I'll be up and running in a new space in a matter of a few weeks and could use a little help on what to do if anything about my well water. Untreated straight out of the tap I'm seeing 295-310 ppm with a PH of around 4.3-4.7 which if I understand correctly is on the edge of being considered hard water. I do have an R/O filter as well but if it's not needed I'd rather skip it this time and just pull water from the bypass on my softener. What I've not tested is the TDS of the water after I bring the Ph up to 6.5-6.8 using Earth Juice Natural Ph up (potassium bicarbonate) but I'm assuming that anything I add only increases the TDS. This will be an all organic set up amended Pro Mix so I'm not even sure if I should bother adjusting the Ph to begin with. Everyone seems to have a different opinion on importance of setting the Ph when there's a good herd benies in the soil doing their thing. So three questions really... RO or not and is there any real need to adjust PH for an all organic grow. Duc
That's not to bad on the ppm for a well. Mine was like 1200. If it's soil I'd just try the well water as is. Do you drink the water?
No I don't generally drink water straight from the tap but I do have a 50 gal ressy of R/O water that I use to refill 5gal bottles for the water cooler. The R/O filter (stealth 100 system) must be having some issues because I'm seeing 90-100ppm Post filter. The R/O water definitely tastes much better than tap. cheers Duc
they have other filtering systems before I would go straight RO. RO is just so damn wasteful, plus no real advantage unless you have well water :roffl:
Duc I have been using straight well water - all my numbers were acceptable (what chem was that PPM for ) My test kit tested for half a dozen items as well as PH.. My PH out of the tap is 6.8 and I run with tht - no problem. Keep it simple - if you can - see what your roots look like after your first run with the well water - then make adjustments. Little at a time. RO would be a pain in the butt - you wont have the volume and pressure you need to water the number of girls you are planning...
Sir, I know your well water well lol, I've tasted your well water, bathed in your well water, your well water is not my well water. I'm not really concerned about the PPM out of the tap as much I am about the Ph. 4.5 is a far cry from 6.8 which is all but optimal for nutrient uptake, 6.5 is the goal but hell I'd be tickled pink with 6.8. As for what minerals the TDS meter was reading I'd assume limestone from where I live and Granite if I lived where in your neck of the woods. As for producing enough R/O that's not a problem at all because I'm already maintaining a 50 gal ressy that I use for drinking water. My gut feel is that my water is just fine and there's no need for R/O but I'm really on the fence about the need to adjust the Ph each and every time I water. ya know what I mean? believe me I'm looking to follow the KISS method as much a possible :redbong::redbong::redbong::redbong:
Since you're a dirt guy I'd say just go straight from the well. Since you're using bicarb as an adjustment pay attention to Mg balance and incorporate molasses as an Mg supplement.
Molasses you say? I would think the high potassium content of molasses would only add to a Mg imbalance since it's close to 20%K & only 8%Mg. Seems like Epsom salt would be a better choice for bumping up the Mg ratio. Either that or just feed em' a little cal-mag 1/2 way through veg and again just before flowering. Cheers Duc
All I can tell you is what works for me with hard well water. I exchanged 1/2 the lime in my soil mix for greensand and made sure never to miss a molasses feeding. Deficiencies went away. The only problem with epsom for me is I usually end up adding it too late (after a deficiency has appeared) and I'm skeptical about upping the amount in the original soil amendment.
Pay attention to the Brand of molasses and you want unsulfured molasses as well. See if you can get plantation brand near you. Has one of if not the highest magnesium, calcium, and iron contents.
