For those of you using Distilled water..

[Truth]

Do you see any fluctuations in your PH at all? I know the Distilled water I buy, comes PH'd perfectly, stays same after nutrients added, but the kicker is it never changes, just slightly by .2 max in either direction. Plants are growing perfectly fine and at good pace, roots doing very well, however, I have no need to adjust the PH ever since I started using distilled water. I just change the res. out once a week, but I could wait 2 and still not have a drift in my PH. As the water goes down in the res, the PH still stays at optimal. considering there are 4 plants in one 3 gallon res, growing at full speed.. I would expect at least some PH fluctuations. However, I am not complaining With even filtered tap water, I had to check and adjust the PH often, atleast 2x a day sometimes. I'm guessing that since the water comes at an optimal pH (clean clean clean), and the nutrients are PH stabilized, that there is nothing in the res to cause such a drift. even as nutrients leave the water, the PH of the water still remains the same.. however, I can see a change if something else were to find its way into the water.

btw, if you are reading this and do not already use distilled water, WAKE UP! You will love it and so will your plants!!

 

[clowntown]

Every single bottle of distilled water that I've bought to date (and I've bought plenty of brands) has a sub-7 pH. As low as high 4's, sometimes 5.x, not very often above 6. I believe the reasoning behind this is that during the [steam] distillation process, the pure, evaporated water tends to soak up CO2 from the atmosphere which makes it acidic.

"Purified water", on the other hand, comes at a pH very close to 7.

But that's odd... because either way, with such low EC/CF/TDS (theorhetically 0) it should change (typically lower) when you add nutes. Most nutes are acidic, and will bring the pH of the starting water down. Some additives will take it up but most, in my experience, will bring it down. Which is why you should measure the pH after mixing in the nutes.

The amount it would change would depend on your nutes, though. But being distilled (theorhetically having nothing, no buffers), it is much more likely to make a [larger] change than "typical tap" (containing some dissolved solids, thus buffers) when adding nutes.

How are you measuring the pH? What do you mean by "filtered water"? What were you filtering with?

I'm pretty far awake, but IMO distilled water doesn't make that much of a difference from most tap (if any noticable difference at all; assuming your tap isn't some horrific nightmare). And unless you're distilling it yourself it's way too expensive to use and definitely not worth the price. RO would be a far better option, if you ever wanted/needed a cleaner water source.

Starting with cleaner water can reduce pH swings in many cases, of course, but it all depends on the quality of your starting water to begin with.

 

[Truth]

Every single bottle of distilled water that I've bought to date (and I've bought plenty of brands) has a sub-7 pH. As low as high 4's, sometimes 5.x, not very often above 6. I believe the reasoning behind this is that during the [steam] distillation process, the pure, evaporated water tends to soak up CO2 from the atmosphere which makes it acidic.

"Purified water", on the other hand, comes at a pH very close to 7.

But that's odd... because either way, with such low EC/CF/TDS (theorhetically 0) it should change (typically lower) when you add nutes. Most nutes are acidic, and will bring the pH of the starting water down. Some additives will take it up but most, in my experience, will bring it down. Which is why you should measure the pH after mixing in the nutes.

The amount it would change would depend on your nutes, though. But being distilled (theorhetically having nothing, no buffers), it is much more likely to make a [larger] change than "typical tap" (containing some dissolved solids, thus buffers) when adding nutes.

How are you measuring the pH? What do you mean by "filtered water"? What were you filtering with?

I'm pretty far awake, but IMO distilled water doesn't make that much of a difference from most tap (if any noticable difference at all; assuming your tap isn't some horrific nightmare). And unless you're distilling it yourself it's way too expensive to use and definitely not worth the price. RO would be a far better option, if you ever wanted/needed a cleaner water source.

Starting with cleaner water can reduce pH swings in many cases, of course, but it all depends on the quality of your starting water to begin with.

Well, I know the PH of the water itself, because I test each jug when I open it, add the nutes in the res with the water, allow it to mix well, wait 15 minutes and check PH. And I also have a nasty habit of dropping in to check the PH a few times daily just in case. When I have PH to 5.8 and add nutrients, my PH never changes enough to mention (with distilled). I only measure the PH with liquid PH test kits, just haven't ever bothered with a PH pen, I guess I've gotten use to it. I can tell what the PH is quite well and accurately with these tests.

The water I previously used was straight tap water, unfiltered, which was really no problem until I moved, and then the water was just horrible, even with filtration. ran it through a brita carbon filter, and man...it seems like it hardly caught anything, after leaving the water in the res for 24 hours it turned into a murky white (possibly calcium deposits from pipes). So I just ditched the attempts to filter, and went out for distilled, no problems since. In fact, I saw more PH fluctuations with the filtered tap than anything (PH could rise from 5.5 to 8.0 in hours, with constant adjustment)...even my previously used un filtered tap where I used to reside, did not fluctuate as much, about once a day to a couple of times a week.

I only pay less than 50 cents per gallon of distilled water, and I also only need 3 gallons of it per week, so I'm not running up a large bill on buying water. So far the distilled water is doing great, it may not be 100% clean, but it seems clean enough to have no PH maintenance whatsoever, so far. I just thought it was kind of odd to not have any noticeable swings in the PH.

 

[clowntown]

IMO $0.50/gal is still way too expensive to use.

IIRC, Brita filters are simply charcoal filters that don't do much more than removing chlorine / chloramine and neutralizing taste. I don't believe it removes any dissolved solids. (I'm pretty sure the first pre-filter in a RO system does all of that.)

 

[invision]

i use distilled with calmag plus, during veg i never have to check PH it always 7 and during flower i have to make a small adjustment of about 0.5 when adding nutes to keep her about 6.5 for flower (soil)

my tap water sucks, i killed a few plants in the past until i caught on what was wrong....my tap water is super hard and it just dont work.

 

[viewsonic123]

i must be getting ripped i pay 1 /gal distilled water and i actually use about 6 a week

its not that bad considering the tap water in my town varies so much
from like 6.5-8.4
depends where your at
i guess

 

[clowntown]

Why not just invest in a RO system? At $1/gal, or even $0.50/gal, it'll pay for itself in no time at all, especially if you drink bought water too.

 

[SmokeRings]

Is this for hydro? Cuz ive been using tap water in soil for years, and I think its a good thing. You get those little microminerals added, plus all doctors agree tap water (in a reasonably clean city/town) is better than normal water, partly because it helps your immune system, so I figure the same is true about the plants. Either way its never hurt them

 

[Truth]

Is this for hydro? Cuz ive been using tap water in soil for years, and I think its a good thing. You get those little microminerals added, plus all doctors agree tap water (in a reasonably clean city/town) is better than normal water, partly because it helps your immune system, so I figure the same is true about the plants. Either way its never hurt them

you would be surprised the difference you might see in growth if you use purer water, like distilled.

 

[clowntown]

I wouldn't (be surprised), but primarily because I've never really had horrible water.

 

[Guest]

I too noticed that the pH goes down AFTER you add nutes, clowntown. It's neat actually. No need to adjust in many cases. For me it went right to 5.8 and I tested it numerous times throughout the day with my hanna combo 98129 pen. I like this aero/hydro stuff.

I was using tap water for my seedlings earlier and my tap water is really bad...650ppm!!! I have changed to Distilled and added 1/4 strength House and garden nutes (aqua flakes a and b and drip clean @ 180ppm).

I have two complete sets of leaves after the cytocodal(sp) leafs. They are growing steadily but I don't know if I should add more nutes yet?

They were turning a bit yellow so I decided to start nutes on them for the first time today.

 

[DigiTM]

My distilled water comes at a solid 6.5 ph. Works fine for me.

 

[Guest]

Distilled works fine for me too. Tap was really bad though.

 

[Guest]

what doctors say that tap water is good for your health?

ones working for the aluminum/fluoride industry?

i wouldnt drink tap water if i was dying of dehydration, disgusting

 

[geminibud]

yeah.....I'm freaking out cuz I just ran out of bottled water for myself.
May have to break open one of the girls Distilled Jugs for Papa.

I also have a tds reading of 600-750 depending on time of year(don't know why though

 

[Wedge Antilles]

Distilled water rocks!!!!!! How is reverse osmosis water?? We actully have someone in town who sells r. o water by the gallons.....Is r.o water better than distilled?? Tap water sucks, I wont even put that in my body!!

 

[upgradeshafted]

they are the same(clean water with nothing in it)...ro is reverse osmosis...in other words when water evaporates every element is left behind and the water condenses clean...it is the planets water filtration system how beautiful this planet we are fortunate to live on is

 

[clowntown]

Distilled and reverse osmosis is not the same thing...

 

[clowntown]

i wouldnt drink tap water if i was dying of dehydration, disgusting

You need to move.

 

[Guest]

http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/findings.php