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Weezard....to expound on the Tap water, would it be beneficial to put an Airstone in the H2O jug for a few minutes before watering? I have only used Tap water, but out of habit I always have let it sit for 24 hrs before using....Remnant from my Aquarium day's I guess...
Thanks weezard
"any other study up suggestions?"
Nope, yer doing jus' fine, brah.
The hardest part for the first couple of grows is simply, letting them grow.
I felt the "need for action".
Tried to make them grow. :)
Damn near loved them to death in the bargain.
Now I just see to their needs.
And aside from the occasional, informational, side by side experiment, I leave them be.
Figure they've been doing it for thousands of years and If they need anything from me, they'll ask.
'swhy I get the warm fuzzies watching neophytes learn to grow.
I re-live the thrill of becoming a competent grower.
Which I expect to become sooner than later.
Aloha,
Weeze
Quote:
Originally Posted by OMB
That's an excellent idea!
Outdoor plants seldom drown.
How come?
Their water falls through 3 or 4 miles of air as tiny drops.
Can't get more aerated than that, yah?
I use an aerator on my hose bib, and after amending, I fill a jug half way and give it a good shaking on the way to the greenhouse.
Anaerobic bacterium are mostly "bad guys".
Freshly aerated water wipes them out, and allows the "good guys" to multiply.
Yes, even in the presence of Chloramine. :)
How do I know that?
Ask me sometime. :D
Aloha,
Weeze
Asking.... How do you know that?Quote:
Originally Posted by Weezard
Real simple experiment.Quote:
Originally Posted by crystaliscious
Was using rainwater to grow a mix of bennies.
Ran out of rainwater, used water from my fishpond.
It was a pain filtering out the wee fishies, so my lazy bone said to me, screw it, try tap water.
Filled a half gallon growler with tap water and let it come up to room temp.
Shook it up.
Added a tsp. of OGbiowar.
Shook it again and waited 12 hours.
Put the cap on and waited another hour.
When I cracked the lid, I heard a happy hiss. :)
Tightened it down again and waited for 2 hours.
This time I drew the escaping gas into my mouth.
CO2 is colorless and odorless, but not tasteless.
It combines with the moisture on your tongue and becomes carbonic acid.
That, has a distinctive taste. :)
The innoculated pond water is now a 5 gallon nursery for my good bugs because that stuff ain't cheap and is easy to grow.
I keep it in the veg room for the temperatue and the free CO2
Well, you did ask.
And I was in the neighborhood . . . :D
Aloha,
Long winded Weeze
Chloramine is a far superior form of water treatment than free Chlorine. As Weezard has stated, plants cannot absorb Chloramine, nor does it interfere with growth (this is debatable. Some people claim that Chloramine does in fact harm plants, especially aquatic plants, so I'm not convinced its harmless, just less so than free Chlorine). Free Chlorine can block absorption of specific nutrients (as can Sodium). Another advantage of Chloramine is that it is much less likely to form carcinogenic compounds such as Carbon Tetrachloride, than Chlorine, which can do so freely. But it's not perfect. It is not as effective at sanitizing, and if present in too high amounts, can cause respiratory problems. Also there is some evidence that Chloramine can increase uptake of Lead in animals. I'd rather not have chemicals added to municipal drinking water. On the other hand I don't want amoebic dysentery either. Chloramine is a better alternative to Chlorine. I checked and my tap water has Chloramine, so I no longer will let my water sit. Some municipalities still use Chlorine so you have to check. Chloramine is readily absorbed by activated charcoal, so if you really want to remove it, passing it through charcoal should work.
As for anaerobic microbes, well, that's yet another reason to make sure your conditions don't suffocate the roots. Overwatering and poor drainage are probably bigger indoor horticultural problems than nutrient issues, but never get as much attention.
Gotta hand it to Weeze! Always good for great info & a really good belly laugh! I think you missed your calling, 'college professor' ! (Long winded Weeze? Nahh... that's my job! LOL!) Mother nature does provide, if we just take the time to look in the direction she is pointing us! ;) ;) ;)
If I were to add my own .02 to this quote I would add "...all we can hope for on a day-to-day basis is homeostasis!"Quote:
Originally Posted by Weezard
I will now be trying some tapwater as soon as my 15ish gallons of snow-melted water is gone. I believe my use of RO water led to my early bout of calcium deficiency. Would tapwater also help terminate fungal gnats while plants are young and vulnerable?
Hey guys.... you know all you have to do to preserve the freshness of that water is drop an air stone or 2 in it! ;)
well after a few days of tap water..they had an explosive growth spurt and look great...appreciate all the sound advice as it was taken in like a dry sponge in water...will post pictures after this weekend. my god sons baptism is this weekend...yup shoot me in the face...gotta love all that family shit ya gotta do....