Let me put it this way - if you put the water in an open container and you measure the pH and EC of the water, and then two days later measure it again, both will be considerably lower.
Chloride is alkaline.
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- Thread starter goingrey
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Chloride is alkaline.
goingrey
Well-known member
I used to do that when I first started growing because I had read online that you "have to" do it but then I quit because it started to seem more and more like some kind of superstitious forum stuff... But maybe it's just unusually low here, up to 250mg/l is acceptable according to the health authorities (drinking water), compared to that 5mg/l seems low.
RO water would be optimal sure. Don't have a system but maybe I need to start saving the water that my dehuey collects hehe. Doesn't even register on the EC meter.
Well then you'd better try again and measure the change.
It is really simple - you're not supposed to be drinking chloride. The only reason the water companies put it in there is to reduce the number of microbes in the water.
If you're not offgassing your water, and you don't filter your water, that's the problem.
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Ca++
Well-known member
Kin
It's a bit rare now. Instead dosing pellets is easier. iirc chlorides, which is chlorine and a meter, such as calcium. This won't gas off. If the chlorine, or chlorine part of the chloride mixes with organic matter, then we get chloramides. That;s the swimming pool smell that comes from the tap in some areas. At 5ppm it seems you have no such issues in your area. It's notable though that we can smell this, so it is off-gassing to some degree. It must be negligible.
The fish people know about this really, not me. I just listen. They used to stand their top-up water a day or two, but now they have to use neutralising compounds.
If this story isn't true, then it's a well shared myth. I have even seen the compounds for sale.
Years ago chlorine gas was often used to disinfect the water. This would gas off.
It's a bit rare now. Instead dosing pellets is easier. iirc chlorides, which is chlorine and a meter, such as calcium. This won't gas off. If the chlorine, or chlorine part of the chloride mixes with organic matter, then we get chloramides. That;s the swimming pool smell that comes from the tap in some areas. At 5ppm it seems you have no such issues in your area. It's notable though that we can smell this, so it is off-gassing to some degree. It must be negligible.
The fish people know about this really, not me. I just listen. They used to stand their top-up water a day or two, but now they have to use neutralising compounds.
If this story isn't true, then it's a well shared myth. I have even seen the compounds for sale.
goingrey
Well-known member
Chloramine won't evaporate or boil off. Maybe that is the chemical the aquarium neutralizing compound addresses. Chloride will evaporate but takes 1-4 days so I suppose could be a convenience thing to speed things up.
Ca++
Well-known member
Wiki: monochloramine is getting greater use in water treatment, as it's longer lasting and produces less byproducts. Often with chlorine gas treatments, the levels drop through the distribution system, and it's common to see them topped up along the way. This may be unnecessary using monochloramine, which is much better in dead-end pipework, and more stable in the light. In some cases the monochloramine is used just to lower the chlorination byproducts to allowed level. I have a report here, and was quite shocked to look up a great number of red letter words, that were purely from chlorination.
The adoption rate will vary in different areas.
I think that although they use monochloramine here, I still see the chlorine fraction listed as such. NH2Cl Nitrogen Hydrogen Chlorine I'm reckoning.
The adoption rate will vary in different areas.
I think that although they use monochloramine here, I still see the chlorine fraction listed as such. NH2Cl Nitrogen Hydrogen Chlorine I'm reckoning.
I Care
Well-known member
I’m convinced you’re just dealing with lighting. Things change a lot when leaves grow into different light availability. It’s like the leaf tries to grow larger after it grows into less light. With an LED, light differences happen happen through a very small distance, when compared to conventional lighting.
Probably every time you raise your light you’re going to get leaves curling, maybe even if your leaves go up onto brighter light they will seem misshapen as well. Insecticidal sprays seem to have a similar effect on leaves as well, just based on my recent efforts.
Probably every time you raise your light you’re going to get leaves curling, maybe even if your leaves go up onto brighter light they will seem misshapen as well. Insecticidal sprays seem to have a similar effect on leaves as well, just based on my recent efforts.
goingrey
Well-known member
Yeah I'm coming to the conclusion that I have good light for six of the plants and the rest get what they get. Could/should add more light but I'll evaluate that after the first harvest, maybe I'll get all the weed I need even with this amount.
goingrey
Well-known member
My EC meter only goes down to 0.4 and the tap water seems to be less conductive.
