Offmymeds
Well-Known Member
I don't remember the original source, but here's a good video.
Should You Dilute pH Up & pH Down BEFORE Adding To Nutrient Solution? (youtube.com)
What is dropping out of my solution?
- Thread starter TCH
- Start date
Should You Dilute pH Up & pH Down BEFORE Adding To Nutrient Solution? (youtube.com)
SpectacularG
Well-Known Member
They don't mention the 30 minute silica by itself thing, must try myself will let you know this feed
Drop That Sound
Well-Known Member
I never submerge pumps in reservoirs anymore. Always use inline pumps and install them somewhere outside of the container.. Not only do they create more warm surface area and crevices for pathogens\scum to take hold, but heat up the water twice as much when submerged. Except for when I soak my pumps in apple cider vinegar water every other run.
calvin.m16
Well-Known Member
I'm actually thinking at this point there are some kind of diatoms or other possibly mineral percipitate in my water happening. I just checked today and had the issue again, the only thing I can think of when I really crunch my brain is that I installed some decently cheap RO filters only a couple months ago. Maybe they are letting shit through. The only reason I think this also is when I use my raw well water, fill a bucket, it will look clear then by the next day have lots of stuff clinging to the edges of the bucket and also look murky/cloudy. Maybe inadequate filtration from the RO membranes I purchased.
There is not much other explanation as I've used pool shock, removed airstones, used new airstones, stir pumps, no pumps, hand scooped instead of using submersible and still having issues after I jinxed myself yesterday thinking the problem was resolved.
I think I'll buy a 60 gallon blacked out "flexi tank" style reservoir from GrowAce with the zip up top and throw a UV bulb into it that runs on a cycle timer, then of course connect an inline RV pump to the bottom and run that out to drippers. It would be a good prelude into drip feed (already setup systems in the past) because I have just been using sub pump with hose/wand the last 5 years and most recently if I don't use up all the solution within 24 hours it starts doing funny shit like this.
SpectacularG
Well-Known Member
Brother try this. Said to me by harley smith today on a call.
its the same problem I am having but I am having it in the soil. I believe I don't have it in the rez because I add FlaVuh before the nutes and that will not make stuff precipitate there s a great video on cannacribs yt channel, but this is another topic. Anyway try using at least 60-70% tap water, tap water contains carbonates and bicarbonates that will buffer the solution and stabilize it, in the rez if you hydro and in the medium if you organic or synganic. give it a try and let me know. dr smith said its best to start with a water that has 0.2-0.4ec and you may need to mix the waters tap and roto achieve this balance. hope it helped here s the video look what happens in the solution he explains it perfectly
calvin.m16
Well-Known Member
I cannot use my tap water it is either softened with salt or the raw well water which is insanely bad. Pure sulfur/iron/silt and whatever else.
The issue at this point I'm 90% sure is caused by the budget RO filters I purchased. I put a 5 gallon bucket of the water before the filters and it did the same clouding after 24 ish hours. Stuffs getting past these filters, the water after the filter runs for a good 3-4 minutes is 19-20 PPM. I have new filters coming in today I will update if that resolves the issue. Unless my batch of maxibloom somehow got contaminated I don't understand what could be causing the clouding at this point other than the filters I replaced 6 weeks ago. Maxibloom didn't do this for years of me using it, a different nutrient line probably won't change anything and using tap water will most certainly make it worse in my case.
Drop That Sound
Well-Known Member
I would probably head to the store and buy 5-10 one gallon jugs of RO drinking water, then mix up a smaller batch in a different bucket to see if it still happens. Then you can narrow it down more to the filters\water source. Also, mix up another small batch in the main res with more store bought jugs of water, to see if it still happens with the new water too.
SpectacularG
Well-Known Member
Ok looks like organic calmag that has carbonates to buffer the solution will probably solve any issues with it, get the organic one from tps nutrients and add it after silica but before any main nutes
Blue_Focus
Well-Known Member
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
I've got Lake Michigan tap with plenty of Ca and have never seen any precipitates using phosphoric acid to lower pH.
Vinegar has no place in hydroponics.
Blue_Focus
Well-Known Member
I'm growing in soil.
My PH down is Phosphoric acid. It definitely causes the calcium or limestone to separate so I quit using it. Now I'm not even bothering with PH'ing my water because of the separation.
I'm in Ohio my water hardness is around 26 PPM. The TDS is around 400-500 before filtering. This is City water too.
I was using Blumats and the end of the tubes were clogging up with a white crust.
calvin.m16
Well-Known Member
Update
Can't believe I overlooked this, I purchased some "geekpure" RO filters because my grow store was out of the typical hydrologic membranes I purchased, they had some Growonix brand filters but each one was $100. I ordered some DOW filters and the issue has since resolved.. The old membranes actually had visible dark slime/gunk on the inside "clean" end of the filters. Definitely was the filters to blame. My well water has the same behavior as this if its not ran through a softener due to the mineral content. If I pour it into a bucket, it will be crystal clear until the next day, then there's a film around the whole bucket of iron, sulfur and whatever else and the water looks cloudy even with airstones.
Solution: Chlorine shocked whole RO system, installed new RO membranes, sediment & carbon filters.
I'm in MI as well, but my well water is really trash until it goes through a sediment filter > softener, but as we know softened water isn't smart as it contains quite a bit of sodium. I'm limited to Reverse Osmosis water.
Can't believe I overlooked this, I purchased some "geekpure" RO filters because my grow store was out of the typical hydrologic membranes I purchased, they had some Growonix brand filters but each one was $100. I ordered some DOW filters and the issue has since resolved.. The old membranes actually had visible dark slime/gunk on the inside "clean" end of the filters. Definitely was the filters to blame. My well water has the same behavior as this if its not ran through a softener due to the mineral content. If I pour it into a bucket, it will be crystal clear until the next day, then there's a film around the whole bucket of iron, sulfur and whatever else and the water looks cloudy even with airstones.
Solution: Chlorine shocked whole RO system, installed new RO membranes, sediment & carbon filters.
I use Phosphoric Acid too, CYCO brand which is insanely potent. I put it into a separate chemical dropper bottle that is ~70% water. If I shoot it straight into the solution already mixed with nutes I will sometimes see a little cloud but nothing majorly falling out or staying permanently like if you were to pour concentrated silica into solution already containing nutrients.
I'm in MI as well, but my well water is really trash until it goes through a sediment filter > softener, but as we know softened water isn't smart as it contains quite a bit of sodium. I'm limited to Reverse Osmosis water.
SpectacularG
Well-Known Member
Dang I ll check my filters now lol
calvin.m16
Well-Known Member
Yeah and I am noticing it continues causing the pH to rise over time. Super annoying! I am using their "pro ph up" but I massively dilute it before adding to my water as it's insanely strong hydroxylated water. Haven't had any clouding. I think its possible silica was to blame for the clouding. It works damn good as a pH UP though.
