My tap water ph is too high

A.k.a

Well-Known Member
I’ve got tap with 8.7ph and 470ppm.

I used only ph down for a while but it seems like after a couple weeks only half my plants could handle it. The rest started getting micro deficiencies and turning lime green with dark green veins on all the top growth.

I guess it could be good for developing hardy genetics but I ended up switching to filtered water.
 

Rebel71

Well-Known Member
Went through the same goddamn shit man three clones later
shit I’m using a Hanna h19814 ph/EC/temp. Hopefully it stays working well(compared to results to lab grade equipment and the ph was off by .03 so I was happy figured the rest was probably accurate also
Well that’s good to hear that your machine wasn’t off that much I drop the yellow one or my son drop the yellow one in one of the buckets and it’s through the yellow meter off by 48 so you’re good if you’re only off by .3
 

getogrow

Well-Known Member
I’m also wondering if I run my finished water (after chlorination, softening and charcoal filtering) through the ro system of that will help the life of the ro filters since it’s not raw water straight from the well
"softening" the water is a no no for any plants. Get a filter to put in BEFORE the softener. Your well water straight out the well would be better then using a softener. This goes for fish or plants.
All a softener does is add salt to your water.... thats horrible for living things. :eyesmoke:
 

1212ham

Well-Known Member
I’m also wondering if I run my finished water (after chlorination, softening and charcoal filtering) through the ro system of that will help the life of the ro filters since it’s not raw water straight from the well
"1. A Softener Protects an RO Unit:
Reverse osmosis membranes are fragile. Although there is usually a small sediment filter in front of the RO, reverse osmosis has a hard time removing or reducing calcium and magnesium–the minerals that make water hard. So by installing a water softener WITH an RO drinking water system, the water softener or conditioner will reduce the water hardness, thus acting as a protective barrier for the RO system keeping it from fouling and extending the life of the membranes."


"The Ion Exchange Process
Calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) ions that cause water hardness can be removed fairly easily by using an ion exchange procedure. Standard water softeners are cation exchange devices. Cations refer to positively charged ions dissolved in the water. Cation exchange involves the replacement of the hardness ions with a nonhardness ion.

Water softeners usually use sodium (Na+) as the exchange ion. Sodium ions are supplied from dissolved sodium chloride salt, also called brine. In the ion exchange process, sodium ions are used to coat an exchange medium in the softener. The exchange medium can be natural “zeolites” or synthetic resin beads that resemble wet sand.

As hard water passes through a softener, the calcium and magnesium trade places with sodium ions (Figure 1). Sodium ions are held loosely and are replaced easily by calcium and magnesium ions. During this process, “free” sodium ions are released into the water."
 

Nutty sKunK

Well-Known Member
Here’s some more useful info about how pH is not the same as alkalinity.

Take my situation for example.

I have pH 8 soft tap water (35ppm) which sounds high. But since there is no calcium or magnesium ions it can’t buffer well at all.

This means over time my water will actually acidify the soil!!

It’s imperative I use calmag from start to finish to buffer my water.

 
"softening" the water is a no no for any plants. Get a filter to put in BEFORE the softener. Your well water straight out the well would be better then using a softener. This goes for fish or plants.
All a softener does is add salt to your water.... thats horrible for living things. :eyesmoke:
I guess you missed the part where I asked about the softener helping the RO system not the plants. I’m aware it’s bad for plants :blsmoke:
 

getogrow

Well-Known Member
I guess you missed the part where I asked about the softener helping the RO system not the plants. I’m aware it’s bad for plants :blsmoke:
No , i didnt miss anything, i just wanted to make sure the info was out there.

I was not aware that a softener could help a RO system. Now i am , thanks for asking that!
 
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