Reusing AC water on plants...

[Animal Chin]

It's distilled water- the pH is almost irrelevant because there is almost zero mineral content to hold one.

Would this also be true if I'm in organic soil using organic nutes? I'm thinking if the reclaimed water is in the low to mid 5s and then I add Nutes to that ill be in the low 4s. With that in mind I was thinking I should bring the water up to 7 before I add my Nutes...right?

 

[CelticEBE]

Would this also be true if I'm in organic soil using organic nutes? I'm thinking if the reclaimed water is in the low to mid 5s and then I add Nutes to that ill be in the low 4s. With that in mind I was thinking I should bring the water up to 7 before I add my Nutes...right?

From what I understand most nutes are buffered out in the 5.8 range, that being said your distilled water from an ac at a very low ppm would more than likely not have that much of an affect on the ph. I have been using reclaimed water from my window bangers for a little over 6 months now and I have had 0 problems. I just mix it in with my RO and go from there.

 

[Animal Chin]

From what I understand most nutes are buffered out in the 5.8 range, that being said your distilled water from an ac at a very low ppm would more than likely not have that much of an affect on the ph. I have been using reclaimed water from my window bangers for a little over 6 months now and I have had 0 problems. I just mix it in with my RO and go from there.

That's the info I'm interested in. Thx

 

[Animal Chin]

From what I understand most nutes are buffered out in the 5.8 range, that being said your distilled water from an ac at a very low ppm would more than likely not have that much of an affect on the ph. I have been using reclaimed water from my window bangers for a little over 6 months now and I have had 0 problems. I just mix it in with my RO and go from there.

What percentage of your water is from the ac or dehuey? I also have RO but I'm getting enough reclaimed water to barely touch it at the moment if I wanted. Thx for your input.

 

[WalterWhiteFire]

My ac drips into my blumat reservoir. It's a nice balance.

 

[CelticEBE]

What percentage of your water is from the ac or dehuey? I also have RO but I'm getting enough reclaimed water to barely touch it at the moment if I wanted. Thx for your input.

About the same. I water 15 gallons every night, and reclaim about 8 from my AC and 4 from my dehuey....which means I use about 3 gallons of RO a day. That's one room, my other room for some reason the AC doesn't kick out the water like the other one does. I'm switching over to water cooled air handlers pretty soon. Not quite sure how I will reclaim water from those, but I'm pretty sure I will figure it out.

 

[Animal Chin]

About the same. I water 15 gallons every night, and reclaim about 8 from my AC and 4 from my dehuey....which means I use about 3 gallons of RO a day. That's one room, my other room for some reason the AC doesn't kick out the water like the other one does. I'm switching over to water cooled air handlers pretty soon. Not quite sure how I will reclaim water from those, but I'm pretty sure I will figure it out.

I use 15 gallons also :)

 

[CelticEBE]

I use 15 gallons also :)

4000 watts?

 

[brewpot]

Wouldn't a properly sized exhaust fan be more efficient and cheaper than 2 dehumidifiers? 15 gals every nite in means 15 gals out every day. your plants are putting on weight since it is 80% water anyway, but the amount of transperation achieved while sleeping is is also impressive. If you can achieve outside RH your garden would be happier.

 

[sixstring]

Yeah everyone likes there rh where they like it.bottom line is dont waste that a/c and dehuey drain water because it works as good or better then r/o and is free.
My a/c line has some mold in it but it runs to a tank that sometimes sits around for 4 or 5 days when I gone.i have never had problems using it and it still test clean like 5 to 7 ppm after sitting in milk jugs for weeks.any good nute line will buffer ph to 5.8 if its hydro nutes and 6.2 to 6.5 for soil nutes.im using jacks classics right now and it dont matter what kind of water I use, it always comes out at 5.8 after mixing.

 

[CelticEBE]

Wouldn't a properly sized exhaust fan be more efficient and cheaper than 2 dehumidifiers? 15 gals every nite in means 15 gals out every day. your plants are putting on weight since it is 80% water anyway, but the amount of transperation achieved while sleeping is is also impressive. If you can achieve outside RH your garden would be happier.

Sealed room......my garden is happier than any vented room I have EVER seen.,

 

[Animal Chin]

4000 watts?

Not yet but soon. I'm 2000 watts but my 15 gallons is every few days :)

Yeah everyone likes there rh where they like it.bottom line is dont waste that a/c and dehuey drain water because it works as good or better then r/o and is free.
My a/c line has some mold in it but it runs to a tank that sometimes sits around for 4 or 5 days when I gone.i have never had problems using it and it still test clean like 5 to 7 ppm after sitting in milk jugs for weeks.any good nute line will buffer ph to 5.8 if its hydro nutes and 6.2 to 6.5 for soil nutes.im using jacks classics right now and it dont matter what kind of water I use, it always comes out at 5.8 after mixing.

Great info thx :)

 

[brewpot]

Last time I looked outside everything grows just fine, damp in the morning drier in the afternoon and a dewpoint low enuf for transpiration at nite. Filtering inlet and tempering inlet air should be all thats really needed. The biggest problem for me was the noise to hole in the wall size ratio, but now no need to monitor Rh and dehumidify, hence no "distilled" waste water. Just my opinion, btw, I also got rid of any mold, mildew issues.

 

[Animal Chin]

Last time I looked outside everything grows just fine, damp in the morning drier in the afternoon and a dewpoint low enuf for transpiration at nite. Filtering inlet and tempering inlet air should be all thats really needed. The biggest problem for me was the noise to hole in the wall size ratio, but now no need to monitor Rh and dehumidify, hence no "distilled" waste water. Just my opinion, btw, I also got rid of any mold, mildew issues.

Fwiw I'm not running sealed but I'm questioning your point on nature and only needing in and out fans to replicate. The sun I would think plays the biggest part in the natural environment. I think the brighter the bulbs the better health of everything but then you'll have more heat. Also depending on where you live you'd need ac for sure. I don't think it's as black n white as you make it sound. For instance I don't run air cooled hoods. I think your comment might be for CelticEbe but I'm just also giving my opinion :)

Ps there's no need to state the obvious as we all know everything outside grows fine. That's how arguments start.

I'd like to also thank you for serving our country.:)

 

[CelticEBE]

Last time I looked outside everything grows just fine, damp in the morning drier in the afternoon and a dewpoint low enuf for transpiration at nite. Filtering inlet and tempering inlet air should be all thats really needed. The biggest problem for me was the noise to hole in the wall size ratio, but now no need to monitor Rh and dehumidify, hence no "distilled" waste water. Just my opinion, btw, I also got rid of any mold, mildew issues.

I'm not saying things don't grow well outside. I'm also not saying there is anything wrong with vented rooms. I run sealed rooms...have been for about 5 years now and have NEVER had any mold or mildew. I control the RH how I WANT IT, which ranges throughout the flowering cycle for me. I also have two rooms on a flip so I don't necessarily want to mimic what the conditions are like outside at whatever given moment.

I was taught vented rooms.....and then I got away from them as I felt there were too many problems associated with them. Say for instance my room gets hot, and the fan comes on and it's noon outside....and ambient temps outside are 115 degrees (I used to live in SFV). To me cooling off a light with AC is a much better option. Not to mention my co2 doesn't get sucked out either.

 

[brewpot]

True it will always be a balancing act. Fans are rated in CFM, calculate the room size for volume and divide by total CFM and see how many air changes you have per hour, more is better, a few is bad. It is so esay to put money in to a room when most problems are rudimentary. Cramming more lights, plants, water, nutes and others into a confined space only to have to react to a self made problem. We are growing a weed, that we chose to complicate how it's done.

 

[reloader]

I'm not saying things don't grow well outside. I'm also not saying there is anything wrong with vented rooms. I run sealed rooms...have been for about 5 years now and have NEVER had any mold or mildew. I control the RH how I WANT IT, which ranges throughout the flowering cycle for me. I also have two rooms on a flip so I don't necessarily want to mimic what the conditions are like outside at whatever given moment.

I was taught vented rooms.....and then I got away from them as I felt there were too many problems associated with them. Say for instance my room gets hot, and the fan comes on and it's noon outside....and ambient temps outside are 115 degrees (I used to live in SFV). To me cooling off a light with AC is a much better option. Not to mention my co2 doesn't get sucked out either.

Yea, I have only done vented rooms, but I live in a cold climate. I use a 400 cfm inline fan ducted to a open window to pull air into my tent. I run my flower room from 9:00 at night to 9:00 in the morning, so the air is always cooler. I just cool my lights by sucking air through filter then though lights & out of tent vented to the ridge vent in my attic & out. Winter time I can completely control my lights on temps with how far I have the window open that I'm sucking air from.

 

[Animal Chin]

Yea, I have only done vented rooms, but I live in a cold climate. I use a 400 cfm inline fan ducted to a open window to pull air into my tent. I run my flower room from 9:00 at night to 9:00 in the morning, so the air is always cooler. I just cool my lights by sucking air through filter then though lights & out of tent vented to the ridge vent in my attic & out. Winter time I can completely control my lights on temps with how far I have the window open that I'm sucking air from.

Sounds like heaven.

 

[CelticEBE]

Ok....this thread is going a bit off track.

 

[SonOfDaMourning]

I like this thread!