Ok to switch to tap water half way in?

Like it says.. I have been using filtered RO water since the beginnning. I didn't realize the filtered process also involved RO. So for the first 4 weeks I didn't add any cal mag plus.

Leaves started to yellow. It has been a constant struggle. I think it would just make life easier to use tap (ppm is 140s on my tap and 2ppm on the filtered)

I alternate nutes and plain water feeds and its been a yoyo with them but they are strong. I was thinking of just backing everything down .. eliminate the nutes except for mother part A and B, and voodoo. Then switch to sensi A and B when they go into bloom..

just curious about the water switch.. thanks

Switch but you'll still need cal mag. Less but you'll need it.

@hotrodharley I have never used a cal mag supplement with Sensi A & B? Does it only need to be used with hydro? I am a OF soil grower. No nutes during veg and Sensi A & B during flowering at about 800 PPM. Hope this helps @BigGreenHulk

Coloradoclear said:

@hotrodharley I have never used a cal mag supplement with Sensi A & B? Does it only need to be used with hydro? I am a OF soil grower. No nutes during veg and Sensi A & B during flowering at about 800 PPM. Hope this helps @BigGreenHulk

Click to expand...

Once he swiches he won't, or shouldn't , need cal mag but until then he does. Calcium being mostly immobile he needs to keep up levels until he switches.

My experience with tap water in hydro was at a PPM of 145 and the majority was calcium i still had to supply calcium which surprised me. Maybe others can speak to calcium uptake from tap. I'm assuming this calcium is calcium carbonate considering the geology.

I wish I could speak to that. I want to switch as it makes sense.. but i don't know the details of our water other than a ppm of 143 and a bit of chlorine. Today is water day. I have 15 gallons set aside from the other day to let the chlorine evaporate out in the sunlight.

If my ppm is 143 with water.. and you suggest cal mag plus still .. I'm assuming a small amount.. it calls for 5ml per gallon for dosage. When I add 5ml to my ro water it goes to 260 ppm...so if my tap us 143 already I dont have to add much.. but the mystery will remain how much cal mag they are really getting

BigGreenHulk said:

I wish I could speak to that. I want to switch as it makes sense.. but i don't know the details of our water other than a ppm of 143 and a bit of chlorine. Today is water day. I have 15 gallons set aside from the other day to let the chlorine evaporate out in the sunlight.

If my ppm is 143 with water.. and you suggest cal mag plus still .. I'm assuming a small amount.. it calls for 5ml per gallon for dosage. When I add 5ml to my ro water it goes to 260 ppm...so if my tap us 143 already I dont have to add much.. but the mystery will remain how much cal mag they are really getting

Click to expand...

Don't bother adding Cal/Mag unless the plant asks for it. With what's in the Fert, may be enough to keep her happy.

monopotassium phosphate
potassium nitrate
calcium nitrate
magnesium sulfate
diammonium phosphate

$2/lb
hehehe

question about nutes... This is the nute schedule I was following .. but I am 10 days or so from the bloom phase starting.. Since I am switching to tap,,, I am now hesitant to use nutes.. should I still use fasilitor and mother Part A and B still ? Just looking for experience to chime in thanks so much to all of you!!

BigGreenHulk said:

question about nutes... This is the nute schedule I was following .. but I am 10 days or so from the bloom phase starting.. Since I am switching to tap,,, I am now hesitant to use nutes.. should I still use fasilitor and mother Part A and B still ? Just looking for experience to chime in thanks so much to all of you!!

Click to expand...

Stay on the feeding. Stay on veg food for about two weeks into the "Flip." Plant will need all the N it wants for stretch. You can drop the PPM a little. Give her Flower when she truly shows.

Jypsy Dog said:

Stay on the feeding. Stay on veg food for about two weeks into the "Flip." Plant will need all the N it wants for stretch. You can drop the PPM a little. Give her Flower when she truly shows.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, I am thinking along a similar line as you.. I was thinking of mixing my food on the lighter side.. and to keep around 600 ppm since I just went to the 5 gallon I am thinking their is going to be a good amount of nutes in the soil right from the start so I didnt wanto go to high in the ppm.

I just learned this weekend I had a ppm calibration issue.. Solved and corrected now but the ppm I was using was close to 1100-1200 which was way to high for their age.. I backed it down to 900 and that was still too high.. I found a chart that read ppm for the age they are at and it read 600 to 700.. so I thought I would be safer to use less. And then on water days I would feed non nutes such as voodoo, pirhana and tarnatula for the roots. Alternating feed/water and root/water days to keep the average ppm down

I alsojust called the water authority here is a printout of my local tap water so I can see the ppm breakdown and see if I do in fact have to add anything else.. I am not a chemist but hoping someone here can educate me thanks

** no mention of mag or iron in it.. does that mean my water doesn't have any ? that's odd I would imagine**