Cabbagelit
Active Member
I’m buying purified water from Walmart. Put my meter in and ph comes around 5 ph . I’ve been adding 1 ml of ph up into a gallon of water. Seems to bring it above 6. Are you guys having this issue as well?
Ro water PH question
- Thread starter Cabbagelit
- Start date
fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
what issue?
clean water has very little buffer in it and a little bit of ph up or down will have a big effect.
Are you trying to ph each gallon individually? try just a few drops at a time.
clean water has very little buffer in it and a little bit of ph up or down will have a big effect.
Are you trying to ph each gallon individually? try just a few drops at a time.
Cabbagelit
Active Member
I started with a gallon and did little drops at a time. Equal to 1 ml and that’s how I got my number. I got the water to 6.3. I know anything under 6 is considered acidic. Does it matter that my water is at a 5? I also heard if you aerate the water, it can raise the ph a bit. I think aerating removes co2
Cabbagelit
Active Member
Buying water from the store and it’s ph’d at 5 already right after you open it
Bose
Well-Known Member
That's fine if ph is at 5. That's why we ph the water or nutrient solution to your ideal number. I ph to 6.2 however my tap water comes out with an 8.2 ph. So I will make the nutrient solution then check and properly adjust the ph.
Cabbagelit
Active Member
Thank you so much. I finally understand the importance of ph. If my water isn’t ph’d corrected it can’t uptake any of the minerals that’s added. Which is basically a nutrient lockout. I make my concoction of Ro water, molasses, and liquid seaweed. Ph it to 6-6.8 and my plant will take the nutrients just fine:
JohnDee
Well-Known Member
Hey Cabbage,
Let me throw out another thought. Ph meters do poorly measuring water with no minerals in it. All ph meters work by measuring EC...and then internally electronically convert that to a ph number.
RO water and distilled water should be very close to 7...but you may not get a good reading. Drives meters crazy.
Some water companies will adjust ph for taste and usually those are spring or fancy "drinking' water. And I don't think they would change ph tp 5.
So I am suggesting your reading of 5 is wrong...get some GH test drops and test it that way.
JD
Let me throw out another thought. Ph meters do poorly measuring water with no minerals in it. All ph meters work by measuring EC...and then internally electronically convert that to a ph number.
RO water and distilled water should be very close to 7...but you may not get a good reading. Drives meters crazy.
Some water companies will adjust ph for taste and usually those are spring or fancy "drinking' water. And I don't think they would change ph tp 5.
So I am suggesting your reading of 5 is wrong...get some GH test drops and test it that way.
JD
Cabbagelit
Active Member
Thinking about grabbing this to stop making trips to Walmart. Also the filter adds back minerals to the water which could be very helpful. Also a blue lab ph meter for more accurate readings
JohnDee
Well-Known Member
Adds back minerals? Never seen an RO filter do that? How bad is your tap. I predict that the RO filter would not improve your grow.
JD
fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
Distilled water SHOULD be a neutral 7, but sometimes its 5.8 because it absorbs co2.
OP also said purified water not distilled. Purified water could be distilled, RO, or ionized. Anything under 10ppm is considered purified.
And OP is talking about a drinking water addon for a kitchen/home RO system. Some of these systems have a re-mineralization filter on the output that conditions the water to be more suitable for human consumption. It shouldnt be considered a substitute for calmag though.
However, on the one that was linked I see no mention of such.
A lot of us have the hydrologic stealth series. I have a stealth 150 and was very happy with it when I used it. They have good filter options for low pressure and cold water. If you dont have good water pressure(60+psi) or have water that comes out below 65F the output is slowed of pretty much any brand filter. Found out I didnt need it though.
OP also said purified water not distilled. Purified water could be distilled, RO, or ionized. Anything under 10ppm is considered purified.
And OP is talking about a drinking water addon for a kitchen/home RO system. Some of these systems have a re-mineralization filter on the output that conditions the water to be more suitable for human consumption. It shouldnt be considered a substitute for calmag though.
However, on the one that was linked I see no mention of such.
A lot of us have the hydrologic stealth series. I have a stealth 150 and was very happy with it when I used it. They have good filter options for low pressure and cold water. If you dont have good water pressure(60+psi) or have water that comes out below 65F the output is slowed of pretty much any brand filter. Found out I didnt need it though.
Cabbagelit
Active Member
I like the way you break things down man. Here’s my thoughts so far. I mentioned the Ro filter because it will give me pure water without going to the store. It does say it adds back calcium magnesium. Maybe other mineral
I need to look more into it. I wouldn’t find it to be a replacement for cal mag. Just nice to have those minerals in your water as well. because I heard store bought purified waters Are stripped from their minerals. I’m growing organically so my soil is acting as a buffer and getting the nutrients from my amendments. However like you said...sometimes the water becomes acidic from uptaking co2. Would the filter not be a good investment in the long run?
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TintEastwood
Well-Known Member
This is a good value for a portable unit. Used one for 2 years. I now use a Hydrologic 150.
I have never grown in soil, only coco. Nutes every watering in coco. Ph is set after adding nutes to the RO.
I have never grown in soil, only coco. Nutes every watering in coco. Ph is set after adding nutes to the RO.
JohnDee
Well-Known Member
Yup...that's all you need. Mine is similar...though now I'm only using the activated charcoal filters to remove chlorine. We have good water at 80 ppm so I just leave it there.
JD
fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
If you're buying water, I would 100% invest in an RO unit and maybe a small holding barrel/container for clean water so you can let it fill over several hours. RO output is slow, no point in spending twice as much for a bigger system to improve flow if you can manage a small holding tank. I used a stealth 150 and collapsible tank to fill a 130gal system.
I highly recommend the hydrologic stealth line. My water came out of that filter at 0 ppm and it's pretty cost effective over the long run too.
The mineral filters make it so it's more healthy to drink, theyll add some cal/mag but probably not enough to avoid using calmag anyway. Imo it would be more cost effective to skip the mineral filter and just use calmag unless you want to drink the water too.
Dish
Active Member
I seriously doubt you bought water from Walmart that was PH'd at 5 already... I just did a PH\EC test on 7 different Walmart waters and none had a PH lower than 6.5 out of the jug,
I strongly recommend you calibrate your testing meter.
I strongly recommend you calibrate your testing meter.
Did you buy one of these?
If so, I have EC\PH readings from freshly calibrated meters I'd be happy to share.
I strongly recommend you calibrate your testing meter.
I seriously doubt you bought water from Walmart that was PH'd at 5 already... I just did a PH\EC test on 7 different Walmart waters and none had a PH lower than 6.5 out of the jug,
I strongly recommend you calibrate your testing meter.
Did you buy one of these?
If so, I have EC\PH readings from freshly calibrated meters I'd be happy to share.
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
RO and distilled water are a blank slate and need no adjustment. Add whatever nutes you want then adjust pH if you need too. If just giving the plants a drink of water do not check pH as it means nothing. Straight RO will not affect the pH of your root zone.
If you get the RO unit that adds back minerals you'll be around pH 8 or more and chasing the pH boogie man around again. Better for drinking tho and I add minerals to the store bought RO I drink. CalMag for the plants and very little of that.
Never let your pH pen sit in pure water or you'll leach the salts out of the glass ball and destroy the probe.
If you get the RO unit that adds back minerals you'll be around pH 8 or more and chasing the pH boogie man around again. Better for drinking tho and I add minerals to the store bought RO I drink. CalMag for the plants and very little of that.
Never let your pH pen sit in pure water or you'll leach the salts out of the glass ball and destroy the probe.