quality Reports - Decew - Niagara Region, Ontario
www.niagararegion.ca
kinda soft (good), although some entries are expressed differently than what I'm used to over here (the first 2 entries, but doesn't matter).Water Quality Reports - Decew - Niagara Region, Ontario
www.niagararegion.ca
Good base.
You either get yourself a CalMag that is 2:1 and then increase the ppm of this water by a total of approx. 30%, or you use Calcinit & Epsom Salt in combination (around 30% more Epsom than Calcinit).
Ofc there should be other products available at your market, mono Ca etc..
Awesome, thank you very much for this info!
you can add the booster later