High iron content in water, is this a problem?

[GP73LPC]

I've recently moved into a new house that has a well. The well water is high in iron content. Enough to discolor the toilet bowl. The water is clear, but has that sulfur smell and a metallic/bloody taste to it.

The water measure 174 ppm with a PH of 7.3.

I would really like to use this water in a hydro garden. I can control the PH easy enough, but what about the high iron content?

Will this be harmful to plants?

In a couple more nodes on some little ones, I will clone and stick 1 in a well water supplied bucket.

Was just looking for a little heads up b4 I get there...

Thanks :)

 

[Protaide]

Lucky! :D

My well water does the same discoloration and taste; though I have 350ppm and a pH of 7.8. However, I do not use well for anything......even drinking; bleh.

I know many DO use "tap" water and I believe people typically say if it's under 200ppm, that it should be fine. Another whom uses tap currently can corroborate this.

You should have a local water testing lab for drinking water though. It's fairly common for people to have wells tested to check levels. If you had your water tested, you'd be able to know more if you have an issue or not with a particular element.

 

[Coir]

Send your water in for a mineral content test. It will be the best $35 you could spend before starting!

 

[BeenBurned]

I sure would like to kno what effect slightly elevated levels of iron will have on the gro...I am in coco mix tho.

 

[Coir]

Iron levels above 4ppm can cause issues. Levels above 10ppm can be toxic to the plants aside from being antagonistic to other elements. Get a water test and save yourself the headache of guessing. If your iron levels are high enough to support good plant growth, then simply find a nutrient that has no iron in it and you should be good to go.

 

[BeenBurned]

@Coir Thank you for the answer,I was wondering about lockout of others and will do more research.
AND I wholeheartedly agree with you...got to stay on top of what you are watering, my last one came back ;
calcium, 18.3 mg/l
Hardness (as CaCO3), 5.75 GPG
Iron, 2.259 mg/l
Magnesium, 12.6 mg/l
Manganese, 0.159 mg/l
pH, 6.94

 

[Coir]

Your iron and manganese levels are actually fine if your nutrient does not supply any at all. The problem is finding nutes that have little to no of either in them.

 

[BeenBurned]

Now I cant remember, lol...now checking!
something an accomplished grower would spit right out.
:shifty:
Thanx man, BB

 

[GP73LPC]

Cool, thanks for all the responses...

That's my problem. Of the 174 ppm, I don't know the percentage of iron. If its over 5% iron it sounds bad.

I believe I will send it off for a test.

It has a strong smell so I am guessing the iron content might be too high...

Still happy to everyone's opinion. If you are experienced in this area let me hear from you...

 

[Seamaiden]

Have you contacted your county to get a copy of the last well report, too?

 

[BeenBurned]

Have you contacted your county to get a copy of the last well report, too?

Good idea as they are required when punched, the County may have it on file.

 

[Seamaiden]

The county better have it on file. ;)

 

[GP73LPC]

Have you contacted your county to get a copy of the last well report, too?

Didn't know I could do that....

Thanks a bunch

 

[GP73LPC]

I never contacted the county... :(

But. Did end up,putting 4 male clones in the well water...

All is good, healthy green plants !!!!!

 

[NagaKing]

So it's also high in sulfur?

 

[GP73LPC]

So it's also high in sulfur?

I don't know. Eventually I will contact the county to find out for sure.

The water does stain any ceramic surfaces is sits in or on. Turns the ceramic rusty brown.

Plants seem to dig it so far...

 

[NagaKing]

If the plants dig it, that's all that really matter.
Just don't grow them in pretty white ceramic pots ;)

 

[trippinballz]

You may need to "shock" the well with chlorine. The sulfur is probably a bacterial growth in the system. The hot water heater /hot water probably smells worse than the cold.

Shocking it will loosen/dislodge a buncha that iron in the pipes/pressure tank/etc. You can read about the process/get the chems online.

If the iron content stays high...it may affect the plants down the line as it concentrates in the soils/medium. A friend of mine had this same sitation and could never get a crop to finish. 5 weeks into bloom they would all suddenly stunt....and that would be it.

good luck

 

[GP73LPC]

Wow, thanks for the info trippin...

I will read up on shocking the well...

Thanks ;)

 

[GP73LPC]

You may need to "shock" the well with chlorine. The sulfur is probably a bacterial growth in the system. The hot water heater /hot water probably smells worse than the cold.

Shocking it will loosen/dislodge a buncha that iron in the pipes/pressure tank/etc. You can read about the process/get the chems online.

If the iron content stays high...it may affect the plants down the line as it concentrates in the soils/medium. A friend of mine had this same sitation and could never get a crop to finish. 5 weeks into bloom they would all suddenly stunt....and that would be it.

good luck

Well after growing in this well water it seems my plants do not want to amber up. Get very few amber trichs even after much longer flowering times then should be required.

I've gone back to rain water to see if that helps.