Clean H2O

Hey RUI, looking for some input on purifying water. I currently run simple tap water with my garden and plants but always have the thought of purified water in the back of my mind. I know half of you say you need it and half say you don't but I'm on the side where I'd like to use it.
So I wanna know how you do it? Rain, R/O, Campden Tablets, aerate, etc.
Will a R/O system clear all chloramines?

Is your tap city water? Well? Hard/soft? What's the ppm?
Lots of variables with water.

Dirka said:

Hey RUI, looking for some input on purifying water. I currently run simple tap water with my garden and plants but always have the thought of purified water in the back of my mind. I know half of you say you need it and half say you don't but I'm on the side where I'd like to use it.
So I wanna know how you do it? Rain, R/O, Campden Tablets, aerate, etc.
Will a R/O system clear all chloramines?

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if your tap water works ok, i'd simply keep using it, using purified water can often lead to micro defs and such
if it doesn't smell like a public pool when you water i'd say stick with it.
to often fixing something that isn't broke to begin with leads to problems.
knowwhattamean Verne?

But a r/o system will purify the water just fine, but then you typically have to amend with micro nutrients
best water most of the time is rainwater, or good well water

For the longest time, I recycled the condensate water from my AC and dehue.......Until I was instructed that it may contain Legionaries disease .....I stopped doing that fairly quickly after that even though the chances are slim, not something I want to risk.

greasemonkeymann said:

if your tap water works ok, i'd simply keep using it, using purified water can often lead to micro defs and such
if it doesn't smell like a public pool when you water i'd say stick with it.
to often fixing something that isn't broke to begin with leads to problems.
knowwhattamean Verne?

But a r/o system will purify the water just fine, but then you typically have to amend with micro nutrients
best water most of the time is rainwater, or good well water

Click to expand...

verne va verne verne, verne

If you are on city tap water take a look at your annual report. Should tell you what's in it. Chlorine is easily leached off by leaving it out or bubbling for 12 hrs but chloramine cannot be. My tap water system uses it so I need to use another source. In the past when I used nutrients I would notice my soil getting "depleted" about 8 weeks in forcing me to feed only with nutes but now I know it was just inactive because the chlorine and synth nutes had killed off the microherd. That being said even heavily chlorinated tap water can be combatted if you keep on replacing any microbes that die off with an AACT or EWC/compost top dressing; I have used tap water as-is when I had to with seemingly no detriment to the plants. Just know that you need to add back to the populations of microbes if they ever become decimated.
Everything in my grow changed for the better when I started using clean sources of water. I used to use an RO system you can hook to a garden hose which works well and strips everything out but it is very wasteful. It only makes 1 gal of clean water for every 3 gal of wastewater. Another issue with RO is you may need to provide macros like calcium if it is not readily available in the soil itself which can take awhile if you starting off with a fresh mix. One other thing: if you decide on an RO unit don't leave it outside if it gets below freezing where you live. My RO filter exploded last year...went off like a shotgun blast. But that's how I discovered using melted snow runoff which is just as clean as RO at 3 ppms.
I use water reclaimed from a dehumidifier but clean out the sump every few weeks with bleach. This is my main source of water in the summer; that is when it's not raining. Hopefully I won't get any diseases. Hands down the best source of water is rain; needs nothing added to it and keeps plants happy. I just put out some buckets under an awning when rain is forecast and collect it .

I use a simple garden hose filter. You can get one for 30$ and connects to any stantard garden hose. Last a while to

GrowingTheDream said:

I use a simple garden hose filter. You can get one for 30$ and connects to any stantard garden hose. Last a while to

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I also use a garden hose filter. Mine is for RVs and you can get them for under $10 a piece if you buy the 4 pack. It is a GAC/KDF filter. The KDF (kinetic degradation fluxion) removes all sorts of heavy metals and sediments, but leaves calcium and magnesium behind. It also pulls out chlorine which lessens the amount that the GAC (granular activated carbon) has to. GAC filters chloramine but the longer the water is in contact with the carbon the more effective it is. I use one with my drip irrigation and an10 GPH regulator. When hand watering I I try not to go full bore with the hose so it lengthens the contact time with the filter media. By using the KDF as a pre filter it adds to the life of the GAC and makes it more efficient. If you go with the ones I post, the lifespan on them is "one season" lol. I wait til I can smell the chlorine again to switch it out and the water with a compost tea to bolster the herd after the inadvertent thinning. Good Licknto the OP. Stay safe and happy farming

greasemonkeymann said:

if your tap water works ok, i'd simply keep using it, using purified water can often lead to micro defs and such
if it doesn't smell like a public pool when you water i'd say stick with it.
to often fixing something that isn't broke to begin with leads to problems.
knowwhattamean Verne?

But a r/o system will purify the water just fine, but then you typically have to amend with micro nutrients
best water most of the time is rainwater, or good well water

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I do like the idea of keeping it simple and not messing with what isn't broke so I may leave it alone for a little other priorities for the room before new water

Dirka said:

I do like the idea of keeping it simple and not messing with what isn't broke so I may leave it alone for a little other priorities for the room before new water

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if you have a fish tank or any interest in having one I highly recommend using the aquarium's microbial balance to neutralize the ph and nitrate/ammonia levels.
Especially if you use bio-filtration setups for your tank
or you could use a modified aquaponics if you have any large fish, Oscars, dempseys, eels, goldfish, tilapia, bass, etc
anything large

Our residential well is extremely deep and chlorine is the disinfectant used at very low levels so Bubble a day and go. Way high in calcium and magnesium. My preference is rainwater or livewell water. All are good and I use molasses often for the herd and K.

greasemonkeymann said:

if you have a fish tank or any interest in having one I highly recommend using the aquarium's microbial balance to neutralize the ph and nitrate/ammonia levels.
Especially if you use bio-filtration setups for your tank
or you could use a modified aquaponics if you have any large fish, Oscars, dempseys, eels, goldfish, tilapia, bass, etc
anything large

Click to expand...

I have thought about fish maybe in the future. My setup is low key now but 2018 is lookin up