Chlorines effects on plants

[RobFromTX]

So I live somewhere the chlorine levels in the tap water are noticeably high. I mean you'd think its at the level of a public swimming pool. For the longest time now I've been filling up an igloo in the grow room with water for my plants as the research I've done online says it dissipates after a few days. But it is no less a pain in the ass to keep it full and I'm altogether tired of dealing with it. So I wanted to get some advice about chlorine's effects on plants as well as the soil. Is what I've been doing really that necessary for plant health? Would it really be such a bad thing to water them straight from the tap? Just wanted to get some other growers opinions on the subject as the research I've read online is very conflicting

 

[mudballs]

Soil you can ignore the chlorine and chloramine thing altogether...soil is way diff than say rockwool or other inert media. For us to hurt a plant in a 5g of soil with chlorinated water, we'd have to be in the range of 2000ppm from tap

 

[RobFromTX]

Okay thank you. Thats good to know

 

[shiva82]

wo forms of vitamin C, ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate, will neutralize chlorine. Neither is considered a hazardous chemical. First, vitamin C does not lower the dissolved oxygen as much as sulfur-based chemicals do. Second, vitamin C is not toxic to aquatic life at the levels used for dechlorinating water.

 

[shiva82]

or if you can afford a reverse osmosis kit rob , and you can re- mineralize the filtered water how ever you desire too.

 

[RobFromTX]

or if you can afford a reverse osmosis kit rob , and you can re- mineralize the filtered water how ever you desire too.

I'd love osmosis kit but the good ones cost a lot of money. Thanks for the info buddy

 

[shiva82]

the tap water is basically recirculating shit and piss water that has had a basic filtration and shit tonne of toxins added to kill bacteria. it is not ideal. get a rain water tank

 

[mudballs]

Good RO's have limited gallon/litre output too...a big grow would require a big expensive unit or multiple units to support

 

[Ringodoggie]

I started having water issues when I moved to SoCal a few years ago. pH is about 8.5 and chlorine is super high.

I use a simple RV water filter. Different filters will filter various amounts of the chlorine. I think mine claims 80% reduction in chlorine.

I have always (and still do) fill 1 gallon jugs and let them sit. But I have this filter inline when I fill the jugs.

Cheap, easy and effective.

 

[RobFromTX]

I use a simple RV water filter. Different filters will filter various amounts of the chlorine.

I did not know that. We have a brita filter system in the sink. But that would take forever

 

[mudballs]

In soil the chlorine molecule just can't make it deep enough to start to be an issue for the plant before it gets broken down. Maybe you hurt microbiotics but that's only top 1-2"
Now rockwool, etc. I would think it matters a whole lot, down to the very ppm for some elite setups

 

[Dime]

Can you try one plant from the tap and see how it goes? You can also put air lines in the holding tank to speed up the chlorine gas dissapation. They put enough chlorine into the tapwater to kill everything and sometimes it takes more and that's why it's stronger some days ,it depends on what they start with. You can buy chlorine test strips pretty cheap,if you go to the pool section at home depot I've seen them for free. You can call your municpality for support, they might be able to tell you about levels and answer your questions .If it's too high it will eat the taps and any steel so they don't go nuts.I use it right from the tap and haven't had any issues.

 

[RobFromTX]

Can you try one plant from the tap and see how it goes? You can also put air lines in the holding tank to speed up the chlorine gas dissapation. They put enough chlorine into the tapwater to kill everything and sometimes it takes more and that's why it's stronger some days ,it depends on what they start with. You can buy chlorine test strips pretty cheap,if you go to the pool section at home depot I've seen them for free. You can call your municpality for support, they might be able to tell you about levels and answer your questions .If it's too high it will eat the taps and any steel so they don't go nuts.I use it right from the tap and haven't had any issues.

Thanks for the heads up about that. I'll head to home depot this week and see if they have the strips

 

[Veritas629]

You should check whether your local water authority is using Chlorine or Chloramine. In short, chlorine is less stable and will dissipate by standing over night. You can help the process with an air pump or circulation of some kind. Chloramine is harder to gas off naturally. The easiest way to get rid of either chemical is to buy a bottle of Tap Water Conditioner from your local pet supply store. This product is used by people with aquariums, because the chlorine & chloramine are both lethal to fish. Water that is treated with this conditioner becomes safe for fish to live in nearly instantly after usage and I've always assumed the same for my plants. This stuff is also safe for the nitrogen fixing bacteria in an aquarium and I therefore assume it to be safe for beneficial microbes.

 

[Rockchild]

So I live somewhere the chlorine levels in the tap water are noticeably high. I mean you'd think its at the level of a public swimming pool. For the longest time now I've been filling up an igloo in the grow room with water for my plants as the research I've done online says it dissipates after a few days. But it is no less a pain in the ass to keep it full and I'm altogether tired of dealing with it. So I wanted to get some advice about chlorine's effects on plants as well as the soil. Is what I've been doing really that necessary for plant health? Would it really be such a bad thing to water them straight from the tap? Just wanted to get some other growers opinions on the subject as the research I've read online is very conflicting

Here in Florida, my (tap) water is hard (390+Ppm) and they switch back/forth from Chlorine (when the need to flush the line or quickly bring down bad bacteria levels) to Chloramine. I Can tell you with 100% certainty that chlorine, nor chloramine will affect your plants. Indoors or out It’s ironic that years ago growers swore by a prod from DMT called “Zone”, which was just watered down Chloramine….