Storing water

Getting tired of mixing nutes every time. So I am thinking bit like with the wilma system. Just mixing the nutes up and storing say a weeks worth of water at a time. With the Wilma system I used an air stone. Anyway going forward I am going to be using softer water and sure I read an air stone might affect the ph with ro water?

Anyway what do you guys and girls think? Should I buy an air stone or a circulation pump to keep the water moving about? Plan on storing about a weeks worth at a time, no more than that. Just seems it will be easier to turn the tap on of the storage box and fill my jug and water the plants.

Those are "stock nutrients" or "conc nutes" and it's a handy way to reduce labor. The manufacturer of the ferts that you're using will tell you how high you can mix them, in terms of concentration, before the chemicals will "fall out of solution". When you go to use them, just stir up the nutes/shake the bottle.

One of the big reasons to make conc nutes if you're using dry nutes is that some dry nutes are hygroscopic so, over time, the X grams of a given fert is actually X grams of (fert + water) since the fert may have absorbed moisture.

There's no particular reason to bubble air through stored nutrients. I wouldn't bubble air through my conc nutes - per above, just stir/shake in case some of it has settled/fallen out of solution/precipitated.

I plan on using Sensi ph perfect. With my Wilma system in the past I have used canna coco nutrients. The water stored in the res I would just have an air stone in there. Have read Sensi ph perfect are able to keep the ph stable for a week. That’s all I’d like to do, mix up a weeks worth at a time. Just didn’t know if I am better using an air stone or a water circulation pump?

You're just talking about storing premixed nutes, right? If so, you can just put the nutes in a container and leave them alone. When you want to use them, shake up the container/stir up the contents.

If you feel the need to constantly agitated the nutes in the bucket, I'd go with a water circulation pump.

In contrast, an air stone requires more pieces to buy and maintain, and, since it would be pushing air through the solution, it will tend drop the pH slightly. No need for that.

BTW, the Wilma system looks interesting.

I keep a 25 gallon reservoir. In a dtw system I go a week sometimes longer before I have to refill my reservoir. I usually keep 50 gallons or RO water just sitting in a barrel. Neither gets an air stone or mixing pump. I run hocl to keep everything sterile. You don’t need airstones with dtw, the act of watering pulls oxygen into the media.

Delps8 said:

You're just talking about storing premixed nutes, right? If so, you can just put the nutes in a container and leave them alone. When you want to use them, shake up the container/stir up the contents.

If you feel the need to constantly agitated the nutes in the bucket, I'd go with a water circulation pump.

In contrast, an air stone requires more pieces to buy and maintain, and, since it would be pushing air through the solution, it will tend drop the pH slightly. No need for that.

BTW, the Wilma system looks interesting.

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I want to fill up a plastic box with about 50L of water. then add the nutes to the required ec for that week. Then every day just take out the amount of water I need for the plants. Basically just so I have to mix the nutes once a week instead of every day. Just wanting to make my life easier.

ninja1 said:

I want to fill up a plastic box with about 50L of water. then add the nutes to the required ec for that week. Then every day just take out the amount of water I need for the plants. Basically just so I have to mix the nutes once a week instead of every day. Just wanting to make my life easier.

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Thats essentially what I do. Just make sure to check your ph every few days.

ninja1 said:

I want to fill up a plastic box with about 50L of water. then add the nutes to the required ec for that week. Then every day just take out the amount of water I need for the plants. Basically just so I have to mix the nutes once a week instead of every day. Just wanting to make my life easier.

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Thanks for clarifying - that was my understanding.

There's no need to do anything to the nutes as long as, when you go to dispense them, you stir them to ensure that nothing has fallen out of solution/precipitated out. I use a wooden spoon for small amounts of noted (4 gallon/156 liter pail) and a canoe paddle when I mix a batch of nutes before pumping them in the res.

The nutes I plan on using ph’s itself. It does say they guarantee that the ph is fine for a week.

I wasn’t talking about just the nutes themselves. I mean once I’ve added the nutes to the water. I just wanted sure if sat there in a storage tub there wouldn’t be issues. It will be air tight and going to look for storage which comes with a tap. So have it all mixed up ready to go and just fill the jug from the tap and water the plants. Every week pour whatever little is left and mix a fresh batch up.

"nutes" = ferts + water

" just wanted sure if sat there in a storage tub there wouldn’t be issues." - again, the only thing to check for is if something might have fallen out of suspension. Other than that, like almost everything about cannabis growing — set things up and then leave them alone.

Yeah probably going ott. I remember a mate had one those flexitanks in the loft. Don’t recall him ever bothering with anything and didn’t seem to have any issues.

Now just need to find a 70l storage tub which ideally has measurements on it. Anyone know of one feel free to let me know

There is a member here that does the same thing his only problem was the water get algea fast.soo buy some pool shock or maybe some carnivore bacteria

I do this with an small circulation pump. Fill the reservoir, add nutes as concentrated solutions, adjust pH and then readjust the next day. After about 5 days it is empty and gets refilled.
The concentrated nutes have the advantage that mixing is very fast, there's no settling on the bottom. The circulation pump keeps the water aerobic, so no anaerobic bacteria can grow which are usually more pathogenic. It also helps with mixing, so pH adjusting is easier. Stirring 60 L by hand is just not feasible.

You cannot use anything organic. Be that molasses, acid stabilized silica or what other magic yield booster. Bacteria will grow, throw pH off and clog tubing.
From time to time you need to scrub the container so build something that allows that.


pH of RO water is kinda meaningless. While it is acid (around 4) because CO2, carbonic acid, is dissolved in it it has no buffering capacity. So when you add something more basic, like a nute solution, it just changes to that pH.

ninja1 said:

The nutes I plan on using ph’s itself. It does say they guarantee that the ph is fine for a week.

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That's nice marketing but just that. They can design something that mixes with pure water to a certain pH but what happens after that? How do they guarantee your RO system is well maintained, that your tank is clean, their production is always homogenous and in spec etc.
You still have to measure pH and have tools to adjust as neccesary.

I mix up 55 gallons at a time no problem, lasts 4-6 days depending on what stage I’m in and how often I irrigate. For that small of batch you can just mix up and let it sit with no pump or airstone. Just ph the solution before use each time. If you get water skum or algae bloom add in H2O2 ( hydrogen peroxide) or hypochlorous acid. H2o2 just has to be added more often.

Thanks guys, I might just add a circulation pump to keep the water moving. That should help prevent algae right? I have been fine with using my Wilma system in the past.

The Sensi ph perfect claim the ph is fine for upto a week. Have known others to use the nutes and swear by em. If not then I will just buy a Bluelab ph pen and still look to have the water mixed and ready to go for a week. Think it just makes life a lot easier.

ninja1 said:

Thanks guys, I might just add a circulation pump to keep the water moving. That should help prevent algae right? I have been fine with using my Wilma system in the past.

The Sensi ph perfect claim the ph is fine for upto a week. Have known others to use the nutes and swear by em. If not then I will just buy a Bluelab ph pen and still look to have the water mixed and ready to go for a week. Think it just makes life a lot easier.

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The pump creates heat which will warm your water. Algae loves warmer water. I never trust the ph perfect nutrients but I’m just paranoid lol. I know lots of guys love them.

No moving water does no effect on algea.
If that worked no aquarium in the world would have algea

SofaKingHigh_ said:

The pump creates heat which will warm your water.

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Those pumps use 3 W.
If you want to eliminate algea eliminate all light.

Lou66 said:

Those pumps use 3 W.
If you want to eliminate algea eliminate all light.

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Yes for sure eliminate any light