switching from RO to well water question

[Zendo]

I've been growing for a while now using RO water for my AACT, and I am getting ready to maybe switch to using my well water instead.

My unsoftened water reads at 300ppm.

My 'plain' waterings consist of EWC, and my 'feedings' consist of EWC and general organics 'nutes' bubbled for around 24hrs.

I don't check my PPM's etc.. but I just don't have any experience with using my well water, or any potential complications with using cal/mag or nutes with this.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 

[Big Country]

I use well water for my tea and irrigation of my yard.
It seems to do great
Well water varies greatly by location and depth of the well
I am lucky with the depth of my well and my location, it smells good enough to drink right out of the well

 

[yortbogey]

well water ....ph can fluxes after good rain...or long drought.....
I'd check frequently........

 

[beta]

.

 

[guest2012y]

I've been using well water all summer for the indoor,outdoor and my teas with no issues...now I'm back on the rain.

 

[fishheadbob]

I've been using well water for years with no ill effects, but well water can be all over the place. I'm lucky I guess; good luck to you.

 

[Zendo]

When you were running RO, how did you supplement organic calcium and magnesium? Why did you decide to switch away from RO?

I would ammend my soil with dolo lime, azomite, and use molases in my teas.

If I felt I needed it, I would use cal/mag from General Organics.

I was going to switch from RO to well because I am tired of filling/hauling my 5 gallon containers of RO that I fill up around town, and times are too tight right now to afford a RO filter that will do a volume that will keep up with demand.

I'm just trying to find out if people are using hard well water at 300ppm with compost teas and adding nutes with no/any problems.

 

[Zendo]

I've been using well water all summer for the indoor,outdoor and my teas with no issues...now I'm back on the rain.

capt- any idea how 'hard' your water is? When i don't soften my water, it coats my dishwasher dishes with a white film, and turns my shower walls/doors orange.

I'm too sketched to test it, as I have to keep my numbers low for medical compliance, and can't really risk trashing a plant.

 

[hash head]

Id think if there are many minerals and silica or what not in the water wouldnt it take the place of the azomite and dolo lime depending where you live? Maybe the plants will be healthier and require less nutrients?

 

[beta]

.

 

[Iron_Lion]

I use well water, just as Yort said the pH fluctuates a bit after rain etc..

When I fill up my jugs in the bath tub it looks a bit rusty and I get scale build up on my dishes and faucets, my pH averages about 7.1

As long as I pH correct it to 6.3-6.5 before every use the plants dont seem to mind. I actually think I get much tastier, frosty buds then those peeps that use city water with clorine and flauride. I even had a friend that said he had an NL clone he grew with city water and he gave the same cutting to a friend with well water, same soil and nutes and the one grown with well water was all around better.

I dont personally drink my tap water because I dont like the taste and have been considering an R/O for drinking purposes but will keep it untreated for the garden. My water has a bit of rust, calcium and magnesium in the water but plants like all that stuff, in moderation.

 

[guest2012y]

capt- any idea how 'hard' your water is? When i don't soften my water, it coats my dishwasher dishes with a white film, and turns my shower walls/doors orange.

I'm too sketched to test it, as I have to keep my numbers low for medical compliance, and can't really risk trashing a plant.

What we need to remember is that a properly assembled indoor organic soil will handle ALMOST anything we water it with....
I water in AACT teas that have ph's around 4.0 and some kelp teas that have ph's around 9.0 with no adjusting ph nor worry of ill effect.
My well water has a lot of iron in it,I've heard it said in the "common" horticulture world that hard water MAY lead to problems...I don't worry about it and I don't have issues.
Here's one common point of view.....
http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/qa/irrigating-hard-water.aspx

 

[Zendo]

What we need to remember is that a properly assembled indoor organic soil will handle ALMOST anything we water it with....
I water in AACT teas that have ph's around 4.0 and some kelp teas that have ph's around 9.0 with no adjusting ph nor worry of ill effect.
My well water has a lot of iron in it,I've heard it said in the "common" horticulture world that hard water MAY lead to problems...I don't worry about it and I don't have issues.
Here's one common point of view.....
http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/qa/irrigating-hard-water.aspx

Thanks capt, You've talked me into it..I'll run a couple plants and see..I'll update my results if I remember..

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Zendo

I pull water from this waterfall in the Mt. Hood area of the Cascades - Silver Falls specifically.

I just use this for making AACT and FPE (fermented plant extracts) - just because it's a nice ride and a good way to spend a few hours.

LOL

CC

 

[Microbeman]

Zendo

I pull water from this waterfall in the Mt. Hood area of the Cascades - Silver Falls specifically.

I just use this for making AACT and FPE (fermented plant extracts) - just because it's a nice ride and a good way to spend a few hours.

LOL

CC

CC
This water would not only be relatively pure but also high in dissolved O2, trace minerals/elements and likely ormus (if you believe in that).

I'd like to build a brewer which flows through a pebble flow form one day.

 

[Zendo]

Zendo

I pull water from this waterfall in the Mt. Hood area of the Cascades - Silver Falls specifically.

I just use this for making AACT and FPE (fermented plant extracts) - just because it's a nice ride and a good way to spend a few hours.

LOL

CC

wow.

I would go to this spot and just sit for hours, on a regular basis.

 

[Ninja420]

Is it ok to use water that's been through a water softner?

Ninja

 

[use]

Oh man, I wish my cistern and well were still working. The state came and cemented over the well pump out by my barn 5-6 yrs ago(just after my grandmother passed). I've been trying to find information on why they did this, and will I eventually be able to open it back up for future use.

Also wanted to post that I used to live in Oregon, about 15 min drive from Silver falls, and I miss that beautiful place, thanks for sharing the pic. Peace.