Is Reverse Osmosis Purified Water Really Necessary for Hydroponics?

We show you how to test for water hardness, explain problems hard water can cause your hydroponic plants, and discuss the benefits of using reverse osmosis (RO) purified water instead. Water softeners are also discussed for growers with very hard water.

[@Vermino]

I personally like your speedy-ness of voice. You get alot of information done in a short time which means time saved for me (who wants to watch a 3 hour video on R/O then have to find the right section where they speak about PH again for a refresher course)

[@Just4Growers]

Jesse Matz Thanks Jesse. I'm glad that you find my videos useful and on-point. I love to share my passion! Thanks for stopping by.

[@meowmix1569]

Dat Greyhound analogy was the best ever!

[@cyphipps9967]

Boom, cuts to the chase, keep it coming, love your shows, clear concise to the point and delivered in a hot minute, keeps it interesting, knowledge minus the waffle... UK

[@IFourBlunts]

I'm coming from a saltwater fish tank world and I have a 5 stage RODI system and I'm running 150 gpd and my water pressure is around 90 which is optimal...you should consider getting a booster pump for better flow and install float valves so no wet floors or wasted water. Great video sir

[@-memento_mori]

I love how fast you talk!

[@0utlaw685]

I love how you use general hydro. I have used all brands and think GH is the best and a great price.

[@victorb145]

Probably not the best idea to abbreviate General Hydro. I get it and easily figured it out but when you abbreviate this brand name you get GH of course and in a water video witch this basically is GH also stands for general hardness leaving a reader that's just skimming through very quickly potentially confused.

[@victorb145]

@MrJre4491 I didn't see that when I made the comment. I don't know if I just missed it or if the post was edited. Either way it's there now.

[@mattb4640]

@@victorb145 The post says (edited) if it was edited.

[@mickyburrito]

Seems like every video of yours answers a question I've always had. Great production with rapid fire delivery. Any relation to James Cagney I wonder, ya see.

[@Just4Growers]

I appreciate the positivity! 👊

[@Kurukusu]

this is my new favourite channel! so much good stuff to know before i delve into hydro :)

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks Rickard-glad you're here! Hope you're subbed :)

[@Kurukusu]

of course i am! especially good was explanation on setting up ventilation i had my carbon filter setup all wrong i went fan sucking into a duct that went to the filter...and as soon as i saw how you set it up i see now why it is better to have a fan sucking it into the filter..

[@Just4Growers]

Awesome Rickard-I just like to check you've hit that big enticing red button. :) Thank you. I genuinely appreciate each and every subscriber. Good luck with your grow and keep in touch. Peace and happy growing, Everest.

[@col.cottonhill6655]

Thanks for clearing up this calcium magnesium thing

[@chris432t6]

A bit confused. I thought you were to reduce the calcium in the flower stage? Thank you for this video.

[@Just4Growers]

Often calcium is supplied as calcium nitrate. Nitrates should certainly be reduced during the flowering stage; calcium can be supplied in other non-nitrate forms.

[@chris432t6]

@@Just4Growers Thank you!

[@syoukhan]

do you think it makes sense to use distilled water with soil designed fertilizers? I use lightly fertilized off the shelf soil as a medium. My tap is usually 140ppm 7.8ph they don't go easy with chlorine too, first time I used it in a mint plant the poor thing turned yellow the day after.

[@chrisdziki7005]

All your videos are great. I appreciate you taking the time to share all this valuable information. I’ve used RO in the past but now my initial PPM’s are low enough not to worry about the hardness of the water, however the chlorine and or chloramines are my current issue. Do you have any suggestions for a 3 in 1 water conditioner to eliminate the worry of the chlorine and ammonia? Thanks!

[@kj9349]

Fish store theres a product called Prime

[@spikedlee2721]

superb videos, crammed with info, NO time wasted, NOT too fast (I can use pause button) 4:29 damage probe? yikes, my MW802 is single probe for pH and ppm, how can I check ppm of RO output? 4:00 add tap water !?!!? my tap water is 70ppm and you want me to add back 50ppm to the RO'd water !!?? I hope I misunderstood this. That sounds like I don't need RO water... 20ppm doesn't take much room on that bus.

[@madeonearth3429]

Say that 5 times fast broooo that had me cracking I just love your voiceovers

[@admifond]

that is nice, so does it really operate completely off grid? and what is its maintenance cost? the change of filters cost?

[@Just4Growers]

Admi fonds The RO membranes cost about $68, the sediment filters are $15. So it's obviously the RO membranes that are the real cost issue here. They should be replaced every six months to two years. You can enjoy a replacement frequency nearer to two years if you change your flush your membranes every month and clean your sediment filters regularly. It also depends on the hardness of your input water. I use a pre-softener as my water is very hard. I've been running my RO for nine months and my purified water is still zero ppms. Very cool. Time for a change soon though and I'll be sure to document it with a vid. Oh and yes, if you have enough water pressure (40 PSI+) you don't need an additional pressure booster pump so, yes, off-the-griddable! :)

[@admifond]

Everest Fernandez great thanks, why would you change it if you're still getting 0ppm? could you not leave it until it's giving 50ppm or so? my water is in the 230 range, i grow with it fine but it would be so nice to have soft water. do you use it 24/7 operating? or you only use it to fill a res and then shut it? if one wants to use it at its maximum output, i wonder how much it would cost... i like your channel, cheers

[@Just4Growers]

Admi fonds You're right Admi, no need to change it when it's still operating to maximum potential (pretty impressive!). I don't run it 24 / 7 as my water needs aren't so big right now. I tend to run it overnight until the float valve kicks in and then switch it off for several days at a time. This is probably why I'm enjoying an extended line-span at full efficacy.

[@admifond]

Everest Fernandez yeah that is very nice, if i can run it at max get all its potential output at ppm of less than 100 after 2 years of usage, that would be great, as i am planning to expand my personal greenhouse into something commercial

[@Just4Growers]

Admi fonds Awesome. I look forward to hearing more about your expansion plans.

[@tangobayus]

Great stuff. Good info and hilarious presentation.

[@NestleWaters88]

Everest, you are the best!

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks Andy Wolf.

[@Factoryphoto]

So you are saying run the water softener (salt) then to the RO? I was about to mount the RO outside to my water hose outside, everything in the house runs through a salt softener .

[@62avocado]

What do you think about showerhead water softener for an RO prefilter? I rent and can only use a hose in back yard and trying to keep in small scale and cost effective??

[@chuckkissel2785]

Great video. I'm about to buy this unit. But in my basement the waster water will have to go up about 2 feet above where i could mount the machine to a drainage pipe my washer uses. I always see people putting the waster water tube down below the machine into a drain. Can the unit pump water upward?

[@Farseer1995]

God Everest thanks for that sheer amount of knowledge. I used to scoff at R/O water and thought I could get away with my 250ppm tap water... until I started to witness severe nutrient lockouts in my plants due to all that calcium in the water. I'll be ordering a R/O system soon, nothing special 75 GPD/6 bars, a cal/mag supplement and flora series micro softwater. We'll see how it goes from there, but I'm sure it will go much better. Cheers and keep on growing/filming!

[@Just4Growers]

+Farseer1995 Thanks Farseer. It's as much to do with the incorrect (or less than ideal) ratios of calcium and magnesium in hard water as much as anything else. Calcium is super important for nutrient transport, but it needs to be supplied in the right ratios, which a cal/mag supplement provides in the form of calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, and sometimes a dash of calcium chloride too along with a cheeky hit of iron. Not many growers realise that they are giving their plants an extra hit of nitrogen when using cal/mag. :)

[@Farseer1995]

+Everest Fernandez (Just4Growers) Ok then, I'll keep that in mind, don't want nitrogen toxicity spoiling the party. I was wondering whether or not I should go easy on the cal/mag, as I think GH 3 part flora series which I'm using already has some calcium and magnesium inside them. I'll try 100 ppms for the beggining and see how my plants react.

[@Just4Growers]

+Farseer1995 If you're starting out with RO water then 100 PPMs of cal/mag is great for vegetative growth-I know of growers who go up to 300 PPMs of cal/mag when in flower. Maybe bring it back down to 100 for later flower.

[@weedla3284]

Would an enzyme break down the tap water as it does for non chelated nutrients making a less cost affective solution to an ro?

[@FiYaDivine]

Very useful video sir. May please provide a bit more information on the water softener unit that you installed? Place of purchase? Price? Installation process? Etc. Thank you!

[@Just4Growers]

FiYaDivine I bought it from the local big box DIY store for around a few hundred bucks if I recall correctly. You simply connect it inline-very easy.

[@FiYaDivine]

Everest Fernandez Any brand name or website I may find it? Im not having any luck...

[@Just4Growers]

FiYaDivine What country are you in my friend and I'll see what I can find that is the nearest match locally to you.

[@FiYaDivine]

Southern california

[@joe-edward]

Everest, can you suggest a good "pre-softener" like you talk about in this video? I tried looking up the brand you got, but I could not find it. Thank you, and please keep posting your awesome videos!

[@Just4Growers]

+Joe Edward Hi Joe, whereabouts in the world are you amigo? The brand I use is available in France and perhaps wider Europe but probably not in the US / Canada. If that's where you're located then I'd pop down to your local Big Box home DIY store and see what they have in.

[@giggity4670]

like you vids helpful and quick to the point no doodling to get your 10 mins videos. plus RO is a must have i even drink the stuff as so much crap in the UK water are body and plants dont need not just minerals but all the high level of chlorine and fluoride that plants dont need and just slows it down from getting the good stuff it does need. am thinking of putting in a RO system but it is price in UK looking at £300 for a system to fit to mains plus the filters will need changing over time it cost money but it 100X better for you and your plants.

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks amigo. In the UK you have plenty of RO options. Go speak to the guys at your local grow shop about your needs or tell me how many lights you have and I can suggest some minimum flow rates. I’ve grown in Cardiff and Wolverhampton water - Wolverhampton was particularly trying for its 700 microsiemens’ conductivity (0.7 mS / about 350 PPM using x500 scale) - at the time I thought a hard water formula was sufficient but nothing beats pure, clean water to begin with. Once you go RO, that’s it. You’re in for life! ;)

[@aarongentile7232]

Do you happen to have any pictures or videos of your plants grilled prior to switching to RO water and after switching? I would like to see the difference in size and color cover those are the only two that come to mind that I could see in a picture. Thank you!

[@junioragripreneurhubafrica9357]

Best explanation

[@peterhealyselectricalservi5888]

Hi Everest I have a question for you please. I've just purchased a HM digital PH-200 tester and an RO filter system I noticed In your video you mentioned that you shouldn't put your ph tester in pure RO water as it causes damage to the probe Is it ok to use tester when nutrients have been added to RO water? Thanks in advance 😎

[@Just4Growers]

Yes Hawkman, that's fine.

[@cameronkinney]

It won't cause damage to the probe as the PH of RO water is neutral

[@JonRBermudez]

Hey Everest Fernandez, my pepper seedlings taco shelled under my hid. The leaves are still green, can I correct it by putting them under fluorescents or are they no good? Great video!

[@Just4Growers]

Hey Jonathan, move them into a semi-illuminated area, away from the direct glare of your HID grow lights. Foliar feed a very mild vegetative nutrient solution (0.6 mS or 300 PPMs). Try to keep relative humidity at 60% - 70% and temperatures in the mid 70s. Sometimes when I've had seedlings "go bad" like this and moved them to one side (with the intention of dumping them) they've recovered, so I learnt this trick by accident! Less is more when your plant aren't rocking and rolling. Let me know how you get on! Good luck! :)

[@byronroberts4510]

Nice vid. lots of info

[@timdiligence]

Can we distilled water instead?

[@DingoDavesAnimalHunt]

How must speed have you had?

[@sbyers1978]

Very nice, I make a lot of ro/di water already for my salt water fish tanks getting my first indoor grow under way with some super hot peppers

[@Just4Growers]

Steve Byers Awesome Steve! Do you know the variety of peppers you are growing? And don't be shy with the cal/mag once they start fruiting! Finally, thanks for subbing the channel. Much appreciated! :)

[@sbyers1978]

A little of everything, Carolina reapers, Butch T's, Trinidad scorpions, ghost peppers, peach habinero. And a couple sweet peppers king of the north, mini bell and crimson reds

[@sbyers1978]

Any idea what ph these super hots enjoy?

[@Just4Growers]

Steve Byers In rockwool, I'd keep it between 5.4 and 6.0. What media are you using?

[@sbyers1978]

Rockwool, starting in a Sun blaster nano dome currently with heat mat, wish I could attach a pic

[@beantowngreentowndrfire4731]

thanks man. I have the bud booster 100 gallon a day system and I haven't set it up yet. my damd water is 360 from the tap.

[@Just4Growers]

+Beantown Greentown sound like my tap water. Defo go for a softener then the RO system. A water softener exchanges those calcium and magnesium bicarbonates for potassium and sodium which are easier for the RO to deal with.

[@lisamoore4949]

Can this be installed to my kitchen faucet?

[@fsu3784]

Ro water can damage my ph probes??? I use it to clean them off before I put it in storage solution. Should I not do that or???

[@Just4Growers]

No that’s fine - just don’t leave them stored in RO water - use Kcl storage solution instead.

[@fsu3784]

Everest Fernandez thanks. Love the channel. Still learning no matter how long I’ve been doing this!

[@uc_guy]

Are all CalMag supplements chelated? I have boght GH liquid CalMag supplement and it does not say anything about it being chelated. It just lists them as CaO and MgO.

[@trueharvestconnection]

Can you explain ph RO again, I don’t use bottle nutrients but still need to ph down because it come in at 8.0, so what am I suppose to do if you say do t use your ph pen

[@vildachaya6462]

Get the dropper and test tube and compare to color chart

[@dwaynesmithsonic1customz887]

What to system connects to the garden hose?

[@john2510]

I want an RO system that will be good for both hydroponics and drinking water. Reviews (in the drinking water context) favor the upgrade systems that add minerals (calcium and magnisium) back in. Will that screw me up for hydroponics, or will it be like adding some CaliMagic?

[@ricardopimenta2668]

Those pre water softeners use polyphosphate ? They do not include any additional elements in the water? I was just looking to know if it possible to increase the RO efficiency for aquariums use, but we struggle to get rid of phosphate.

[@Just4Growers]

Ricardo Pimenta Water softeners tend to use either sodium or potassium as the “exchange ion” to replace the calcium. I need to double-check which one I’m using ;)

[@Just4Growers]

Chas. Chan The water softener exchanges the calcium for potassium or sodium, depending on the type, which is then stripped out by the RO - the exchanged ions create less wear on the RO membrane.

[@NestleWaters88]

i'm going to try this out now!

[@NateDizity1420]

What's the price of this filter system?

[@jeremiahwilson1781]

heres one for you ev...if calcium and magnesium carbonates are not readily absorbable in the root zone...hom come General Hydroponics CaliMagic works so well? It is a 1-0-0 calcium carbonate and magnesium nitrate? And another stumper...how come if you strip out the carbonates from yiur tap with r.o. water you may see deficiency especially in coco coir if you dont add a calmag around 0.3 - 0.4 ec to tue r.o. water? If carbonates in tap arent readily available then in theory. ..r.o. water with zero or close to zero ec should he just fine. Always wondered this. If you got an answer....bring it.

[@GMT439]

Depends on the water quality you have in your area. Most of the time R/O isn't needed.

[@xxdeedee]

Sweet vid. Quick question. if my base e.c is 0.6 and 1.2 with nutes added, and I zero it with a R.O system will I be able to bring it back to 1.2 with more nutes or have to lower. Cheers bruva

[@Just4Growers]

+xxdeedee smith Hey xxdeedee. This is a really, really good question as the answer gets right to the heart of how plants uptake nutrients. (In fact, it's well worth a video answer so I'll put it on the list!) For now, the short answer (caveats and explanation to follow) is: YES-you can bring it back to 1.2 with more nutes. This is great news as it means that you can safely transport more nutrition into your plants. I'm thinking I should make a practical video about using RO water in hydroponics-and we can really dive into the WHY and HOW if you like!?

[@Just4Growers]

+xxdeedee smith More thoughts. A friend of mine (nutrient scientist) recommends that folks mix in ¼ tap water with their RO water, as there are other microelements that are normally present in tap water that may not be present in the nutrient solution (as liquid concentrated nutrients are normally made with RO water themselves.) Trace elements such as selenium, cobalt, silicon and sodium are all found in tap water in trace amounts. They are not essential for plant growth, but are beneficial to plant growth in very small quantities. So I thought I'd add this nugget to the info mix! :)

[@xxdeedee]

+Everest Fernandez (Just4Growers) thanks man, I think one of ur videos is going to cover this subject nicely, when can we expect this wealth of info lol. A shout out would be cool lool

[@Just4Growers]

+xxdeedee smith Probably not until next year but I'll say hello to 'xxdeedee smith' if that's the handle you go by! :)

[@andrewa1245]

How do I know if my plant is overfed? The edges of the leaves are kind of rolling up. I'm using maxigrow

[@franklinrand9228]

Hey Everest, how many gallons can you treat before you have to change filters?

[@Just4Growers]

+Franklin Rand good question! My demands are not huge. I get through 25 - 30 gallons a week. My current RO filter is due for a change. Been running it for two years. 2500 to 3000 gallons then?

[@stephenedge4885]

What are your thoughts on RO water vs regular Purified (brita, pur, etc) water?

[@Just4Growers]

RO for the win. Brita - while it does a decent job at removing larger particulates from my non-fluoridated tap water - is good for the kitchen, but won't remove chloramines, chlorine and only partially removes calcium and magnesium carbonates and bicarbonates. It doesn't remove many other minerals from the water whereas RO will strip everything away save the H2O - giving you a blank canvas upon which to paint your ionic masterpiece!

[@CannaKen]

I have a question I have grown the deep water called your plants at my old house in been very successful and then I did it at my new house and very successful. Now all my deep water cultures are dying halfway through flowering. Some of them before some of them later. I change my reservoir every week and the system as well I even changed it 5 days in a row and everyday no matter what it smells fishy why is going on now will this system stop that from happening and why is it all of a sudden doing this period? I have bought all new equipment and started fresh multiple times I want to believe that it's not me because deep water culture is the best way.

[@ChrisBarboni]

H202?

[@veganvampire9084]

Nice video Everest. RO also gets rid of the fluoride in the water, nice side effect of these. BTW how much waste water are you getting to make 1 gallon? Thats really my big issue with these, Ive heard as much as 4-7 gallons to make 1 gallon. Paying the electric company is bad enough, adding the water might hurt. :P I have soft water but getting rid of the fluoride would be real nice.

[@bstite01]

I know this is old. But that system comes with a 2:1 or 1:1 waste to pure water. For those who still want to know 4 years later lol.

[@GeoEngineeringHub]

Does it get rid of chlorine and chloramine?

[@Just4Growers]

kham vang yes.

[@midgrave]

Never had problems with my 50ppm. Will i see an increase in output if I get a filter?

[@bstite01]

Good possibility. That is a fairly good / low starting ppm, but you gotta think that those ppms may want to bond with whatever we put in and form solid precipitates that are no longer available to plants, just depends on what those ppms are. Chlorine in tap water will kill bacteria. Good in some circumstances but it shouldn't be necessary for this application.

[@juleslacrapule]

How about using bicarbonates to stabilise RO water? ive heard potassium carbonate is good, but does someone know the baseline dosage to start from?

[@ebp4life]

what is the brand/model of the pre softener

[@raykay2708]

What about using A/C condensation and water from dehumidifier? Would you recommend this? PPM comes out pretty low but feel like water is kind of darker though

[@Just4Growers]

Sometimes AC and dehums can leach heavy metals from their internals into the condensate. Some manufacturers say it’s okay to use the water after a few days’ operation (Ditch any water you collected during those first few days) - if your condensate looks discolored I would not recommend using it as part of a feed solution.

[@shalvalagadze3754]

So why hydroponics need ionized water? It does not causes mold?

[@tucosalamanca8318]

Hi Can some one tell me if using a RO system on soft water. Is it worth my while. Or is it only good for hard water

[@Just4Growers]

If your soft water measures 0.3 mS (150 PPM) you can use an RO filter to get it down to zero - this is definitely worth your while. For harder water you should put your water through a water softener unit first to maximize the longevity of your RO filter.

[@jonslg240]

in all of the installation guides for RO systems that I've read, the vast majority state NOT to install an RO system down stream from a water softener as it will clog the membrane faster

[@jonslg240]

oh, and the ones that don't usually just have no mention of water softeners period ..I've never actually read an installation guide that says to do it

[@Just4Growers]

+Jons LG On the contrary amigo, the sodium or potassium ions that the softener exchanges the calcium carbonates and bicarbonates for will prolong the life of your RO membrane.

[@binski30]

That's about 40 miles from me.small world mate..yes I haven't had any cal mag issues. I use advanced nutes..Thank you. .peace

[@Just4Growers]

+lee uk Good luck with your grow Lee.

[@binski30]

hi I'm in the uk. and I use ec mine is 0.15. I believe it's soft water.what is it in ppms please. Thanks. peace

[@Just4Growers]

Hi Lee. I prefer EC too. When measuring electrical conductance we just have one reading to go by. In your case, 0.15 milisiemens or 150 microsiemens. To convert into PPMs (a measure of concentration) we have to use a conversion factor. These can vary but I use microsiemens X 0.5 so yours would be 150 x 0.5 or 75 PPMs. Check out my other video on hydroponic nutrients, TDS, EC, PPMs explained in the hydroponic nutrients playlist. Your water is pretty soft for the UK. I'm guessing Sheffield. ;)

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

Everest Fernandez Sheffield tap water ppms is currently 350-380.

[@ggash8594]

@@Just4Growers All your videos are most excellent!! by chance ..what ppm should I expect from pre softened water after running through the RO system ...and If I get more than 0 ..is something wrong??

[@gillenzfluff8380]

I don't use reverse osmosis or an ec meter or check ph and my water is very hard I never needed cal mag.

[@MarkDoesThings.]

hey I am noobie hydroponic grower I can afford to invest in a ro system but my water connection would be 10 ft away from my master res in my grow room would I be able to replace the white tubing with longer tubing?will the 40 psi be enough pressure to push the water into the grow room?

[@Just4Growers]

No problem Mark. Install your RO machine close to your water point and drainage and feed the RO output tube to your res. Try to get gravity on your side too.

[@MarkDoesThings.]

+Everest Fernandez (Just4Growers) fuck yeah I'm excited just order my room system can't do this tap water running 220 ppm off the bat with added nutrients runs 750

[@Just4Growers]

+mark mongillo I've dealt with worse (and tried hard water formulations) but you are definitely on the best track. Once you try RO there's only one way to grow! Good luck :))

[@Thatguythere-u7r]

I have tried to find an answer to a question, I wouldn't mind if anyone has any thoughts on the matter. If hardwater from a well is treated with a water softener how does that condition the water for hydroponic use ????

[@Just4Growers]

+Peter Koopman Hi Peter, domestic water softeners commonly use ion exchange (I.e. With potassium or sodium chloride) and, as such, don't actually lower the TDS or EC of your source water. I use a water softener too as my tap water is 350 PPM (TDS) or 0.7 mS/cm2. (EC). Then I pass it through a sediment, carbon and reverse osmosis filter in the form of a Stealth 100 RO machine by Hydro-Logic. A fantastic and very reliable device I might add. Works great despite my abuse! This lowers my PPMs and EC to zero - so that I have the most "room" in the water to add my plant available nutrients. Put another way, if you know your plants don't enjoy more than 2.2 mS or 1100 PPM even when in peak production, wouldn't you rather those precious PPM places were taken up by a balanced ratio of all essential plant-usable nutrients in solution (hydroponics) rather than being squeezed and pushed out of whack by an excess of calcium and magnesium? In short, buying a water softener was smart because it will make your RO filters last a lot longer. ;) buy a reverse osmosis filter and install it as near to your grow as possible. Remember you will need a drainage point near to the RO filter too.

[@Thatguythere-u7r]

I love the prompt response and have been a big fan. I was told once that the salt and resin type house hold water softener that isn't designed for hydroponics in mind is bad because it is using salt to treat the hard water. Thus adding the bad kind of salt into the water. I have used a zero water filter to get it down and it's affordable. The ppm pen says from the tap it's 135 ppm. I know it could vary. But I just didn't know if the ion exchange salt filters water is good by itself to use.

[@acrock21]

dude if you have a product you show in a video why no link for the product ?? =(

[@Just4Growers]

Products change all the time. Let me know which one you’re interested in and I’ll reply with a link.

[@heckyes]

Normally I have things to add, this time... zip. Great vid.

[@Just4Growers]

+enticed2zeitgeist thank you my friend. Hope all is well in your fine and green world. :)

[@nosajsebrof2]

I noticed you have a big drum as a reserviour, and was wondering how you setup a recycling water system with drainage at a lower level then your res hieght? i found that i have to drain into a res which is at my pot level and then pump back into my main res with a pump and a float. is there a better way?

[@Just4Growers]

Good question Nosaj. You can use an inline pump with a built-in flow detection switch that will push any leachate through a hosepipe at pressure, thus enabling you to channel your run-off to deposit points that are higher up. You could also set up a transfer pump on a float valve to transfer the run-off from your lower res to your main res. Finally you could investigate setting up a siphon between the two if they are fairly adjacent.

[@nosajsebrof2]

Thanks for the info, the flow switch system would be the most suitable but i have not seen a system described with this. nor do i know of any pumps that can do this that arent large pool or pond type scales. any suggestions?

[@Just4Growers]

+Nosaj Sebrof The way I've dealt with this in most simply the past is to have a submersible pump in my run-off reservoir periodically switch on and pump into the main res.

[@nosajsebrof2]

yes that is what i was thinking. but my concern is if the pump starts sucking air when the drainage res gets low it would damage the pump(if it was on a timer type thing). hence a float or flow switch to cut the pump power when required. I use aqua one pumps currently but they are just basic aquarium pumps. do you know of any pumps or small size like these that have floats or flow switched in them?

[@Just4Growers]

You can buy pumps with float switch attachments from Home Depot.

[@srenbinderupmadsen5048]

what is the ratio of clean vs dirty water from your RO system?

[@Just4Growers]

Søren Binderup Madsen 1 part clean to 3 parts waste.

[@Just4Growers]

Søren Binderup Madsen If your source water isn't too bad you can add a little "widget" that increases the amount of pure water to waste water ratio.

[@srenbinderupmadsen5048]

Okay cool, I pay big bucks for my tap water so I have to take that into consideration 😃 thanks Everest

[@Just4Growers]

Søren Binderup Madsen It's possible to get it down to 1:1 -- what's the EC of your tap water Søren?

[@1crazynordlander]

So what PPM and PH meters do you recommend for a hydroponics grower. I have the stealth RO 100 that I have probably ruined using it with hard water already the past two years. Are there combo meters so I don't have to buy both? Thanks Kevin

[@Just4Growers]

Unsurprisingly I am going to recommend what I use - the Bluelab combo meter - because it has replaceable probes and is super durable and reliable. You'll pay a few more bucks but you won't regret it further down the line.

[@1crazynordlander]

Everest Fernandez Only one model here? And it's not a pen?

[@stevenhinostroza5439]

My tap water here in central california is coming out 580ppm’s out the faucet and that’s WITH a catalyic carbon filter attached to the intake! I can hardly feed my plants anything at all until flower or i experience extreme lockouts. And it’s terrible because the plants are missing out on so many other vital nutes in the veg stage! Alright, it’s time to take the plunge and invest in a RO system.... 🙄

[@Just4Growers]

It certainly is my friend. I would recommend getting a water softener for your whole domestic water supply and THEN passing this softened water through an RO - your RO filters will last so much longer! Good luck! Once you grow RO you never go back!

[@UnboundGURA]

Everest can you please post a link to the water softener you have installed in the video? I cant seem to find it anywhere. I purchased a hydrologic small boy thinking it was a water softener and was going to run it before the hydro logic stealth RO but hydrologic informed me that their small boy is not a softener. please post link. thanks

[@charlesboston1]

btw citric acid is supposed to make the calcium and other minerals ) in your water usable .

[@satpalsinghgrewal8498]

Which country sir

[@ngantnier]

Mine is 800ppm, I think the groundwater comes from limestone aquifers. RO is definitely necessary.

[@HINK82]

mine is 925 ppm did reverse osmosis system work for you ? if so what one did you purchase and did you install a watersoftner aswell or any prefilters?

[@ngantnier]

@@HINK82 yes, we have a water softener. Last I checked the water was under 10ppm. I can't remember the brand. But you can get them starting around $70 for a tiny one. They all should work.

[@ukessko]

In this video he says its 100GPD in the other video description it says 200GPD.... which one dude?! also how many stages is recommended?

[@Just4Growers]

ukessko I have two different filters - sorry for the confusion. 100 GpD is fine for me and my four lights. Three stages, including the RO.

[@ukessko]

@@Just4Growers thanks for the reply dude. Ok I think I'm going to go for a 3 stage like yours with a pump. the pumps the company sell make no mention of a pressure switch, however. I also haven't got a clue what to look for in a water softener and whether its harder or easier to install than the RO system.. can you shed any light on this?

[@WeeDKiLL42O]

(Updated) Well yes it's necessary to have a reverse osmosis system if your growing cannabis especially if your growing in super soil because you need that chlorine and but most of all the chloramine out so that it doesn't kill the living organism's and microbs that's In living Super Soil but really to be technical you don't need a reverse osmosis system for instance all u need is to filter out the chlorine and chloramine with a kdf-85 filter or buy some Ecothrive Neutralise add few drops to your tap water and it will get rid of the chlorine and chloramine that's in the tap water but I highly recommend a reverse osmosis system because it gets out bad metals Ecothrive Neutralise can't.

[@RomoJack]

Honestly I was looking into getting an RO system when I was first getting into Hydroponics but instead I started to collect rain water. What are your thoughts on this Everest?

[@Just4Growers]

Romo Jack Rain water is hard to beat Romo. It's worth performing a quick pH and TDS check but you should find it is

[@RomoJack]

Everest Fernandez Yeah the pH is usually around 7 and the TDS is often so low that none of the TDS meters I've tested reads above 0. I'll invest in cal mag since I've never used it before that's probably why I've been hit and miss with certain grows. At times only half the seeds would propagate while at other times I would have a 100% grow

[@Just4Growers]

Romo Jack I like it! Yes, definitely reach for the liquid cal/mag. Add 100 ppms to your rain water for leaft green crops, and up to around 300 ppms for flowering and fruiting crops.

[@binski30]

Thanks for getting back to me.wales in the uk mate thats where my tap water comes from ☺..would you add any more cal mag in my tap water of 0.15 ec.thank you..big fan of your vids..peace

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks Lee. I think standard base nutrients will have you covered mate. I add CalMag to reverse osmosis water and get it up to 0.3 mS. I plan to talk more about calcium and magnesium, both as a root feed and a foliar. You can fix a calcium deficiency very quickly using foliar. I visited a place called Myrthyr Tydfil once. Interesting night, to say the least. :)

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks ***** - I not only use RO water in my grow room, but also in my cooking. It's especially good for making strong brines (for soaking a chicken overnight before slow roasting - Google "Heston Slow Roast Chicken") and bouillon / stock, sauces, gravies and soups. Basically, any application where you want flavour in liquid form, look no further than RO. Great for espresso too. RO water has a greater capacity for absorbing flavors, as well as nutrients! Fluoride is an interesting issue. I live in an region where it is not added to our municipal water but a very small amount occurs naturally. While topical exposure to precise amounts of sodium fluoride has been demonstrated to effectively combat tooth decay, I really don't see the need to swallow it, let alone near-mandate ingestion through adding it to the municipal water supply. You may already know that fluoride ingestion has been linked to osteoporosis in boys. Also, Dr. Phyllis Mullenix conducted some groundbreaking experiments on fluoride's effect on brain function. If you've not heard of her then she's definitely worth a Google. I came across her work thanks to the awesome book "The Fluoride Deception" by Christopher Bryson. Bear in mind that reverse osmosis water needs to be re-mineralized in order to make it suitable for human consumption. Pure RO can actually strip the minerals out of your body it is such a good solvent! Check out the Hydro-Logic 31020 Eco-Spring - I'm definitely in the market for one of those!

[@MrChadwke]

have a downvote

[@jaimedelgado7529]

Mr Everest if I buy distilled water I get the same effect ?

[@Just4Growers]

@@MrChadwke Survey my field of shits and you will observe that it is barren.

[@MrChit-od9po]

What about just using rain water? I get about 50ppm

[@westwater73]

Rain water isn't as clean as most think, it can pick up bacteria/pathogens and all manner of nasties...

[@MrChit-od9po]

@@westwater73 the few times I've used rain water I was getting 4-12 ppm. If one was to use a low micron cloth filter and use a bit of hydrogen peroxide, wouldn't that put rain water to par w RO? I just think it's a bit arbitrary to shell out doe when something just as good is falling from the sky.

[@edesmutter5200]

can't i just buy distilled water and have the same effect?

[@Just4Growers]

+T yes

[@edesmutter5200]

Everest Fernandez thanks for the fast answer. :) and great videos btw very informative and easy to understand! keep it up.

[@Just4Growers]

+T You're welcome. RO machine is the way to go amigo. You can pick up 100 GPD units very reasonably. It makes hydroponics in my hard water area so much more easy and enjoyable.

[@CannaKen]

For the last couple years, i have failed with my DWC. Everytime i do everything perfect, ph, temps, ppms.. Other than this, And now i am doing this for the first time after losing thousands of dollars, giving it one more try. I pray this works.

[@elliottdebell7783]

Ken Hall other than what? Maybe try coco a lot more forgiving but you need a waste outlet for run off

[@CannaKen]

@@elliottdebell7783 reverse osmosis is working great now

[@daveaufradern6658]

Dude, you rock :-) !

[@kevinn4393]

Wow Good job....

[@esiquiocervantes1293]

online is advertised as low ppm??your getting zero ppm out the filter??

[@Just4Growers]

+Esiquio Cervantes yes, super low. Very happy.

[@ColinaDePiedra]

Do i need cal mag when my water is Hard?

[@bstite01]

Yes. As the video went over the hard water contains those minerals but not in a form that is suitable for horticulture and cause the taco shell look his plants had in the initial few minutes. Filter then add suitable minerals.

[@teddybear1829]

In my city in the up is 365 ppm . That is not all cal and mag , that’s chloride, Lead and other nasty stuff.

[@buttmanY]

What about britta water filtration?

[@ebp4life]

no

[@andyeccentric]

Video starts at 3:25

[@cjhification]

300-400 ppm is nothing I have about 700ppm before adding anything to my water. What happens when your water comes from chalk.

[@SimonSzxcv]

My well water is 950 ppm :(

[@xub42yjr]

I use rain water witch normally has a ppm of around 18-30

[@Just4Growers]

Sounds like just the ticket. Did you check the pH too?

[@xub42yjr]

Everest Fernandez yeah it is close to 7

[@dede2932]

But if it is in the middle

[@janesmith4167]

K, I get every YT grower talks abt RO water, but what abt talking about alternatives, for the people who don't have or can't afford RO machine but still would like to try hydroponics in a sm scale. I'm just starting and spending hundreds of $ on a machine that I'm not sure I should be using cuz it wastes water and electricity , but maybe grow 1/2 plants using distiller, tap and etc or some tutorials

[@Just4Growers]

curly sue Hey Curly Sue. Thanks for your comment and yes-I hear you! It took me a long time to switch on to reverse osmosis water and for many years I just made do with my tap water and a hard water nutrient formulation. As long as I kept an eye on my PPMs (nutrient concentration) I was fine and enjoyed decent results. Some nutrient companies offer a special one-part 'starter' nutrient for hard water which is well worth looking into. Failing that, your rain water offers the cheapest source of pure water out there so start collecting that. I will certainly be performing some comparisons between plants grown with pure RO water and plants grown with my horribly hard tap water. I performed some tests with seedlings (as you can see) but it would be interesting to grow plants out for the whole cycle and compare harvest quantity and quality. Thanks for the inspiration! Please subscribe to my channel if you haven't already! Peace and happy growing, Everest.

[@MDX360liveordietryin]

Thank you

[@xxdeedee]

Cheers bro, yer that defo sounds like a good idea, I'm trying to read up on the cal mag thing as well. Nice one bro I ain't gonna lie ur videos are sick and the dwc page on just 4 growers I got the shit book marked lol

[@Just4Growers]

+xxdeedee smith Awesome xxdeedee, I'm glad you find the videos (and the articles on just4growers.com) useful. I am indebted to my main man Daniel Wilson for all that DWC info-he designed the Undercurrent DWC system so he knows a thing or two ;-)

[@Nick_Jarrett]

320ppm is nothing, east of england we get around 440ppm

[@Just4Growers]

My sincerest condolences! A water softener and RO system is going to transform your world.

[@Nick_Jarrett]

I pump out over 2000l of clean water a year for my carnivorous plants but at around 60ppm after the membrane I chew through di resin to the point where 250l of purified water has completely used a 300ml container of di resin I'm waiting on more bits so I can run a 3rd membrane but after the 2 parallel so I can increase the flow restrictor and get more waste and lower tds and then feed to a sequential membrane on the waste side once waste has gone down from 800ppm to 630ppm with a 30second per litre increase to purified water time, but then it takes the membrane side down from 64 to 50ppm I'm just going through a few channels finding other peoples setups and multi membrane setups and anything useful that might help since for some reason the 2x100gpd to a 200gpd and a 2yr old 100gpd did absolutely nothing to the purified speed and no one can understand why

[@surrealkiller7828]

my well water is sometimes above 500 ppm

[@user-om3yk7fs7e]

what is sodium level

[@Just4Growers]

RO will reduce sodium levels to virtually zero.

[@user-om3yk7fs7e]

@@Just4Growers Thanks Now i know some NEw 😍😅

[@charlesboston1]

320 ppm ??? try between 550 and 600 ppm