PLEASE HELP A NOOB!!

smokeabunny

smokeabunny

Well-Known Member
hi my baby has some issues need some help.

i use RO water add my foxfarm big bloom and cal mag and a little grow big.

RO water ph from tap is about 5.5
i add 6 tsp bigbloom 1 tsp calmag (general organics) after i add ph up [general hydroponics) about 20 drops to make it 6.2 ph i add all this to 1 gal ro water it looks like i have a deficiency dont know why what am i missing?
oh and its i. pro mix hp with extra perlite
thanks for help
 

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Blitz35

Well-Known Member
You may have a small issue with low nitrogen, but the main issue seems to be low levels of magnesium. I have never used RO water or cal-mag, so not sure how much you should add, but you need to up the magnesium levels quickly! By the time the yellowing between the veins has turned necrotic like yours on some lower leaves, the deficiency has been there for weeks!
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
Blitz35 said:
Ok lol.
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I was a dialysis nurse. My job required full understanding of the RO system including required daily testings. Testings. Then using Phoenix meters (pHoenix ex) during procedures to check TDS and pH. Think it might be important?

pH first thing in the morning eh? Before it enters the RO system and after. Incorrect pH will kill a patient and quickly.

Bottom line is I've never seen water post-RO with a pH anywhere near that low. Not pre-RO either. That's some shit water or a weird "RO" system. Test with litmus paper! It's foolproof. No calibration needed and unless you're colorblind it's easy.
 
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Blitz35

Well-Known Member
hotrodharley said:
I was a dialysis nurse. My job required full understanding of the RO system including required daily testings. Testings. Then using Phoenix meters (pHoenix ex) during procedures to check TDS and pH. Think it might be important?

pH first thing in the morning eh? Before it enters the RO system and after. Incorrect pH will kill a patient and quickly.

Bottom line is I've never seen water post-RO with a pH anywhere near that low. Not pre-RO either. That's some shit water or a weird "RO" system. Test with litmus paper! It's foolproof. No calibration needed and unless you're colorblind it's easy.
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RO water has major ph swings in it! it's generally between 5 and 6, so OP saying 5.5 seems right on! There is a reason why carbonates are best fed in RO water, for example, your source of magnesium and calcium to come in a carbonate compound rather than sulfate or nitrate based, because the carbonates help regulate PH in RO water as it's known to swing wildly downwards in no time! Not sure where you get the info from that RO water at 5.5 is abnormal!
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
Blitz35 said:
RO water has major ph swings in it! it's generally between 5 and 6, so OP saying 5.5 seems right on! There is a reason why carbonates are best fed in RO water, for example, your source of magnesium and calcium to come in a carbonate compound rather than sulfate or nitrate based, because the carbonates help regulate PH in RO water as it's known to swing wildly downwards in no time! Not sure where you get the info from that RO water at 5.5 is abnormal!
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Still i wouldn't adjust it. If he'll leave it unadjusted bet his issues disappear .
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
My commercial RO with only Jungle Juice and supplement cal mag if needed runs around 6.2. Not saying mine is his but consider this from a water organization.


"Some countries have regulations governing the pH of drinking water. Typically, the pH is recommended to be in the 6.5-9.0 range. It is our understanding that the purpose of these pH regulations are to minimize corrosion of piping materials so that metals like lead and copper do not dissolve into the drinking water supply."

I know RO can run 5 but there's a brine problem if so. Brining tank if there is oned for a pre-RO system. Without a softener if needed that's a shit system. Buy bottled.
 
smokeabunny

smokeabunny

Well-Known Member
hotrodharley said:
I was a dialysis nurse. My job required full understanding of the RO system including required daily testings. Testings. Then using Phoenix meters (pHoenix ex) during procedures to check TDS and pH. Think it might be important?

pH first thing in the morning eh? Before it enters the RO system and after. Incorrect pH will kill a patient and quickly.

Bottom line is I've never seen water post-RO with a pH anywhere near that low. Not pre-RO either. That's some shit water or a weird "RO" system. Test with litmus paper! It's foolproof. No calibration needed and unless you're colorblind it's easy.
Click to expand...

my water b4 RO is 7-7.2 ph but not sure what is in it so thats why i dont want to use it. im using Oakton ph meter plus the drops to double check.
should i use tap? or get distilled water from store?

not sure what to do still spots are getting worse every time i come home lol
 
MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
RO water doesn’t have any measurable ph as it has no mineral content.

It will immediately take on the ph of what is introduced into it or the medium it is poured into.

To stabilize ro water calcium needs to be added. Not that that is necessary since we add nutes to our water or lime to our medium.
 
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Blitz35

Well-Known Member
MichiganMedGrower said:
RO water doesn’t have any measurable ph as it has no mineral content.

It will immediately take on the ph of what is introduced into it or the medium it is poured into.

To stabilize ro water calcium needs to be added. Not that that is necessary since we add nutes to our water or lime to our medium.
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Not just calcium, but it should be in a carbonate form. If you ad calcium nitrate it won't be as beneficial as calium carbonate or even calcium sulfate.
 
MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
Beachwalker said:
Check the PPM, if it's low it's probably okay to use tap water?
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My well water shows 8.0 ph but only has 100 ppm mineral content. The ph is meaningless. It’s the alkalinity (calcium content) that is important.

We do have a bit too much iron and occasional leaching of the pots to clear the roots is all that is needed to manage.
 
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Blitz35

Well-Known Member
MichiganMedGrower said:
My well water shows 8.0 ph but only has 100 ppm mineral content. The ph is meaningless. It’s the alkalinity (calcium content) that is important.

We do have a bit too much iron and occasional leaching of the pots to clear the roots is all that is needed to manage.
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Ph isn't directly connected to what your ppm is..i can have tap water at ph 8 and dump a cup of vinegar in it and ph drops completely but ppm isn't affected. Ph is simply the concentration of hydrogen ions in your water.
 
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