Hot Water heater Anode possible plant problems

I was not sure where to put this post but I am curious if that anode in my hot water heater could be boosting my ppms specifically magnesium, aluminum, or Zinc depending on the anode used. Should I just not try to get to room temp water from my tap and just use cold.
 

PizzaMan5000

Well-Known Member
I think you would need to test "hot" when it first comes out of the tap and still cool. Would probably make the reading more consistent I would guess. You could probably let the hot "rest" and cool off too. I just don't know that hot and cold won't effect readings. No clue.

My stick was D.O.A. so I can't test for ya.

I feed with jacks classic, and my spigots in the basement have no utility sink. I use mostly "hot" and by the time the container is full, it's about 90-95f and I water the girls. I don't even let the chloramine or chlorine evaporate, not saying that's ideal.... I used to do bleach in dwc, so I don't sweat the chlorinated tap water for my soil micro grow.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Run cold water test the ppm.

Run hot water test the ppm.

Run warm water test the ppm.

Won't tell you what is additional if anything but will tell you if there is a difference.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
I was not sure where to put this post but I am curious if that anode in my hot water heater could be boosting my ppms specifically magnesium, aluminum, or Zinc depending on the anode used. Should I just not try to get to room temp water from my tap and just use cold.
An aluminum anode should only form insoluble products. Zinc anodes could conceivably generate toxic levels of zinc ion, though in hard water zinc will coprecipitate with lime.
Magnesium is a plant macronutrient, so if you have a choice I’d use an anode made of it.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
I think you would need to test "hot" when it first comes out of the tap and still cool. Would probably make the reading more consistent I would guess. You could probably let the hot "rest" and cool off too. I just don't know that hot and cold won't effect readings. No clue.

My stick was D.O.A. so I can't test for ya.

I feed with jacks classic, and my spigots in the basement have no utility sink. I use mostly "hot" and by the time the container is full, it's about 90-95f and I water the girls. I don't even let the chloramine or chlorine evaporate, not saying that's ideal.... I used to do bleach in dwc, so I don't sweat the chlorinated tap water for my soil micro grow.
Why would you want to water at 95 degrees?

The roots can't be happy with that.
 

PizzaMan5000

Well-Known Member
Why would you want to water at 95 degrees?

The roots can't be happy with that.
That's not super warm, a swimming pool should be over 80-90f unless it's a lap-pool. I heard that lukewarm is less stressful than cold, and started doing it. My plants have been happy with it I think. I feel like I notice drooping when they get chilly winter tapwater, but haven't observed closely in a while.

it's warmer than cold, maybe a few degrees warmer than water during the summer. It would be between a swimming pool, and a bath that's not quite warm enough.

So within minutes of the lights coming on, and it's still 62f I say "ayy, wake up" and dunk them into a bucket of warmish water (I reverse feed them), and let them drain next to the air handler in the basement floor.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
That's not super warm, a swimming pool should be over 80-90f unless it's a lap-pool. I heard that lukewarm is less stressful than cold, and started doing it. My plants have been happy with it I think. I feel like I notice drooping when they get chilly winter tapwater, but haven't observed closely in a while.

it's warmer than cold, maybe a few degrees warmer than water during the summer. It would be between a swimming pool, and a bath that's not quite warm enough.

So within minutes of the lights coming on, and it's still 62f I say "ayy, wake up" and dunk them into a bucket of warmish water (I reverse feed them), and let them drain next to the air handler in the basement floor.
I do my absolute best to attempt to keep my root zones under 85 degrees at all times.

The temp of water that goes into my plant in soil is roughly 70-75 degrees.

But hey to each his own.
 
Run cold water test the ppm.

Run hot water test the ppm.

Run warm water test the ppm.

Won't tell you what is additional if anything but will tell you if there is a difference.
Ok I did this and as I suspected my cold water test was 135ppm and my hot water test was 189ppm so 50 ppm higher I only wish I knew what that 50 was but I can work around it at least.
 
I solved my problem what was really going on was my humidity was way to low I run a wood stove during the winter in the room where my grow is. Added humidity and helped also was low on N used nitrogen boost from House of Gardens now plants look great.
 

DarkWeb

Well-Known Member
I solved my problem what was really going on was my humidity was way to low I run a wood stove during the winter in the room where my grow is. Added humidity and helped also was low on N used nitrogen boost from House of Gardens now plants look great.
What rh was it before?
 
It might have been something other than the rh.
The only thing else changed is the added N but the harvest before it a lot of the leaves dried up like light burn kinda but was even lower leaves I feel like humidity even if it did not fix the current issues is a step in the right direction. I have run this strain 3 times this is the best I have ever seen the veg.
 

DarkWeb

Well-Known Member
I'd bet on the N.

I also wouldn't use water from the hotwater tank. Let some cold water sit to warm up to temp if you think it helps.

What else is in your hot water? And how much?

You might be pretty surprised what kind of sediment comes out of there.

cooler water also holds more o2.
 
I'd bet on the N.

I also wouldn't use water from the hotwater tank. Let some cold water sit to warm up to temp if you think it helps.

What else is in your hot water? And how much?

You might be pretty surprised what kind of sediment comes out of there.

cooler water also holds more o2.
I have switched to doing that about 4 waterings ago I agree the anode and other sediment can't be good for the plants I fill my jugs with cold water day before I water plants.
 
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