I'm buying water, do I buy distilled, spring, drinking or what?

[organicsquirrel]

Title should capture it all Right now I am stuck buying water, I am doing coco w/ the Rez formula (6ml gh micro, 9ml gh bloom) with 2ml protekt and 2.5ml calmag+.

So is it best to get distilled water, spring water, or drinking water?

I plan on getting an RO at some point but my budget will not allow it yet so it's carting water for me.

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[Sam the Caveman]

distilled - ppm 0

Spring water - ppm ~150

Drinking water - Tap water

I would use distilled

 

[rick shaw]

The distilled water at the machines outside the grocery store is charcoal filtered and R/O'd twice it is also exposed to a ultraviolet light that deionizes it. Deionized water will quickly kill the blub on a p/h tester.

 

[organicsquirrel]

The distilled water at the machines outside the grocery store is charcoal filtered and R/O'd twice it is also exposed to a ultraviolet light that deionizes it. Deionized water will quickly kill the blub on a p/h tester.

Does all UV exposed water kill ph testers? Some of the bottled water says UV was used on it. I have a hard time understanding how the water could damage the ph meter but still be potable?

 

[TGT]

What is wrong with your tap water? Too hard, too soft or is it from a well? Sometimes, tap water works just fine, but you would know best. What is the problem with the city water if you have it available?

TGT

 

[organicsquirrel]

I don't have city water I have well water and I assumed it was going to be unusable because I went through a situation a few years ago where the water was just too hard to use. I recently (after making this thread) got an EC meter and my water tests < 70 ppm (doesn't register on truncheon), which is pretty good. The well was redone not long ago so I guess it is different now. I started using my water a few days ago and it seems to be fine.

While I was buying water I was mixing distilled w/ spring which I thought would be decent, hard to say because I was feeding at a ph of 7.2+ in coco, but I have the ph problems fixed now.

The water sold at walmart has gone through changes and if you read the label on the distilled water it goes through a lot (UV, RO, some ozone thing, etc, etc). If you go somewhere else (rite-aid) then the water says steam distillation (what it used to say on the wally world water).

 

[Motta-Tokka]

Check your tap waters PPM's to see how high they are. Higher than 250 then you should possibly get a reverse osmosis system. Distilled water is not needed. Bubble your water for 24 hours if you want the chlorine out of it which actually helps keeps nasties away as long as you dont use beneficial bacterias.

 

[ThePizzaMan]

I find bubbling your tap water for 24 hours helps with PH. The Chlorine sucks, so that is gone...and then you get the ph stability which is really important.

Once I got the chlorine out of my tap...my plants have been really happy. It will really save you a lot of money on water. buying water is fine for a few months...but it gets old really freakin quick...and it is super expensive.

 

[Bluenose510]

i been using regular tap water, an so far everything been well. i also use club soda to spray on the leaves and thats been going well also

 

[B. Friendly]

alot of bottled water stores are RO and I have seen em as cheap as 2bucks for a jug.

if you are not using a ton of water just boil a gallon or so a day and that's distilled water right there

distilled has no chem's or anything it's all boiled out.

 

[DiiZZii3]

distilled u'll need to add cal mag, and possibly with bottled as well. If theres nothin too fucked up with you tapwater i'd say thats ur best bet.

 

[headseed]

if you are not using a ton of water just boil a gallon or so a day and that's distilled water right there

distilled has no chem's or anything it's all boiled out.

You would have to boil the gallon and "distill" its steam back into water. The steam is zero ppm, catch it, cool it, bam, distilled water.

If you were to boil water and not catch the steam the water left in the pan would be HARDER than what you started with.

edit: forgot to say I would just use the well water unless you end up with problems.

 

[organicsquirrel]

You would have to boil the gallon and "distill" its steam back into water. The steam is zero ppm, catch it, cool it, bam, distilled water.

If you were to boil water and not catch the steam the water left in the pan would be HARDER than what you started with.

edit: forgot to say I would just use the well water unless you end up with problems.

Yeah, nobody really read one of my later posts where I said I got an EC meter and found out that my water was reading really low (well water) < 70ppm. Ever since I switched to using my well water and ph adjusting properly I've been seeing a good response in the plants (perky and no more spotting/deficiencies).

So far doing 3.5 ml micro, 5.25 (ish lol) bloom, 1 ml calmg, tiny bit of epsom, 2.5 ml Ph down, puts me at about 550 EC and under 6 ph (according to my crappy aquarium store ph kit, I assume 5.5-6.0 ph). This is in coco btw, the sunleaves piece coir or whatnot.

While I did buy water I mixed distilled and spring 50/50 but my ph was around 7.2-7.5 ish so I was seeing some not so happy plants.

Yeah you are right, though, boiling the water will only contaminate it further unless you can capture that steam. If you end up making a DIY water steam distillation setup please post some pics

 

[headseed]

Glad you got it all sorted out. Good news that the well water is "well" within parameters... LOL I couldn't resist. Have a good T-day if you celebrate.

 

[TGT]

Good to here all worked out!

TGT

 

[Admiral Canna]

I would personally use that well water. Sounds tops!