cutting ro water with tap

[bluegrass]

Hey guys, me again! I was wondering if any of you guys cut ro water with tap water, lets say 50/50? My tap ppms are right at 350 or so, Im thinking that if I cut it with ro water then it should drop to around 150/175 or so and that would provide me with what I need as far as cal and mag is concerned. Is this a good practice or should I avoid it? Or should I just bite the bullet and buy a bottle of cal mag? Thanks a ton!

 

[Asphalt Gardner]

Bite the bullet and go pure R/O with added Cal/Mag. I think there are too many variable too consider when using a water source that has unknown chemicals (flouride. chlorine and such). Me thinks that R/O is way to go...but me am just a humble speed bump in the asphalt jungle.....

 

[fiftythree33]

I am considering doing the same once I have my tap tested and I have confidence in what is in my tap to replace calmag. I am already mixing RO/tap to bring the ppms of tap from 500 to 200ish to clean my system in between res changes. I'm mainly concerned with sulfur content of the tap.

 

[bluegrass]

great great! Thanks for the opinions guys, anyone else have anything to say about this subject?

 

[mal]

Get a Filter

I use my tap water, but have a filter at the nozzle. Its an RV filter about 20$ removes chlorine , chloramine and a bunch of other crap. After the filter my tap water reads 65 ppm. Inside I use this water mixed with my dehumidifier water. The road farmer is correct you will need some calmag to keep your plants lush, green and healthy



mal

 

[fiftythree33]

mal, what are the ppms to start? got a link to that filter? I'm on a well so I just have really hard water and need to prefilter my ro line. thanks

 

[bluegrass]

I believe that the cal mag basically acts as a ph buffer for pure so you dont get wild swings in the ph readings. Thats what an advanced nutrients tech guy told me, can anyone verify this?

 

[Seamaiden]

I tried it, my tap comes out around 160ppm's (didn't measure EC), it just didn't work. I ended up going with RO/DI only, and have been sticking with that for specific situations. Certain others, I may mix, or go tap entirely.

Calcium and magnesium are extremely important minerals for metabolic and life processes, calcium *especially*. You might want to look that stuff up, it's far more important than what that AN tech told you.

 

[Widowmaker]

My tap is 350ppm. It caused intermittent problems in soil and Rockwool grows till I realized it was the problem. Tried distilled water (too lazy to plumb an RO rig)and Botanicare Cal Mag Plus with Fox Farm nutes. PH seemed to change too much form day to day so now I use a minmum 50% to 75% distilled with my tap and that is more stable with no problems.
:icon_spin:

 

[bluegrass]

I tried it, my tap comes out around 160ppm's (didn't measure EC), it just didn't work. I ended up going with RO/DI only, and have been sticking with that for specific situations. Certain others, I may mix, or go tap entirely.

Calcium and magnesium are extremely important minerals for metabolic and life processes, calcium *especially*. You might want to look that stuff up, it's far more important than what that AN tech told you.

Yea I totally believe you, in a past soil less grow I had these def's. They cleared up quick but it scared the living shit out of me and I know it stunted the over all yield. I dont want it to happen again, so Im going to go buy some cal mag and use it religiously as a preventative/ph buffer esp in flower. :) Thanks so much for the responses you guys and I am taking everything in, believe me, Im learning and loving every second of it. :) This is going to be fun!!!

 

[Seamaiden]

Liquid Ca/Mg products do not seem to buffer the pH of such well-filtered water very well, at least not that I've found. Anathema to the idea that calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate are two substances that do an excellent job of keeping pH stable. But, those are carbonate forms of the minerals, so mineral form matters.

The reason why the Ca/Mg are needed, along with other minerals such as potassium and phosphorous is because life processes require chemical reactions between molecules of these substances. I know more about how calcium and potassium reactions are how muscles contract, and that too much blood calcium fucks up your internals, than I do about how it works for plants.

But, I can suggest you look up the Kreb cycle, as that can help understand some why's.

Learning is fun.

 

[mal]

5333

Sorry for the delay my starting ppm's are 87-89. I know very low to start, I just like to eliminate the chlo's rine and amine. You can get a filter like the one I'm using about anywhere, just as long as it reduces both chlo's. The one I've chosen is the system IV. They don't completely eliminate, but help my water



mal

 

[jammie]

I am considering doing the same once I have my tap tested and I have confidence in what is in my tap to replace calmag. I am already mixing RO/tap to bring the ppms of tap from 500 to 200ish to clean my system in between res changes. I'm mainly concerned with sulfur content of the tap.

if ya live in the us just call your county water and sewer dept and they'll give you a complete ppm breakdown. i use rainwater filtered thru about 10 layers of cheesecloth