Reverse Osmosis can cause issues

[greg1317]

I am learning over the last 2 years that RO water is not a good idea for our plants. RO is so efficient that it removes good nutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and many others. Plants become micronutrient defficient.

I now feel that if a person uses RO water they need to replace ALL micronutrients. And because mixes and ferts expect those micronutrients to be present in the water supply, the plants can show many different forms of stress, the most prevelent one causing an appearance of Rust Fungus. Treatment of rust fungus involves expense......... Treatment of RO micronutrient shortages is simple ONCE IDENTIFIED, tap water.

I suspect that distilled water may also cause issues, I don't know if the micronutes follow the water in distillation, I think not tho.

Also noted, is that this really does not show until in flower.

SO thumbs down to RO in my garden and tumbs up to tap water that has evaporated the chloramines.

I disagree with you completely. I've been growing in a greenhouse with Coco and using RO water for years and I have never had a problem. I've also done a couple of grows indoors with it. Coco unlike soil has no nutrients or additives whatsoever just like the RO water. I use a huge line of nutrients to make up for everything that has been taken out of the water. Its all about using the right nutrients. Sure if your growing in soil and using minimal nutes then maybe RO water isnt the route for you. But if you ad everything the plants need yourself then they wont need the stuff that has been taken out of the water. In fact using RO water allows you to control the PPM since the PPM of tap water is much higher than that of RO water. This way you can pack on the nutes in flower and not lockout your plants from having to high of PPM.


my grow log
http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/...-grow-log.html

greg1317 Reviewed by greg1317 on 01-28-2011. Reverse Osmosis can cause issues I am learning over the last 2 years that RO water is not a good idea for our plants. RO is so efficient that it removes good nutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and many others. Plants become micronutrient defficient. I now feel that if a person uses RO water they need to replace ALL micronutrients. And because mixes and ferts expect those micronutrients to be present in the water supply, the plants can show many different forms of stress, the most prevelent one Rating: 5