Ok, I have my 1st grow its hydro, ebb and flow recirculation. Using expanded clay. My well water stats are as follows
Before softener ph 6.8 ec =818 ppm= 409
After softener. Ph=6.9 ec =1018 ppm=508
I added 1/4 strength flora 3 part using hard water micro and ph’d the water to 5.9 then started the flood cycles 6 days later checked the res and
Ph was 7.6 ec was 1484 and ppm was 752
I added the 1/2 inch of water in my 5 gallon res and then adjusted the ph to 6.2 which is as low as I can get using the 7 oz of ph down I had. Has anybody experienced these numbers should it take that much ph down to adjust. Maybe I should refill 5 gallon jugs at Wal-Mart. Looking for suggestions here’s a pic I hope.Uploading: Screenshot_20210106-165304.png…
My well water has high alkalinity. High alkalinity means the water is super buffered and it takes tons of pH down. You think you have it then BAM the next day it’s jumped half a unit or so. I switched to RO water and it made a huge difference.
My well also has high calcium hardness that caused all kinds of issues plugging feed lines and producing sludge.
I used to get water from the ice and pure water machine in town. One day I thought I smelled chlorine when I opened the bottle filling enclosure so I tested it. Chlorine was 1.8 ppm and EC was 450. I could no longer trust that water source so I bit the bullet and bought an RO system and never looked back.
I installed a whole home filter in my house which was not hard to do and I think it cost me like 26 bucks for the kit. The filter puts my water at about 8.0 ph and I use distilled white vinegar to bring it down on only water days. On Feed days or in my hydro bucket I do not check or adjust the ph because I am using PH perfect as well. Just thought I would mention the whole home filter because I am on well water also and before the filter install the water was so hard it was killing everything in the house from faucets to hot water heater. Now that I have this it is Much better. Just a thought. Good Luck!
Yep, for the service coming into the house from the well after the pressure tank and controls I have a 5 micron spin down filter followed by 1 micron sediment and 1 micron charcoal. Then water softener and uv light. Also hot water tank anode replaced with electronic which stopped the rotten egg smell. Appliances are safe. I’m going to try the vinegar for ph down 3 bucks a gallon vs 35 for ph down. I’m concerned that the high tds Will impede nutrient uptake. I am using the hard water micro from general hydro. The plant seems ok right now but don’t want to get to the end and find out what I shoulda done.
Phosphoric acid would be a much better choice for ph down. They make concentrated bottle for the hard water growers.
Cyco is the brand that I used.