I read a thread that said not to use tap water? What kind of water is good then, deep park? haha.. I'm not sure if they were ok. Someone just let me know. So Im sure.
Printable View
I read a thread that said not to use tap water? What kind of water is good then, deep park? haha.. I'm not sure if they were ok. Someone just let me know. So Im sure.
Best water to use is Reverse Osmosis water. 'RO' for short. Although you do then need to add something that goes by the name of CalMag +.
I personally use tap water. Try and leave it to stand for at least 24hrs. This will help evaporate some of the chlorine and ensures it is room temp so it doesn't shock the roots.
Yeah, with the tap water out here I can SMELL it let alone give it to my plants. (It's disgusting!)
I have the best luck with anything labeled "spring water", BUT - I have a PH pen and after mixing my nutrients with the water, I get the PH to 6.5 using baking soda (to raise) or PH down (to lower).
I found Arrowhead to lock out nutrients without balancing the PH.
I found the local wal-mart gallons of spring water to be perfect during veg, but I still had to balance the PH a tiny bit to make it a perfect 6.5.
I don't use RO water because the process takes everything out of the water, good and bad. A lot of people use it, all you have to do is add a product named calmag plus into the water.
I believe that PH is the key to everything, get a pen if you can - it ran me 40 bucks at the local hydro store.
Hope this helps in any way!
It's ok to use tap water but it's said you should let it sit to get to room temp and break down all the other shit thats in it thats not helpful at all. Or you could just go buy some bottled water :).Quote:
Originally Posted by pkash
If you wish to use tap water, let it sit for 24 hours so the chlorine can evaporate.
Walmart also caries DI water which is what I always use.......
The Grim Reefer, the pH pen. Do you think walmart, home depot, k-mart any of these places will have it?
You wont buy quality pH pens at the local Wal Mart or anywhere else.
Tap water is perfectly fine. If its water, the plant uses it.
I too do not use distilled water as every single electron has been boiled off. In fact, try this...
Drink nothing but distilled water and see if you live for 2 weeks.
You wont.
You cant.
Plants are a bit different but still, tap water is fine. Let the water sit as said above, for a day to let the chlorine gas escape.
The preferred pH of plants is strain dependent. I personally use as close to 7.0 as I possibly can. Continued watering with acidic water can cause problems with soil becoming too acidic...leading to other issues.
A neutral 7.0 will not have an effect on soil...just the plant....and you wont get nute lockout as easily.
How can I tell what the pH is though? I dont have a pen or anything. Just leaving tap water out will ensure me 7.0 pH?
Without a tester there is no way to determine the pH.
www.discounthydro.com has the best pens for the best price...in my opinion.
If there is a Worm's Way near you, or any hydro store, they have them.
pH is so critical that to water without it in an indoor setting is asking for failure.
Outdoors has a lot of environmental elements that will buffer the water naturally. Indoors does not.
Get a pen.
In any acuarium shop you can buy very cheap Ph meters, visual ones (paper pieces wich take a color depending of ph level). But digital ph meters are more accurate and a good investment in any grow.
But the main question about if use tap water or not, isnt the ph, that you can adjust easily, but the salts concentration. A high salt concentration is usually letal for your babies, locking some nutrients absortion.
A EC or PPM analysis of your water is required. Levels <= 0,4 mS/cm are valid generally. Up to 0,6, but in this case, its better to perform a detailed water analysis. In my country, in the city council give it for free, as well as the water distribution company (legal obligation). Ask if the same in your country.
You must take note of the Na, Ca and Mg level specially. Na is very toxic for plants at high concentrations, and with Ca, can block other nutriens absorbance.
If your tap water is hard, the best way is use RO water.
If your growing in soil,wallmart carry's an aquarium ph test kit that mesures a ph between 6 and 7.5 and it comes with ph down and up cost under 20 bucks.A bit of advise test the first drops of water that come out the bottom of your container as you water to know the ph of your soil so you can ad the corect ph'd water as the soil can get low ph,you may have to water with a ph of 7.5 or lower,or you can add something to your soil as i have added wood ash and only water with tap water ph of 6.8 after it's been sitting 24 hours o and don't let it sit on cement floor.Even a swimming pool ph kit would work
My city water (large midwest city) has a ph of 8.48 and ppm of 225 @500 scale.
Thats pretty shitty fo da city.
holy,what flavour is that:eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by ShroomDr
LOL....good stuffQuote:
Originally Posted by MASTER BLASTER
I just use natural rain water :) but im sure that theres better stuff out there :P hey its cheep, natural, and easy to get:)
peace~
But who's to say when it'll rain lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by YELRAM
if u have a fishtank, use the water in there because fish emulsion is very good for ur ladies
Or just buy fish emulsion from home depot or lowes :) seems much easier to me