Questions about my water and nutes

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chuey316

chuey316

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Hey everyone. I'm running a rdwc setup here. I used tap water in the past. Never a problem in soil, but always had bad looking leaves in hydro. Looked like toxicity and lockout.

I switched to RO and things were better. I've been using rain water now exclusively because multiple trips to the store, and up and down the basement stairs to fill the 30gal system was getting old quick.

My plants have been doing well with the rainwater, but with winter coming I'm going to have to switch from rain water, and I happen to have a new gallon of hard water micro, so I'd like to use tap.

My tap water comes out at 350ppm. I was able to get a copy of my local water analysis, and I see that my water has a calcium level of 241ppm which seems very high, and is probably what was causing my issues before.

Would mixing my tap water and RO at a 50/50 ratio be ok while using hard water micro? It would give me a starting ppm of 175, and 120 of it being calcium. I'm using Flora micro/bloom btw.

Thanks for any help.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

26,480
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Hey everyone. I'm running a rdwc setup here. I used tap water in the past. Never a problem in soil, but always had bad looking leaves in hydro. Looked like toxicity and lockout.

I switched to RO and things were better. I've been using rain water now exclusively because multiple trips to the store, and up and down the basement stairs to fill the 30gal system was getting old quick.

My plants have been doing well with the rainwater, but with winter coming I'm going to have to switch from rain water, and I happen to have a new gallon of hard water micro, so I'd like to use tap.

My tap water comes out at 350ppm. I was able to get a copy of my local water analysis, and I see that my water has a calcium level of 241ppm which seems very high, and is probably what was causing my issues before.

Would mixing my tap water and RO at a 50/50 ratio be ok while using hard water micro? It would give me a starting ppm of 175, and 120 of it being calcium. I'm using Flora micro/bloom btw.

Thanks for any help.
Its doable but no cal mag and I would add some epsom salt at 1-2gram per gal to balance out the ratio of calcium to magnesium. Then use a hard water nutrient if possible for lower calcium content.

Or mix 75/25 add 1 gram ler gal of epsom salt and any nutrient.

Either way you want to fix the ratio of cal to mag and should be good to go.
 
chuey316

chuey316

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Thank you. I'll post the levels from the report as well, in case there's any calls for concern. My girls are about to flower, and I'd hate to make the switch and screw it up because of something else in my water.

20201002 193125
 
Last edited:
chuey316

chuey316

252
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Looking at my last post now, I see it's a bit hard ro read. Took a screenshot from my phone instead so it's clear.
 
Screenshot 20201003 004319 Drive
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

26,480
638
Looking at my last post now, I see it's a bit hard ro read. Took a screenshot from my phone instead so it's clear.
Not alot of info there in the makeup but looks pretty typical. Chlorine can go up in spring but just over 1ppm is pretty good. Plus the fact it's chloride and not chloramines. If you set it aside for 24 hrs the chlorine should be completely gone. Not a must but easy to do and more beneficial to microbes wven if only just over 1 ppm
 
jemro86

jemro86

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I bought a RO system very similar to this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Reverse-Osmosis-Ultraviolet-Water-Filter-System-UV-Sterilizer-RO-6-Stage-75-GPD/363043711715?epid=18017620332&_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item5487176ae3:g:ufkAAOSwAbBe1kIi&amdata=enc:AQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickkBSh1VzQSTzkTiSV5EE%2FHQYGQ%2BMHaJ1qpPxsmSlKnlPaXcUUNyFIEj%2BTnGuR2wmdXWC00bXtH%2FODo4UWd4O%2BnHP4%2BSecA%2BREMWB3I0rw61H8umt5MQN%2FlxSwl1woF9kZ1G8LU3gHd%2BQFSUQ8OoqFchJBu49KHU49iJdTxfRmQR8QUKvM24uMf4rk9YnVxO%2Fx9rFcQBeAtGJ%2BuUoqh%2BhuxuXP5YSKsbPJAZrGEE401OtuoCEw0YkpOKrU0gH2hboO45e1QJw%2FtWLqmy5MLuQv5QyZM17wgEsdgEWZYIarg7ObmGe1t4fMrNCwPNRC8NTjgcaINj8B0bJhvYSOh5wVH0Hnd9aY7he05yvfjNVg5QMK7strJb2yrQ2rHXDOOgxBEdWgtY0Ozsv0KP6KnvjF0ojrRMgFQt%2BSmDG%2FAlykxzQ6LK5irC0wLRCvUHntXh50cNSH8SMzyIHFAV9YX1w%2BAKni%2BGG0PSr9ptl6e3Gcrtn5RhfmsYt3c%2F73OdhF47ZxBrV3jt3z%2FilxMEHj2J9NDrt9KcfvY6UC%2F2JCmkZher7LEIiQdaluDbwcOxLTvkTFNy5Zg%2BVdXR8OKAsH1rpmsuLHmr5h7YHad0NBM125n1W1agNc145JilwS5clhCMIM0A2BCdGPndkxU0oBoj8%2BwdOCLtG72nD474iDpWFSmm9p8ywLClx5uGaopPY3KIHkuTnsDVY4MSvNHJt2S0zHrCQ8tV4nxNqe5RaWznBgSc6Ed%2FGiK9R4unUObKX62r6SpeNVIgyKPfqEDfMhvOQrSrA%3D%3D|cksum:363043711715a8a750a936704c45939d951ada1ce310|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2334524

I bought a adapter for a few bucks that lets me hook it right up to a regular hose adapter and put it right in my laundry room. I also bought a extra pump for the RO system (not needed unless you have really low water pressure). I didnt even need it, but it helps reduce the water waste a bit too. I installed a float valve into a 20 gallon trash can, and hooked that up to the RO system as well, so that auto fills up all the time. I also have a little $30 water pump/uvc filter on the bottom of the trash can, to keep that water circulating and clean until I use it.

Was def worth the investment, IMO. It brought my tap PPM from 450 down to about 15.
 
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