A little help please...PPM/Hard water?

[WillieP]

I tried doing a search for this I promise...

Back story:
Raw water equals 374 PPM
I've been using distilled water to mix hydro nutes (Masterblend)
Diluting to 150 PPM, just started grow.
Installed small RO unit, RO water equals 2 PPM
Used RO to mix nutes, not realizing that I need to add back Cal-Mag, and have developed deficiencies.

Cal-Mag on order.
In the mean time, I thought I could mix Raw and RO water together, and use the mix to make my nutes. Mixed 50/50, PPM equals 170
As I have only ever made nutes out of distilled or RO water, I am confused about how to use a base water with 170 PPM.

The real question is:
If I am shooting of 150 PPM of nutes, do I mix it to a 320 PPM level (150 + 170)?
Yeah I know this is a complete NOOB question, but I'm a complete NOOB.

Thanks for your help,
WillieP

 

[opusmaximus]

I would only use the distilled water. How long until your calmag shows up.

 

[TheSadVeryBadMadGrower]

you can make calmag very easily....

 

[WillieP]

I would only use the distilled water. How long until your calmag shows up.

It will be here on Monday. (3 days time)
I've mixed the 50/50 water with nutes and diluted with RO to 285 PPM, I'm just afraid to burn the seedling up with something to strong.
WillieP

PS. These are just in a 5 gallon aeroponic bucket. Like a clone starting bucket.

 

[opusmaximus]

Go buy some Epsom salts. I used .5 grams per gallon when I didnt have my calmag. Might make your poem shoot up a little bit but it worked good for me.

 

[WillieP]

Go buy some Epsom salts. I used .5 grams per gallon when I didnt have my calmag. Might make your poem shoot up a little bit but it worked good for me.

I've got Epsom salt.
The dry nutrients that I'm using are 2 parts Calcium Nitrate, 2 parts Masterblend (4-18-3 and 1 part Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfite)
So your advising to increase % of Epsom salt?

Thanks,
WillieP

 

[opusmaximus]

I've got Epsom salt.
The dry nutrients that I'm using are 2 parts Calcium Nitrate, 2 parts Masterblend (4-18-3 and 1 part Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfite)
So your advising to increase % of Epsom salt?

Thanks,
WillieP

As long as your using it that should be fine. I use masterblend and general hydroponics, I use masterblend for veg and GH for flower. I tried masterblend all the way through but I personally didn't have much luck in flower ( could have been the seeds).

 

[WillieP]

As long as your using it that should be fine. I use masterblend and general hydroponics, I use masterblend for veg and GH for flower. I tried masterblend all the way through but I personally didn't have much luck in flower ( could have been the seeds).

This is a quote I found:
Manage your water quality Test your raw water with an EC/CF meter before you add anything to it. Where possible use RO water (Reverse Osmosis). This has four major benefits: 1. Lower overall EC/CF. Meaning more room for nutrients and additives. 2. Is pH neutral. 3. Reverse osmosis removes chlorine and chloramines. It removes the potential for tap water to damage beneficial microbes. 4. You avoid other pollutants and contaminants. You don’t want these getting in from the water supply. Remember, keep the water moving to keep its oxygen content up. And manage your water temperature - detailed in the next section. NOTE: If you don’t have RO water and need to use raw water, measure the conductivity prior to mixing in your nutrient stock solution and include the conductivity reading of the raw water in the overall required conductivity.

It is from this:

https://www.bluelab.com/knowledge-base-files/BluelabGrowBook-USA-OCT13-Web.pdf

So, I went ahead and exchanged the buckets. Adjusted PH to 6.2, as that is suppose to be best for Cal and Mag absorption. The base water was at 170, so I'm only adding 115 PPM of nutes, hopefully that won't cause issues.

Cal-Mag will be here before long, hoping for the best.
Thanks for your input, I appreciate it!
Cheers,
WillieP

 

[OldMedUser]

I'm only adding 115 PPM of nutes, hopefully that won't cause issues.

Other than starving even clones it shouldn't be a problem. 300ppm nutes is what I always start DWC with and that's fairly low.

 

[WillieP]

Other than starving even clones it shouldn't be a problem. 300ppm nutes is what I always start DWC with and that's fairly low.

I've read that seedlings, these are literally from seed and 2 inches tall, are to be fed at 150-200 PPM.
I started low, cause I was unsure on the counting the PPM of the base water. That's the whole point of asking the original question.

What would you recommend doing in my situation?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks
WillieP

 

[OldMedUser]

I've read that seedlings, these are literally from seed and 2 inches tall, are to be fed at 150-200 PPM.
I started low, cause I was unsure on the counting the PPM of the base water. That's the whole point of asking the original question.

What would you recommend doing in my situation?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks
WillieP

OK. I thought we were dealing with clones going into hydro here. Too many irons in the fire. lol

Should be good to get them started then. I'll water with 0.5ml/L of all 3 parts of my AN nutes which works out to 150ppm and you most likely won't have to worry about CalMag if using some of your tap water with RO tho a bit won't hurt.

Don't worry about the base water ppm other than to remember to subtract it from the total so you know the nute ppm.

I found a great spot to download FREE POT BOOKS . I downloaded a grow bible first and got lots more. Books look great and complete like the real ones I have here. No web site but just a page of links. Just right click on what you want and then "Save Link As" to download so they don't open first as many are 50+ megs. They got lots. Enjoy.

 

[WillieP]

OK. I thought we were dealing with clones going into hydro here. Too many irons in the fire. lol

Should be good to get them started then. I'll water with 0.5ml/L of all 3 parts of my AN nutes which works out to 150ppm and you most likely won't have to worry about CalMag if using some of your tap water with RO tho a bit won't hurt.

Don't worry about the base water ppm other than to remember to subtract it from the total so you know the nute ppm.

I found a great spot to download FREE POT BOOKS. I downloaded a grow bible first and got lots more. Books look great and complete like the real ones I have here. No web site but just a page of links. Just right click on what you want and then "Save Link As" to download so they don't open first as many are 50+ megs. They got lots. Enjoy.

OldMed,
Thanks for the reply.
Glad you cleared up that base water PPM question for me!
I'll check them in the morning and slowly up the PPM on them.
They may very well be underfed, but I've read about so many new growers over feeding and burning their plants, that I may have been to chicken shit.
I seen the link for the downloads, and used it, but thanks for the heads up anyhow.

Cheers,
WillieP

 

[WillieP]

So the first thing I said was: I tried doing a search for this I promise...
and I did.
But what I found was that I was searching in the wrong place.
Just FYI, the info I was after was readily available in the Hydroponics forum.
By Bad.

Don't worry about the base water ppm other than to remember to subtract it from the total so you know the nute ppm.

And OldMed is 100% on this!

Seedling are looking better already. Started using the 50/50 water as a base, and I am increasing PPM slowly.

Thanks for the help,
WillieP