I read that rain water is about the best you can give your plants. So I turned the ole barrel back over and it got filled yesterday. I just went out and tested it and the EC, TDS PPM and Salt are ALL zero. Is that as it should be? Something wrong with my meter? Even the Distilled I have is 40/20/00. It is VERY cold water. Would that make a difference?
Also, using rain water, would that bring bugs into my house that I do not want? That’s why the barrel was upside down because of potential mosquito larvae and I also have a shitpotton of frogs around and they be courting right outside my bedroom window.
So, 2 questions there. Thanks for any input I get.
I know Girl. I finally thought to Google that shit and found out. I got a 5 gallon and 2-1 gallon buckets + a 5 gallon water bottle full. That’s all the containers I had without holes in them. Yau Rain water!
Rain water is all i use. But water with zero tds/ppm/ec needs something added to it to get a correct PH reading. Add a little calmag or Epson salt to get the ppm above 50 (i think, i try to get around 100) to get a good read.
Ihy. Yeah, the pH of it is a little high. I been worrying because I use the GH Nutes and my tap water is hard, I guess, because the EC PPM is so freaking high I have to delete the nute from 1 gallon to 3 gallon and those numbers are still way high. I was about to start looking into their nutes for hard water but ima try this rain water and see what happens . This round tomorrow will be a water only day so I’ll just have to bring the pH down
Will add some Cal Mag if you think it’s a good idea. Can’t hurt it any, huh?
Yes, to know correct ph of water, it has to have some ppm. When I use rain water which my nutrients (jacks) i have to use ph up. With my tap water, a good bit of ph down
I used to use the flora series, then went to maxi series (so much better than flora) then recently switched to Jacks. On my second with it an im satisfied. Comparable results but way cheaper.
Ok, I don’t have a water chiller. I’m growing in clay pebbles, ebb and flow system. I’ve been using green planet nutes at a cost of about $650 a grow 8 plants. It’s crazy but it’s good but I keep seeing everyone using jacks here
Dark corner of SC.
I started checking rainfall PH since December 23 .I add a cap full of bleach to the barrel once.It keeps the rain water clean and clear .,and free of any bugs.
Averages are below 7,but after nutes(jacks)I always have to bring the PH up.
I embrace the bugs and leaf litter. Humic acids and a protein shake for the soil microbes. None of the water bugs survive in a soil environment. The nerf darts, we are working on that. Ongoing battle…
Man, $650 a cycle is rich. Including electric, coir, nutrients and other little things, i may spend around $250. That 4 plants under 720w light, around 60ish % power
