Well Water or RO water?

[zoneman]

Any advice is appreciated, I’m using well water which is next to a cattle farm, the well water is anywhere from 7.3-7.9 when I mix it with liquid nutrients it’s at 6.1-6.3. I use peat moos cow manure and perlite as my potting mix. The potting mix ph is around 6.1 after feeding. Should I ph down the water when I’m just watering? Or is it good idea to use RO water instead ?

 

[Zill]

Z man,

Don’t give up the well water. RO costs money.

Zill.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Any advice is appreciated, I’m using well water which is next to a cattle farm, the well water is anywhere from 7.3-7.9 when I mix it with liquid nutrients it’s at 6.1-6.3. I use peat moos cow manure and perlite as my potting mix. The potting mix ph is around 6.1 after feeding. Should I ph down the water when I’m just watering? Or is it good idea to use RO water instead ?

I also wouldn't be using pH down. Your soil is already slightly on the low side of ideal pH (6.5) and the soil acts as your buffer. As @Zill said, don't give up on the well water. RO water not only costs money, it can also introduce new headaches to a grower.

If you insist on filtering the water, something like a garden hose charcoal filter is enough. RO is over-kill for the soil grower.

I'm posting this as an example of what I'm suggesting. I've never used this particular brand:

Amazon.com

 

[PipeCarver]

Any advice is appreciated, I’m using well water which is next to a cattle farm, the well water is anywhere from 7.3-7.9 when I mix it with liquid nutrients it’s at 6.1-6.3. I use peat moos cow manure and perlite as my potting mix. The potting mix ph is around 6.1 after feeding. Should I ph down the water when I’m just watering? Or is it good idea to use RO water instead ?

RO kills my plantsleaves, it has nothing in it, everything has been stripped out so you need to add all of your minerals. I use well water it comes out around 7.2 - 7.6ph depending on time of year. If I add RO water my leaves start turning yellow if I give them RO water back to back it almost kills them off. I use RO water in my humidifiers. I buy 16 Gallons per week at prime usage @$7.50

 

[RootsRuler]

Any advice is appreciated, I’m using well water which is next to a cattle farm, the well water is anywhere from 7.3-7.9 when I mix it with liquid nutrients it’s at 6.1-6.3. I use peat moos cow manure and perlite as my potting mix. The potting mix ph is around 6.1 after feeding. Should I ph down the water when I’m just watering? Or is it good idea to use RO water instead ?

My only concern would be the proximity to the cow farm. I would have the well water tested for content. There could be lots of contaminants in the aquifier from the cattle farm.

 

[Habosabin]

What is the ppm out of the well.

 

[Imzzaudae]

Any advice is appreciated, I’m using well water which is next to a cattle farm, the well water is anywhere from 7.3-7.9 when I mix it with liquid nutrients it’s at 6.1-6.3. I use peat moos cow manure and perlite as my potting mix. The potting mix ph is around 6.1 after feeding. Should I ph down the water when I’m just watering? Or is it good idea to use RO water instead ?

Hello. Now that's a good question. The answer is use your well water. This is why. And don't worry about PH with this kind of potting material.

You need to do this with your well water and soak your plant with it 50/50 once then once a week as directed 10-1.

Heated microbial solution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUoy6-C0bf0

No heater version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv-TOGhwlW4

You need to start at the first video and watch every video on this page. You will catch on pretty quick.
https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/growing-organic-buy-nate-growing-like-a-viking.147687/

All the best Ron.

 

[zoneman]

What is the ppm out of the well.

Ppm is 100 out of well

 

[Habosabin]

100 is good.

 

[zoneman]

I also wouldn't be using pH down. Your soil is already slightly on the low side of ideal pH (6.5) and the soil acts as your buffer. As @Zill said, don't give up on the well water. RO water not only costs money, it can also introduce new headaches to a grower.

If you insist on filtering the water, something like a garden hose charcoal filter is enough. RO is over-kill for the soil grower.

I'm posting this as an example of what I'm suggesting. I've never used this particular brand:

Amazon.com

The soil PH is at 6.7 (using bluelab soil pH Pam) after plain well watering, is that good?

 

[zoneman]

My only concern would be the proximity to the cow farm. I would have the well water tested for content. There could be lots of contaminants in the aquifier from the cattle farm.

If I use the hot water from my water heater and let cool to room temperature, will that help with contaminants?

 

[RootsRuler]

If I use the hot water from my water heater and let cool to room temperature, will that help with contaminants?

Depends on what those contaminants are. Take a sample to your local water district for testing. I'm sure you're interested in what's in it for reasons beyond what goes into your plants.

Cattle and Dairy farms contribute vast amounts of pollutants to both land and water. On average, a typical dairy cow produces 82 pounds of excrement A DAY!

That cow manure has to go somewhere so much of it ends up as a slurry that makes its way into the underground aquifiers, rivers and streams. Excrement, cow manure and urine, have excessive amounts of Nitrogen among other nutrients. This would be great for the environment if it was just a few hundred roaming around grazing over acres of land but when you have 100,000 head crapping and pissing at the same time?