I think I've figured it out.

Blue_Focus

Blue_Focus

Well-Known Member
I've been having problems with my leaves turning yellow like they're hungry. But if I feed them it makes them worse.

A couple of months ago I installed a inline carbon filter to remove any chlorine from the water.

I had forgotten the filter I used (Everpure IN10) has a scale inhibitor in it (sodium tripolyphosphate). I can't find any info about sodium tripolyphosphate and plants.

I think it's slowly killing my plants.

I've ordered some straight up coconut shell carbon filters.
 
OldMedUser said:
It seems sodium tripolyphosphate is used as a fertilizer and to help break down organic matter so the plants can use it so I don't think that's the problem.


Unless there's enough of it in the filter to cause an excess of phosphorous which would cause interveinal chlorosis in the new growth and burn leaf tips in older leaves.

View attachment 5398011

:peace:
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Thanks for the reply. :D

I've ordered plain carbon filters to try to see if it fixes my problem.

It could be also the cheap Walmart compost I bought also. I have a new one growing in Coco Coir with Grow Dots for a controlled test. If it grows ok, Then it's my soil. If not, There is something else going on.

My first grow grew great using a name brand potting soil and using straight tap water. I do have a whole house carbon filter in my water feed coming into my house.

But I'm setting up a auto watering system using a bucket for my reservoir. I have a RO float that shuts off the incoming water.

I had the IN10 filter laying around and I put it into the bucket inlet line.

I plan on building a scratch built RO water system, But I'm waiting on the RO water inlet shutoff valve.

I know water filtration very well, I've spent over 21 years in the field. But it was for bottled drinking water and not plant water.
 
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Blue_Focus said:
Thanks for the reply. :D

I've ordered plain carbon filters to try to see if it fixes my problem.

It could be also the cheap Walmart compost I bought also. I have a new one growing in Coco Coir with Grow Dots for a controlled test. If it grows ok, Then it's my soil. If not, There is something else going on.

My first grow grew great using a name brand potting soil and using straight tap water. I do have a whole house carbon filter in my water feed coming into my house.

But I'm setting up a auto watering system using a bucket for my reservoir. I have a RO float that shuts off the incoming water.

I had the IN10 filter laying around and I put it into the bucket inlet line.

I plan on building a scratch built RO water system, But I'm waiting on the RO water inlet shutoff valve.

I know water filtration very well, I've spent over 21 years in the field. But it was for bottled drinking water and not plant water.
Click to expand...

If that filter was for drinking water then no way it's releasing enough P to do anything to your plant. I bought all the stuff to set up my RO system for our dugout water which is our tap water but haven't hooked it all up yet. Filtering down to 0.5µ with a UV sterilizer just before a calcite filter to 'polish' the drinking water but will have a 3-way tap before that to take off water before that filter for the plants and coffee maker.

With 5gal jugs costing $4.50 - $5 I better get it done soonish.

I highly suspect the soil and only use ProMix HP with added organics like Gaia Green or just feed hydro nutes.

:peace:
 
OldMedUser said:
If that filter was for drinking water then no way it's releasing enough P to do anything to your plant. I bought all the stuff to set up my RO system for our dugout water which is our tap water but haven't hooked it all up yet. Filtering down to 0.5µ with a UV sterilizer just before a calcite filter to 'polish' the drinking water but will have a 3-way tap before that to take off water before that filter for the plants and coffee maker.

With 5gal jugs costing $4.50 - $5 I better get it done soonish.

I highly suspect the soil and only use ProMix HP with added organics like Gaia Green or just feed hydro nutes.

:peace:
Click to expand...
The filter is for drinking and is designed to prevent scale in something like a coffee maker.
 
Blue_Focus said:
The filter is for drinking and is designed to prevent scale in something like a coffee maker.
Click to expand...

Where would scale come from if using good RO water? Is that filter for tap water lines then?

When I finally get around to mounting the system I'm going to leave enough space between the RO filter and the UV unit to add a 2nd RO filter if needed. The feed water from the dugout is about 400ppm and pH 8+ depending on season. Harder and higher after the summer then softer and lower after spring runoff and rains.

This is pretty much the way I'll lay it out.

Configuration01.JPG

I have a Polar Bear distiller with 10gal SS holding tank underneath sitting in the spot the RO will go. Needs a new element and a good cleaning then I'll sell it. The store down in Edmonton sells the same one refurbished for $1800 so I should be able to get something over a thou for it which will more than pay for the RO system which in all was $550.

One of many projects on my To-do list. :)

:peace:
 
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Blue_Focus said:
I am using just tap water. I already have it going through one carbon filter to remove chlorine from the water. I just wanted a second one inline for added measure.
Click to expand...

In reality the small amount of residual chlorine in most tap water isn't enough to damage the bioherd in the soil or cause any other issues. Shouldn't be more than 3 - 5ppm. We did a lot of water quality stuff when I went back to school in my 30s for a diploma in environmental chemistry.

Are you sure it's chlorine and not chloramine as that will go right thru a carbon filter? Any fluoride added to the water as thats harder to get rid of too. I refused to be hooked up to town water until they got rid of the fluoride. It's toxic waste they pay towns and cities to add to the water on the premise it's good for the bones and teeth. Naturally occurring fluoride is but not the industrial byproduct they use which is heavily used as a pesticide especially on grapes. No f'n thanks. Now the local banks won't allow mortgages on properties that don't have town water. My dugout is 80x50x4m deep so I got lots of free water. 20G to hook up then $60/mth for the base 6 cubic meters and we use way more than that all spring and summer on our big garden

DugoutInTheSpring.JPG

:peace:
 
OldMedUser said:
In reality the small amount of residual chlorine in most tap water isn't enough to damage the bioherd in the soil or cause any other issues. Shouldn't be more than 3 - 5ppm. We did a lot of water quality stuff when I went back to school in my 30s for a diploma in environmental chemistry.

Are you sure it's chlorine and not chloramine as that will go right thru a carbon filter? Any fluoride added to the water as thats harder to get rid of too. I refused to be hooked up to town water until they got rid of the fluoride. It's toxic waste they pay towns and cities to add to the water on the premise it's good for the bones and teeth. Naturally occurring fluoride is but not the industrial byproduct they use which is heavily used as a pesticide especially on grapes. No f'n thanks. Now the local banks won't allow mortgages on properties that don't have town water. My dugout is 80x50x4m deep so I got lots of free water. 20G to hook up then $60/mth for the base 6 cubic meters and we use way more than that all spring and summer on our big garden

View attachment 5398120

:peace:
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Our city only uses chlorine. I can download the report online.

I put the house inline carbon filter in because I just drink tap water and can't stand the smell and taste of chlorine.

I replace the cartridge every 6 months to a year.
 
OldMedUser said:
Where would scale come from if using good RO water? Is that filter for tap water lines then?

When I finally get around to mounting the system I'm going to leave enough space between the RO filter and the UV unit to add a 2nd RO filter if needed. The feed water from the dugout is about 400ppm and pH 8+ depending on season. Harder and higher after the summer then softer and lower after spring runoff and rains.

This is pretty much the way I'll lay it out.

View attachment 5398117

I have a Polar Bear distiller with 10gal SS holding tank underneath sitting in the spot the RO will go. Needs a new element and a good cleaning then I'll sell it. The store down in Edmonton sells the same one refurbished for $1800 so I should be able to get something over a thou for it which will more than pay for the RO system which in all was $550.

One of many projects on my To-do list. :)

:peace:
Click to expand...
The tap water around here is high in limestone. The hardness ranges anywhere between 26 and 36 PPM.

We used the IN10 inline filters to prevent scale buildup in the coffee makers we installed around the area.

I'm retired from a small water bottling business that also has a coffee service.
 
OldMedUser said:
Where would scale come from if using good RO water? Is that filter for tap water lines then?

When I finally get around to mounting the system I'm going to leave enough space between the RO filter and the UV unit to add a 2nd RO filter if needed. The feed water from the dugout is about 400ppm and pH 8+ depending on season. Harder and higher after the summer then softer and lower after spring runoff and rains.

This is pretty much the way I'll lay it out.

View attachment 5398117

I have a Polar Bear distiller with 10gal SS holding tank underneath sitting in the spot the RO will go. Needs a new element and a good cleaning then I'll sell it. The store down in Edmonton sells the same one refurbished for $1800 so I should be able to get something over a thou for it which will more than pay for the RO system which in all was $550.

One of many projects on my To-do list. :)

:peace:
Click to expand...
I currently don't have a RO system installed. I'm waiting on the Inline shutoff valve to come in.

I'm waiting on this valve. It will shut off the water supply when the pressure builds up in the outlet line. It prevents water from flowing through the RO membrane when the bucket or reservoir gets full.
 

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Blue_Focus said:
I currently don't have a RO system installed. I'm waiting on the Inline shutoff valve to come in.

I'm waiting on this valve. It will shut off the water supply when the pressure builds up in the outlet line. It prevents water from flowing through the RO membrane when the bucket or reservoir gets full.
Click to expand...

I got one of those when I ordered all the other stuff but wasn't going to bother using it. I'm expecting pretty slow output with our system that hits 60psi then slowly drops to 45 then the pump kicks it back up to 60. My RO filter is a 75gpd unit but it won't hit that on my system.

:peace:
 
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