[Terpeneluv]

Hey folks,

I know this has been beaten to death and I've researched everywhere on every forum I could find. Got close to an answer, but they were from years ago. If it's a boring, tired question, I apologise. New to all this, at least it'd been 25 years. Things were different back then.....

Anyway, I'm growing in coco and using Canna A B as well as their coco. So far, I've been feeding with RO water, but that's becoming a PITA. Now that they drink more, I have to go to hell ( Walmart) to fill those jugs way more often than usual. I figured, if I'm not drinking tap, neither should my plants. So in the beginning, it was no biggie. So, now I'm considering tap.

It comes out at 158ppm. I know I can remove most of the clorine by letting it sit out with a bubbler for a day. But I'm confused about the feeding.

In RO, I've been doing roughy 200 ppms of Calmag and bringing it up to 580 with A &B. The question is this: if I use that tap, do I just consider that tap 158 ppm as a replacement for the Calmag? Do i still add that 200 ppm on top of the 158ppm? I can upload my towns water report if that helps the pros here to get an answer, but what's the general rule?

They're looking good to me and I don't want to screw it and hurt those girls.

Any help would be appreciated.

-R

 

[Aqua Man]

Cut your cal mag in half and continue.

 

[Aqua Man]

Hey folks,

I know this has been beaten to death and I've researched everywhere on every forum I could find. Got close to an answer, but they were from years ago. If it's a boring, tired question, I apologise. New to all this, at least it'd been 25 years. Things were different back then.....

Anyway, I'm growing in coco and using Canna A B as well as their coco. So far, I've been feeding with RO water, but that's becoming a PITA. Now that they drink more, I have to go to hell ( Walmart) to fill those jugs way more often than usual. I figured, if I'm not drinking tap, neither should my plants. So in the beginning, it was no biggie. So, now I'm considering tap.

It comes out at 158ppm. I know I can remove most of the clorine by letting it sit out with a bubbler for a day. But I'm confused about the feeding.

In RO, I've been doing roughy 200 ppms of Calmag and bringing it up to 580 with A &B. The question is this: if I use that tap, do I just consider that tap 158 ppm as a replacement for the Calmag? Do i still add that 200 ppm on top of the 158ppm? I can upload my towns water report if that helps the pros here to get an answer, but what's the general rule?

They're looking good to me and I don't want to screw it and hurt those girls.

Any help would be appreciated.

-R

168ppm tap you should be fine. Count your tap ppm as 0. So add the same nutes as before

 

[OldSSSCGuy]

I'm with Aqua Man. RO ->seems<- to make sense but it often doesn't. Think of it this way: where in nature does RO even occur? Even the purest mountain glacial stream will throw PPMs. I've never had any success using RO unless I add back in all that was removed for no real reason. All that is just opinion as I know some folks swear by RO, and it might be an alternative in areas with really bad (extremely bad, poisonous) water quality. Had more success with good carbon filters myself, and don't have to tolerate Wally World for them.

 

[Animal Chin]

My city tap water is in that 130-160ppm range. It works great with hydro nutes as is with a little pH down added after nutes are added.

In soils and trying to be organic is where my tap water seems to be hostile towards my soil even when dechlorinated. But using RO with my soil cleared up all the issues and let my soil actually work and come alive.

 

[Terpeneluv]

Thanks so much. It's bubbling now for first feed of tap tomorrow. I'll take the advice of considering my tap as 0 ppm.

 

[Terpeneluv]

Ok, here's the water analysis. Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated.

 

[Aqua Man]

Ok, here's the water analysis. Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated.

View attachment 882952

Would cut 50/50 RO for hydro. Should not be an issue in soil and in the ground also no issue.

They use chloramine at a moderate level so you can't just off gas it for 24 hrs. Carbon filters can reduce it or eliminate it depending on type of carbon and dwell time.

Will provide some buffering capacity but if cut with RO some may need to be added back also depending on nutes some cal mag may be needed

 

[Terpeneluv]

Ok, cool. I was actually thinking the same thing!

I read on the site the added chloramine on June 8th and will continue to do so until September. so for the time being I will follow your advice Aquaman!

 

[Aqua Man]

Ok, cool. I was actually thinking the same thing!

I read on the site the added chloramine on June 8th and will continue to do so until September. so for the time being I will follow your advice Aquaman!

Was just reading back and you stated the ppm was 158 that differs from your report of 285. Its common that the numbers from the tap differ slightly and they can change during the year. If your getting 158 ppm you can go straight tap but mixing 50/50 would still be ideal. Personally over 150 I would cut it but even up to 200ppm your not likely to see problems but I wouldn't go beyond that in hydro.

 

[Terpeneluv]

Yeah the date on that report was months ago. I'm going by my TDS meter as it seems pretty reliable. The RO water I get from a machine at a store reads 4ppm, so I figure the reading I get is more reliable than am older report from the water co.

 

[Dirtbag]

150 ish is an excellent starting ppm. Just cut out the Calmag, you shouldnt need it at all with that tap water and it will only cause problems imho. Just let the chlorine off gas and use a quality balanced nutrient and you're golden.

 

[MIMedGrower]

I agree with @Dirtbag that water may work perfectly.

Also i feel that the ppm of the source water should be includedbin the nutrient solution total. In other words. Reduce the strength desired by 150 ppm. The water ppm adds to the nutrients total.

 

[Aqua Man]

I agree with @Dirtbag that water may work perfectly.

Also i feel that the ppm of the source water should be includedbin the nutrient solution total. In other words. Reduce the strength desired by 150 ppm. The water ppm adds to the nutrients total.

Only reason I don't is because it's mostly made up of calcium, sulfate and sodium so I don't really consider it as part of a fert regime even though it does contribute. Either way works just your total ppm will change since we should feed based on the plants themselves anyways. If you want 150-200ppm for very early veg of say clones and start with 150ppm with a 0-50ppm added ferts your going to have near 0 nitrogen. I agree neither is wrong just giving a reason for my preference.

 

[MIMedGrower]

Only reason I don't is because it's mostly made up of calcium, sulfate and sodium so I don't really consider it as part of a fert regime even though it does contribute. Either way works just your total ppm will change since we should feed based on the plants themselves anyways. If you want 150-200ppm for very early veg of say clones and start with 150ppm with a 0-50ppm added ferts your going to have near 0 nitrogen. I agree neither is wrong just giving a reason for my preference.

The calcium is the main element that blocks the roots. So if a plant tolerates say 600 ppm before stress shows you cant just give 750 because the water doesnt have a full profile.

Thats why i caution.

 

[Aqua Man]

The calcium is the main element that blocks the roots. So if a plant tolerates say 600 ppm before stress shows you cant just give 750 because the water doesnt have a full profile.

Thats why i caution.

I would say it's more the ratio is why higher ppm water causes issues. With an added 60ppm calcium and 5ppm magnesium the ratio itself is out of whack same as calcium to potassium etc etc etc. At those levels it's small enough to not make an impact but with higher it will take your fert ratios and mess them up.

I don't feel it's so much a total ppm issue as much as keeping a balance of ferts and lower sodium.

But I definitely hear where you are coming from and pretty sure we agree plants should be fed based on the plants and not a ppm schedule. I think we are kinda saying the same thing?

 

[Aqua Man]

150 ish is an excellent starting ppm. Just cut out the Calmag, you shouldnt need it at all with that tap water and it will only cause problems imho. Just let the chlorine off gas and use a quality balanced nutrient and you're golden.

He's got chloramines and I agree if you go tap you won't need cal mag and it would likely causes issues. If anything maybe some mag sulfate but only if it's deficient

 

[Dirtbag]

He's got chloramines and I agree if you go tap you won't need cal mag and it would likely causes issues. If anything maybe some mag sulfate but only if it's deficient

Weird, I didnt see any chloramine on his water report, its says the chlorine content is Cl2. Chloramine is NH2Cl on a water report.

That water looks almost perfect to me. Perfect for beer making too lol.

 

[Aqua Man]

I didnt see any chloramine on his water report, its says the chlorine content is Cl2. Chloramine is NH2Cl on a water report.

That water looks almost perfect to me. Perfect for beer making too lol.

I shit the bed on the water report but the OP posted it.

Ok, cool. I was actually thinking the same thing!

I read on the site the added chloramine on June 8th and will continue to do so until September. so for the time being I will follow your advice Aquaman!

 

[Dirtbag]

I shit the bed on the water report but the OP posted it.

Yeah I messed that post. Stupid municipalities... lol Chloramine pisses me off.
Either way it's likely in a small enough concentration I doubt it will hurt the plants. Beneficial bacteria is another story. Wouldnt hurt to cut it with RO for sure.

I'd still cut out the Calmag. Better off using Ca carbonate or AG gypsum once every few weeks if anything.