Hard water advice, filter or RO?

[puff adder]

New location has water 260ppm. I looked at the hydro store, they sell RO systems, and tall/small boy filter systems.

Do the filter systems lower ppm's?

I don't need 0ppm RO, I'd be happy with 100-150ppm water so I can work with my regular program.

Presently plants are in FFOF, 10 gallon pots, day 25 flowering, plants look just OK. I'm coming in as new master grower-last grower they were not happy with.

I'm using GH floranova Bloom.

If I wanted to just use this water, instead of CalMag, would using epsom salts be a better choice over cal-mag?

My other places the water is 140ppm, growing goes smoothly, this new place I want to also go smooth, 260ppm water to me is not OK.

If the tall/small boy filters drop ppm to an acceptable level I'll get one, I'll get an RO system and mix 50-50 with tap otherwise, just wondering about my options.

 

[Chomp]

Same here so I'm interested in any answers you get as well...

Chomp

 

[vavwl]

If you want to lower your PPM I think you'll need the RO system. I believe those tall boy filters will only filter chlorine and sediment. RO filters will get the water down to ~10ppm from my experience. I then had to use CalMag.

I'd be very happy with 260ppm water, where I live the tap water is 500+ppm. When I did hydro I needed to use an RO filter. But when growing in soil I'll just leave a bucket of tap water sitting out for ~24hrs to evaporate the chlorine. The plants seem to do fine with tap water, I got tired of filtering, its expensive. So I just try and make it work with tap water.

 

[greenmatter]

i have a tall boy and it drops ppm to 0-10 but they use (waste) a lot of water. you will need to add extra Ca and Mg to make up for what the ro removes. most stuff in the bottle adds to much N to the flower cycle IMO, but there are ways around that. you already mentioned epsom salt which IMO rocks in bloom because of the S and it costs next to nothing. the best Ca that i have found is cutting edge plant amp

 

[puff adder]

So is 260ppm water nothing to worry about?

At my other locations, the water is 140-150ppm, and I have not had any issues in years.

After this existing run is finished, I will be going to my normal program in coco. I want to duplicate what has worked for me already, the only difference will be the high ppm water.

 

[greenmatter]

i have a friend that grows with 650 ppm well water. i think it's more what the ppm actually is. i read my my water report and did ph and ppm tests long enough to go with ro. it was always different so i just made my nute mix easier by going ro. like i said it wastes alot of water 3:1 ... but i always start with a given .. i don't think 260 is that high

 

[Herborizer]

For me I mix my well water and RO together to reach a base water ppm of 110-120. I tried 300ppm but got mag lockout. I also had problems at 160 ppm. I tried just RO water but then I had to supplement calmag and it would add extra n I didn't want.

 

[puff adder]

In my other rooms, the water is 140-160, I grow in coco, GH 0-6-9 with maybe 2ml cal mag/gal, and everything flourishes consistently, for years now.

If anything, i know if I get the water down to the same 140 I know I can use my tried and true program and get good results. It's stupid simple and works.

So, it looks like I'll probably get an RO system and dilute this well water down to 100-140 when I switch back to my coco program.

Thanks for the replies.

Puff

 

[Chomp]

When I grew in coco in hard water I think it was a benefit as I never had to use cal/mag and after a good soak the coco released those nutrients quicker. Some of my best grows were with drip systems in coco with my hard water and using pH down to adjust. My starting ppm was 250 - 300 also.

Chomp

 

[growsjoe1]

puff adder

If your worries about your relatively low hardness of your water you should get a report from your local water supply to see what exactly is in it, of course, that is if it is not well water. Other wise maybe an alternative is GH nutes for hard water (see link, Yep...messy link I didn't want to advertise a store name). Ionic also make a decent hard water nutes but it might not fit lucus's nute program as well as the GH hard water mimic.



For now, if in soil let your tap water sit for 24hrs to rid chlorine and use as normal. That ppm is relatively low and GH hard water nutes would allow for enough nutes without supplementing any cla/mag or god forbid, epsom salts..



http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...jeWACQ&usg=AFQjCNFyRJrjogB4q1a1lqWm9KryzPoCLw

peace billboOG

 

[Sleepy]

you will see more benefits on your skin and in your laundry by installing a whole house R/O system...

i used to use the R/O water for my grow, and i went back to the tap water...the pH of the R/O water and trying to adjust it to where i wanted it for the plants drove me crazy.

you use less soap and detergent with the R/O system and if you have dry skin issues, it can be a godsend...watch the salt though...