PH Nightmare Remains!

[Scientific]

Ha - Scientific, really good idea! Today when the sky's break loose at 4pm, I will collect water and test it. You would think that it would be quite acidic - we will see. I can share this with you - I currently have 13 chlorine tabs in my pool and it is still "P Green"!

Rainwater should be neutral pH.

If your "pool" is a swimming pool, be careful about swimming in a pool that is not crystal clear. There are amoebas that can set up housekeeping that can kill you by invading your brain. Wait, I can still remember the name... Entamoeba histolytica, a really bad guy.

 

[Scientific]

Also, are there any "negative" impacts of running the chiller?
Please share..

They are expensive! Back when I had an aquarium that would get too warm in the summer, I thought about just getting a second hand dorm fridge for $100 and pumping my water through that. But I'm cheap. The real thing with a thermostat would be great.

As for choosing one, you're only cooling a very small volume of water, so I would guess that you should be able to get by with one that's quite small... What's your biggest temp diff likely to be? 90 down to 70F? I would think a small unit should be able to handle that for 10 gallons.

A lot of aquarium people who only need to chill during the hot summer months just float a bag of ice in the tank on hots days and/or blow a fan over the surface for evaporative cooling.

Maybe a sales engineer at a hydroponics store or aquarium could help?

 

[texasdjj]

What's the EC on the bottled water? A higher pH isn't necessarily "bad" to start with. Slightly alkaline water is easily adjusted down.

Is RO an option for your tap water?

Boiling is really only good for killing pathogens or bacteria and can change the chemical makeup of the water depending on how it's done.

Answers:
1. bottled water EC=143
2. bottled water PH= 8.43 (*today); I will check another bottle tomorrow for consistency (Indonesia)..
3. RO systems are available here, but I was told by the store that the system will only reduce PH by ~1. - 1.5

 

[texasdjj]

Scientific - "bugs in the water.." Yes, for sure! Don't worry - we are very aware of the nasty "critters" over here in Indonesia! As a kid, I lived over here in the 70's and had to get 14 different injections, including: typhoid, malaria, gamaglobian (sp?), polio, and countless others... Even today, we cook with "bottled water" from a reputable dealer.. We boil the water we give to the dogs; normally we have Chlorine levels very high in the pool, but during the rainy season it is virtually impossible to maintain water chemistry!

 

[texasdjj]

I'm now starting a "topic" in the "lighting section" forum.. Would be great if some from this thread that already understand my setup could chime in..

 

[texasdjj]

Well- the answers to that could vary of course, and it depends how often you're feeding-etc etc. but just from looking at her- she looks healthy. I do see just a couple curly leaves but overall she's looking great so I've seems like whatever you're doing is working well. Maybe a little spindly- needs more light (?) or it could just be her natural structure to some extent.

Hey Weaselcracker - I agree with your observation: "She looks SPINDLY" to me also, but first grow so I didn't mess with it. Funny you should mention: "maybe NOT enough LIGHT".. I agree with that also. The curly leaves at the top currently and ones that I have trimmed historically, I was attributing to the VIOLENT PH swings.. I assumed that the HIGH PH was causing the leaves to curl - and then I also thought that perhaps LIGHT PROXIMITY was also a contributor...

Either way - I am reviewing light now actually. The Mars ProII CREE 256 VS. California Lightwork's "Solar System 550 w controller" vs "Platinum's P800" vs. "KIND K5XL1000": I have read multiple reviews and most contradict each other - so I was hoping some of the smart "practioners" here could set me straight. SHOULD I MOVE THIS TO THE "LIGHT FORUM"?

 

[texasdjj]

Or rainwater as I use- if you're set up for it.

Regarding "Indo Rain Water"... Big Thunderstorm today at 2pm Provided a quick gallon of PH 5.75 and EC of 33.
Tell me what you would do with it, knowing my issues.

 

[Latitude17]

Regarding "Indo Rain Water"... Big Thunderstorm today at 2pm Provided a quick gallon of PH 5.75 and EC of 33.
Tell me what you would do with it, knowing my issues.

I'd use the rain water, RO it, then adjust pH from there. Nature is pretty awesome at providing what you need sometimes.

 

[Latitude17]

3. RO systems are available here, but I was told by the store that the system will only reduce PH by ~1. - 1.5

Keep in mind that RO filtration is more about removing *everything else* from the water THEN only adding back in what you want it to contain - not just pH levels that you can easily adjust.

My RO setup not only filters (5 stage) and sterilizes (via UV) rain water, but adds back calcium and other essential trace elements. I am very picky about what I put in my body, and my grow is no exception .

If you read more about TDS and trace pharmaceutical content in most municipality provided water, it may shock you what they call "clean".

 

[texasdjj]

Keep in mind that RO filtration is more about removing *everything else* from the water THEN only adding back in what you want it to contain - not just pH levels that you can easily adjust.

My RO setup not only filters (5 stage) and sterilizes (via UV) rain water, but adds back calcium and other essential trace elements. I am very picky about what I put in my body, and my grow is no exception .

If you read more about TDS and trace pharmaceutical content in most municipality provided water, it may shock you what they call "clean".

Interesting - so I capture "rainwater" then run it though an RO system... What does your setup look like? A 50gal drum with lines through a RO system? that feeds the reservoir?

 

[Latitude17]

Interesting - so I capture "rainwater" then run it though an RO system... What does your setup look like? A 50gal drum with lines through a RO system? that feeds the reservoir?

More like a 28,000 gallon cistern but basically the same concept ..

I fill my 5 gallon reservoir by hand from the RO supply tap using a sterilized 1 gallon jug. The chiller then recirculates the water between the other 5 gallon grow buckets and the reservoir and is set to 68'F. It's closer to an RDWC setup in that regard.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Regarding "Indo Rain Water"... Big Thunderstorm today at 2pm Provided a quick gallon of PH 5.75 and EC of 33.
Tell me what you would do with it, knowing my issues.

That's the same as my rainwater. I live in a very clean remote place in Northern Canada and the rain is about as clean as it can get. Ph is 5.6 and EC between 0 and 30 (meter only reads by tens) depending on (I think) how slowly or quickly it runs off the roof and through whatever debris is in my gutters,etc.
I don't treat or ph my water in any way after that. I don't regard the 5.6 ph of it as being important since the solution is so weak.
But if I was running DWC I might have to take steps to make it more sterile. Never any issues with the DTW or soilless plants so far though.

 

[Furcifer]

OK - Found "Aquarium Chillers" on the internet now all over the place! I have a 50liter reservoir and will add another 50liter reservoir once I have digested all of "rocket scientist's" input from this thread and have eliminated my PH problems!
So - any recommendations on: Chiller, make, model, size, etc.. Also, are there any "negative" impacts of running the chiller?
Please share..

I use a "Chill Solutions CSXC-1". Cools 30 gallons. $110 + install kit $40. They do put off some heat. I use it on the mixing resivoir only outside of grow/flower rooms/tents and it circulates cool water to the grow tanks.

 

[Furcifer]

That's the same as my rainwater. I live in a very clean remote place in Northern Canada and the rain is about as clean as it can get. Ph is 5.6 and EC between 0 and 30 (meter only reads by tens) depending on (I think) how slowly or quickly it runs off the roof and through whatever debris is in my gutters,etc.
I don't treat or ph my water in any way after that. I don't regard the 5.6 ph of it as being important since the solution is so weak.
But if I was running DWC I might have to take steps to make it more sterile. Never any issues with the DTW or soilless plants so far though.

I use rain water all the time it's available. I collect it like a addict. Seedlings and clones love it. All I do is run it through a coffee filter.

 

[Gree N]

I'm using water from my reasonably new aircon unit, I don't have an ec meter but it's basically distilled water, ph is at 7 and always consistent. It gets so humid around here I can get 5-10 litres in a few hours.

 

[Nonpoint]

Be careful with that! Good way get legionella fooling with condensate water.

I'm using water from my reasonably new aircon unit, I don't have an ec meter but it's basically distilled water, ph is at 7 and always consistent. It gets so humid around here I can get 5-10 litres in a few hours.

 

[Scientific]

Be careful with that! Good way get legionella fooling with condensate water.

Legionnaire's disease is no joke and really is something to think about, especially when there are fine droplets of unchlorinated, warm water in the air. (Classic transmission cases are droplets from cooling systems and sprays from warm, unchlorinated fountains and displays. Which is disturbingly similar to my hydroponic system and really similar to an aeroponic or air cloner system.)

I'm guessing that Gree N is just taking the water that comes straight off the coils and using that, which seems fine to me, but just like with cooked chicken, if it has been sitting there warm for a while so the bugs can grow, I would treat it with caution... especially if you are an older stoner like me. (Legionnaires Disease is more common and worse in older peeps.)

 

[Gree N]

Be careful with that! Good way get legionella fooling with condensate water.

Thanks for your concern but it's a new aircon unit, No algae bloom and that water is still "cold" when I take it from the air conditioned bedroom, legionella would be much more likely too form in a hydroponic room rather then my bedroom.

 

[texasdjj]

I'm using water from my reasonably new aircon unit, I don't have an ec meter but it's basically distilled water, ph is at 7 and always consistent. It gets so humid around here I can get 5-10 litres in a few hours.

Hello Gree N - good idea for a consistent supply. Based on the "PH Chart" that was provided by one of the "contributors" in this dialog, for me - 7PH is a little too high.

 

[Rifleman]

Hello Gree N - good idea for a consistent supply. Based on the "PH Chart" that was provided by one of the "contributors" in this dialog, for me - 7PH is a little too high.

A pH of 7 is way too high for hydro. Aim for a drift between 5.7 and 6.2