Reverse osmosis necessary

Hi Guys,

If the EC of the tap water is .6 before nutes would you way a filter is 100% needed? I’m adding hardly any which takes it up to .8 which is still probably too high for where they’re at. Currently trying to see why they don’t seem to be taking to the net pot well and I think it’s between nutes and saturation but not sure which. Im sure RO water would be ideal but I never needed it with NFT so just checking how much I should be concerned about it.
Thanks

That is high for a starting point. I assume your running dwc? I have ran RDWC under current and topped out at 1.3-1.6 with some big ass plants. Obviously strain dependant.
Little more info would help determine tho. Only reason I guess dwc is because you said net pot.

Yes sorry it’s RDWC. Really struggling after moving to the net pots. Tried one technique of raising the water and lettting them sit just above the bubbles for a couple weeks and no real action or anything positive. Some died. EC was high at 1.1 but also they could have been too wet. Having a second attempt now with the lower EC of .8. This time the water is below the pits by and inch or so and I’m gonna top feed until roots drop which so far hasn’t happened at all. Temp and light etc seem good. I’m sure it’s to do with food or saturation or a bit of both. They just don’t seem to do anything since moving. Now that these ones have been moved above the bubbles I can control the saturation a bit. It’s hard to tell how wet they are under the pebbles and also how quickly they could dry out and also how much to top feed in terms of liquid. Can’t believe I’m having such little success with this I had no trouble with NFT at all and I don’t think I’m an idiot . Hope the extra info may help? Cheers

dont be afraid to have your roots in the water, the system is recycleling and hense absorbing oxygen, so untill there a little longer just get those roots inthe water

Yeah although they’re just not growing any roots. After the initial one or two peaking through and then being moved to the net pot they just stop root growth. I tried moving one that had developed much more and had many roots showing around the cube but that did the same. Just doesn’t take to the new environment. Must be just one particular thing that’s not right

Any signs of crinkaling on the leaves? aklthough thats root rot. you may have burnt the roots, they may just be taking there time showing, i have one in dwc at the moment and it took a good week to see the new roots showing through the hydoton

It’s quite hard to say as I have many in different states. As it was my first time dwc I kicked off quite a few seeds and left them in the propagator throughout. If one of the net pot transfers failed then I could bring a healthy one in from the propagator. What are your thoughts on the need for reverse osmosis? Do you think they will take off now that the EC is lower and they’re not so wet?

I started without, it is a pain. Don't cut corners, get RO. You will have less issues.

Just checked and the leaf tips are all curling down a bit. I’ve turned the air stone pump off for now so that the pots can dry out a bit. Seems to keep it all very moist even when the water is well below the bottom of the net pot. Anyone know of a brand of air pump that’s quiet? So noisy that thing

Distortionist said:

I started without, it is a pain. Don't cut corners, get RO. You will have less issues.

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Thanks

Even if you grabbed some store bought water and hit it with some Calmag at full and whatever nute strength you choose. Top feed for the first little bit. You could also root into Rockwool and surround with hydroton.
Reverse would be the way I would go tho. Just make sure to replenish the calcium and magnesium

I'm too cheap to get my water tested and it's kinda difficult to get done in my area. If my water was .6 EC I would be very curious what was in it and probably get it tested. It looks like you do need ro water