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water quality

Whats the highest total ppm that you can use on neps? I've always just bought RO water, but I just got a water report from the city, and it would save me a lot of money/time if I could just use tap water.
 
I heard less then 100 ppm (mg/L) is ok. Mine is 39ppm, according to my EBMUD water report. ^^ Probably should get it tested later this year tho..., cause we are having a bit of a drought...
 
yeesh...mine is like....well you dont even want to know.

Looking at this report, I'm coming to realize my water has a bunch of tasty additives....ammonia, chloride, barium, ARSENIC, LEAD, CLOROFORM, sulfate, etc
I need to move.
 
Lucky. Here is Lincoln, NE, as of 2005. Might work for Mexican Pings, but that's it!

pH (in pH units) 7.59
Total Alkalinity (CaCO3) 144 ppm
Total Hardness (CaCO3)
(10 grains per gallon) 160 ppm
Total Dissolved Solids 264 ppm
Calcium 47.1 ppm
Chloride 14 ppm
Iron <0.05 ppm
Manganese 1.05 ppb
Sodium 23.9 ppm
Sulfate 39 ppm

Cheers,

Joe
 
I just looked at the most recent Lubbock water report - http://water.ci.lubbock.tx.us/documents/2006%20WQR.pdf - and I now have much more appreciation for our water here. I was going to suggest alternating tap water and RO but, after looking at what comes out of your tap, I wouldn't. Is there enough humidity there for ACs to drip much water or for people to have basement dehumidifiers? Those can be good sources of distilled water.
 
ours is like 161 ppm...i believe. if someone could check Louisville KY water company thingy. i dunno if im looking at the right thing(there is nothing that says "ppm"). ours also has lead, barium and other funky metals.

Alex
 
Here in Oregon I've used tap water for many years on all my plants ;) .
 
I'm lucky here in southern maine.
I just tested my water and it's 37ppm.
I still use a R/O unit for all my drinking and plant water though.
phissionkorps, people at the nep forum might know the answer better, but with the flushing neps get evry time they get watered, your water should in theory be okay. I only paid $100 for a complete 100gpd R/O unit with tank. I would rather be safe than have some picky plant not grow well for me, or worse die from the build up of minerals and salts.
 
Yeah uh...i'm rockin a TDS of 998 ppm, which sometimes goes as low as like 375ppm.

The humidity here is usually about 10-30%, so we can't really get water off the AC. Also, we don't have basements, so unfortunately that won't work either.

Alex, you have to look at "Total Dissolved Solids" all numbers quoted on the water report are in ppm unless otherwise stated (ppb/pCi/L, etc)

Good thing I've only drank out of the tap about 4 times in 2.5 years.....
 
  • #10
Chloroform in the water? When's the next plane to Lubbock, Texas go out?


In all seriousness, I've always heard 100 ppm as a good max guideline. My water just tested out at 3 ppm. The RO unit is an instrument of the heavens, I'm sure of it! It's saved so much time and effort, I'm so glad I have one. I highly recommend them, for convenience alone.
 
  • #11
Yeah uh...i'm rockin a TDS of 998 ppm...
Literaly! How long does it take you to chew and swallow an 8oz glass of water? As for the nice trace elements listed in your cities water report, you can thank man made pollution and old pipes and mains for those.

In all seriousness, I've always heard 100 ppm as a good max guideline.
I have heard the same and that Neps being somewhat more tolerant of minerals can handle a ppm a little over that. Although, it's also suggested that you flush the pot through every 2 to 3 waterings.

My water just tested out at 3 ppm. The RO unit is an instrument of the heavens, I'm sure of it! It's saved so much time and effort, I'm so glad I have one. I highly recommend them, for convenience alone.
My water tests out at 96 ppm. So while it's OK for most CPs, I don't trust it long term for any of them except my Neps. I have tried it "way back when" but my VFTs died after four months and I didn't have any luck growing them past that 'til I started using RO from the store. I'm seriously considering getting an RO unit myself as I went through almost 40 gallons in the past 7 days. My collection isn't that big!
 
  • #12
40 gallons in 7 days! Yeesh...your collection is probably twice as big as mine, and I only use 1.5 gallons every other day or every 3 days
 
  • #13
I have heard the same and that Neps being somewhat more tolerant of minerals can handle a ppm a little over that. Although, it's also suggested that you flush the pot through every 2 to 3 waterings.

Or mixing a small amount of pure water in with the tap water.

xvart.
 
  • #14
I'm on a spring thingy I need to test the tds.
 
  • #15
Phission, had no idea public water got that high(I can see well water doing that).
No basements? Tulsa, OK has few also. Something about the clay being so water retentive that basements get ruined. And, they are in tornado alley(is Lubbock?). I guess storm cellars are pretty expensive.
Anybody recommend a good TDS meter.
Cheers,

Joe
 
  • #16
HM digital tds meter on ebay. $15 free shipping.
I have had mine for 2 yrs and it still works great.
just make sure your buying from someone in the US
peace,
Zero
 
  • #17
On the question of RO machines...awhile back several people suggested it is worth the investment. I've done a bit more research and have found one for a couple of hundred dollars that claims to waste zero water. does anyone know if such claims are credible?
 
  • #18
without more details I personally would be very skeptical of any such claim

the waste water is how the RO membrane constantly cleans and purges itself of the rejected trash

sounds like snake oil to me


Av
 
  • #19
Don't spend $200 on something that clams to waist no water.
The way a r/o filter works it has to waste some water.
you can get a complete R/O system with 3 prefilters, a post filter, 4 gallon tank, and faucet for $100. I don't know why anyone with a collection of cps would go without one. It's also GREAT for drinking, coffee, cooking, fishtanks, etc.
It's one of the best investments I have ever made and has paid for itself about 5 times over in the last year alone.
peace,
Zero
 
  • #20
Actually, the store wants 289--not 200. I just called the manufacturer and they explained that their zero waste model does in fact produce waste water, but that water is then pumped back into your water heater to be reused. Any thoughts?
 
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