Best pool chemicals& water testing products according to redditors
We found 128 Reddit comments discussing the best pool chemicals& water testing products. We ranked the 52 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Amazon Pool Rx
OP you need this product. Stick in your pump basket, but, skip the recharge kit and buy another one in 6 months. If you shock the pool with powdered chlorine, predissolve it thoroughly. Can cause a stain/shadow for a few days but fades eventually. This has cut chlorine consumption drastically. We were skeptical about carrying this product. But damn it works.
Equipment List
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Chemicals and Food
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OnePlus 2 Manual Camera Settings
For those interested my light is an AI Prime LED set to the 14k spectrum.
If you really want to find out, you can get a simple water test kit that will show you the amounts of chlorine and copper in your water (along with other stuff like lead, mercury, etc).
I just came across this research on seawater greenhouses for a global water class.
My feeling is that it would be easier to focus on plants and animals that are native to that ecosystem. Look into halophytes. Other good crops could be kangkong or New Zealand spinach. Here is some research that was done on both of those crops under various saline concentrations. You will want to get an idea of the salt concentration you are dealing with. Might want to search for that info or order a salt test kit.
I would seriously reflect on non-traditional crops since the wont tolerate much imperfection in their environment. I feel that organisms that live in these saline environments have developed very good cellular machinery to regulate their homeostasis and should be looked at. Ions build up to toxic levels in many normal crops even at low concentrations of salts. Tossing in crops that are not adapted means that you will have to provide all of that energy to change their local environment. It could be done at a cost but its not really a permaculture way of doing it. It's easier to change the crops.
The idea is good though. Kristopher Hite posted an article on Scientific American on using plants to capture runoff nitrates from the Mississippi River. It would be useful if we could create something like a floating farm. Bill Mollison used to talk about how our city's are designs to dump nutrients out to sea, and future generations are going to have go out and bring it back.
Tbh at my pool at the Y we run our chlorine mostly between 3-5. As said previously, higher bather load (more swimmers) usually means 5-10ppm. They meant chlorine at 1.5, a 1.5 pH would be absolutely incredible and dangerous. I consider 1.5 to be low, but we would not close our pool over it, just add more. 1 is closing.
You can get one of these testers at any pool store or Walmart for pretty cheap peace of mind. They have instructions inside that are very easy to follow. I'd be slightly offended if you tested my pool, but I also check the chemicals hourly and I'd know what they are if you asked me, so I doubt your lifeguards will say anything. Clearly they don't keep good records. You should complain about that. Not trying to make you paranoid, but the ones who don't check chemicals are not necessarily the best lifeguards either.
If it's cloudy, good call not to swim. If it smells strongly or makes your eyes water from deck, don't swim. I'll add that if you do get a tester and the pH is not between 7.2-7.8, then don't swim.
Can I ask what the hours of your pool are? IMO 3 times a day is not enough if it's open relatively 24/7.
Edit: You can totally buy strips. Never used them before, but they are also probably at any pool store or walmart. I would probably be amused if you did this at my pool. It's probably a lot subtler than the dropper-testers.
Edit 2: I feel like I should add that I would let you test my pool if you wanted to, even if it would hurt my feelings. I feel like up top there I insinuated that it wouldn't be okay, but it would be fine. I have nothing to hide.
Like most super powers, you can buy it for under $20
https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY
*first result I got on amazon. I'm not sure how good it is.
I have the same one. TDS meter reads in single digits.
Honestly, you can do much better for your money... There are kits in the Starter Shopping Lists to the right on the sidebar.
I was wondering the other day what exactly I would need for a turn-key grow setup, and put the following together. Mind you, this is not TOP of the line shit, but it will absolutely get you into the hobby!
600W Tube / Timer / MH & HPS Bulbs / Hangars / Ballast - $157.50
6 Inch Carbon Filter / 440CFM Fan - $149.75
25 Ft. 6 Inch Ducting - $19.10
48 x 48 x 78 Tent - $139.99
FFOF - $18.99
General Hydroponics Go Box Starter Kit - $35.95
CALIBER IV DIGITAL HYGROMETER - $19.23
Smart Pot Container - Pack of Five - $20.65
Micro-Tip Pruning Snip - $10.19
Light Duty Soft Wire Tie - $7.84
PH & Temperature Meter - $79.95
Water Quality TDS Tester - $15.59
LED Handheld Microscope - $16.81
Total just under 700$ and you are getting a LOT more for your money.
Don't blindly take that list, shop around, deal hunt, and do the research! There are many hidden costs associated with growing ><
$2.7 million for water treatment chemicals?
If they get really stuck, they could probably go "cheap" (solid chlorine vs liquid or something more expensive) and still be 95%+ effective.
https://www.amazon.com/Zappit-73-Hypo-Pool-Shock/dp/B01F44CVMQ/ (50 pounds per bucket) "1 lb will provide 2ppm of available chlorine in 40,000 gallon pool"
2ppm would probably do the trick. You can drink up to 4ppm safely, although 0.5ppm is better - https://www.cdc.gov/safewater/chlorine-residual-testing.html
It measures the total dissolved solids in the water, which for the most part is what matters, buy one, stick it in the water. If it reads under 50ppm it's fine. If it's over it's no good.
Linky
To be fair, tap water commonly has some ions in it - some salt, some rust. Which makes it conductive. Depending on a lake it can be less conductive than tap water. But that "depending" is pretty much the key. Unless you bring solid particle tester with you everywhere - you can't be sure.
Id rather use hard water than soft water. Too much salt buildup kills plants.
Take a sample to your local fish store if possible (Or purchase a PPM/PH meter) to find out your PPM and PH.
Anything above 300ppm gets a little sketchy and you will want an RO system.
PH can be altered but anything over a PH of 9 you will be using a ton of PH down.
If your PH and PPM are both below what I stated above I would still recommend something like a Small Boy filter for Chlorine/Chloramine and undissolved particles.
It's just as possible that your tap water has too many minerals. My tap water supply can sometimes have 6-9 times the optimal level. Short of having a full water test done, you can buy a cheap TDS meter off amazon (we use these) but I'm sure any of them are fine. You're looking for an target of about 150ppm but I've had great cups from 100-350ish. You might find it might be a good idea to mix some distilled and tap, preferably filtered if your water has any distinct taste to it.
For no cost (aside from coffee and water) you could just try a 10%tap 90%distilled batch, a 50/50 batch, and a 100% tap batch and just make some adjustments from whichever you like the most.
>With the raft, don't the roots sit in water?
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Yes and no. What you want to do is get enough foam so that about half of inch sits outside the water at all time. This allows the roots to breath outside of the water (like the DWC). Again, don’t let this part get dry or it can cause air pruning. You can do this by allowing the net pot to sit a little higher in the foam, planting higher in the net pot, or getting a little thicker foam.
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I am attaching a link to MPH Gardener. I would say look over his stuff. He is pretty freakin’ awsome.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDYeffYcVkY
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>Can you recommend all the testing equipment I need or provide an Amazon link?
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You will need a PPM and pH meter. These are two cheap version I use. You can go as crazy as you want, just remember the cheaper the more you replace them.
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pH: http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity%C2%AE-Accuracy-Measurement-Resolution-Handheld/dp/B00FJFEB2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1427150876&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=ph+meter
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pH Callibration Liquid: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007X5KAV4/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687462&amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;pf_rd_i=B004HE7W42&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_r=118RAVZJW5YGE1CB5EE9
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PPM: http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1427150876&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=ph+meter
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>With lettuce greens, I think the raft would work. Perhaps I'll do DWC with tomatoes; I think it would be hard with greens.
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That sounds great. Watch the MPH Gardener on his Dutch bucket tomatoes first. I will preface with he does use MiracleGro for his nutrients, which is a highly debated topic. So take the nutrients with a grain of salt.
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>How do you swap out water? Do you just do a 100% water change? Is that cost-effective with the price of nutrients?
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I do do a 100% water change every two weeks. You can check the level of nutrients and try adding them; however, I have an outside garden during the summer and just put the nutrients there which does wonders for them.
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Also, it gives me a chance to add in bacteria as I need it.
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There are methods for balancing the pH, nutrients, and keeping the same water; however, as a beginner I would not get into this. If you want to we can talk but just swap the nutrients out as you go.
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And this is where I will highlight that you want a shallow reservoir because you want to keep the minimum water you need to not to waste nutrients. I would say go to a hardware store and ikea and see what bins will work.
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>Do I need to paint my plastic bin black to deter mold growth? Thanks so much for your help!
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Yes and no. There are ways to go around managing algae with either pond products or barley straw mats, but to be honest sealing off holes and painting things black is the easiest.
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Keep in mind that if you are going to have high heat in the room a white reservoir might be better than black.
Yea, if you really want to be sure, just bring a testing kit everywhere you go.
http://www.amazon.com/Watts-Premier-173006-All-In-One-Water/dp/B002XISS4C
Invest in some calcium hypochlorite. One pound purifies 10,000 gallons.
I run a DWC and use this for a PPM meter. Does the job. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want to chat.
Just make sure you get the one with the DI. The replacement cartridges are pretty reasonable as well, and my lps sells them as well as amazon. I have heard nothing bad about that system. My TDS from the tap is 144, and is zero after that system.
Here is the TDS monitor for cheap:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EHAZGW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
And a float valve if you need one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0113UJOOS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Well those roots look healthy to me. Just try the flushing. Here is a TDS I use for $16. Even if you do not go for the calibration solution gotta have it if you want to grow the dro.
> run the water for a few seconds to get it to be clear.
then you should DEFINITELY get a 2 stage system (otherwise you'll burn threw expensive cartridges for nothing) one dedicated to particulates. to determine what unseen contaminants you may have, first buy a water test kit, then get the 2nd stage filter to address what it reveals.
https://www.amazon.com//dp/B002XISS4C/ (if you are not good at following directions PRECISELY then have a friend come over and help you)
look, it really boils down to this - if you simply want a piece of mind placebo, then get the culligan your friends like. if you actually want to know what exactly is wrong with your drinking water, and filter precisely for it's now understood flaws, then listen to the voice of reason...
http://www.cityofws.org/waterqualityreport2014
DryTec 23224 Extra Shock Treatment for Swimming Pool Chlorine Bag, 1 lb. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WLWMM06/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IlBSDbQ6509SQ
After you transplant leave your light off for 24 hours to help with the shock. Sometimes hydro shops have used bulbs they will sell for cheap, depending on your ballast your should be able to run a 250 watt bulb if that's all you can find and afford. If the plants aren't in cubes I suggest letting the roots stay in the small clump of soil around them. You could wash the roots off but it will stress them more and when exposing them to lights you risk killing the roots. After you transplant fill right up to the bottom of the leaves that are growing. If you don't have a ph meter I suggest something like this. http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1396007211&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=ph+meter Its fairly inexpensive and very easy to use. If all you have is less than $30 to spend I suggest the meter over a mh bulb and pick up a thermometer. Also since the plants will be in shock once you transplant them foiler feed with water (spray down the tops and bottoms of the leaves with clean soft water)
I'd make a tea from the soil your not using. Its not going to be the best but will give you some nutes if you can't afford to pick up bottles.
Grab a TDS meter and see what the water looks like. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_hi.xDbFM7VJRA
RO/DI water is great to use!
You could try a home test:ecoli
But for a full spectrum test you may want to send a sample to a lab. example
Thanks for the shoutout! Glad I could be of some help!
Ok, so let's get started.
First, what part of Texas are you in? I believe you have native CP's closer to the eastern part of the state.
Now to answer your questions:
As far as the next ingredient, I go with Silica Sand which is also called pool filter sand. Do not use play sand, paver sand, etc. only Silica Sand/ Pool Filter sand. This is the brand that I use. I've hear Quikrete makes some, but it's not available in my area. I typically do a 50/50 or 60/40 mix. If your area is fairly dry, I'd probably do a 60 Sphagnum/ 40 Sand mix. You can add perlite if you'd like, but I'm not sure it's necessary. Other optional additions are long pine needles and long fiber sphagnum top layer. Long fiber sphagnum as a top layer would be good if your climate is fairly dry as it will supplement the plants with some humidity.
http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY
IIRC, it's frowned in most subs upon unless a disclaimer was made. Otherwise, there'd be a flood of spammy affiliate links.
I just looked at the link. The ref code might just be an auto generated one rather than affiliate.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TXBE4Q/ ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_H0BVDbFKSW7HT
You'll need one of these: https://www.amazon.com/TAYLOR-TECHNOLOGIES-INC-K-1766-CHLORIDE/dp/B001DO35EU/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1520998347&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=salt+test+kit
Also, any test kit that includes a CYA test should be good. The K2006 is a pretty standard kit that test all aspects of water chemistry (except for salt concentration) If you have a salt generator, you'll probably need to manually boost your CYA levels that would normally come from chlorine.
https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/138-water-balance-for-swg-saltwater-chlorine-generator
https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/127-salt-water-chlorine-generators-swg
I'm all about confirming an issue before trying to resolve it - so you might use a testing kit to check the hardness of your water. Might be overkill - or might be enough to make you feel good about installing a water softener. I saw someone else mentioned the water heater might be full of sediment. I believe you're supposed to drain the water heater every year to help, but those things will build up over time no matter what. A test kit might also let you check your normal cold water - as well as your hard water to see if build-up really is a problem. Good Luck!
It is possible that you could have pretty decent tap water. Your best bet would be to get a TDS meter to determine the amount of total dissolved solids. Preferably you would want less than 5ppm.
People have successfully kept saltwater aquariums without RO/DI, but using RO/DI water limits the chance of any nuisance algae and poor water quality as some tap water already has ammonia/nitrite/nitrate in it. I would recommend using RO/DI water, but if you don't want to have to buy a unit - you could always buy RO/DI water from your local fish store. It's usually ~$1 per gallon. I would advise against any prepackaged "Natural Sea Water" though... which is like $15 for 4 gallons, so you'll know the difference.
I would think it would give you a basic idea of quality.
$15.37 HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester, 0-9990 ppm Measurement Range , 1 ppm Resolution, +/- 3% Readout Accuracy
https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1503463109&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=water+testing+meter
https://www.amazon.com/TAYLOR-TECHNOLOGIES-INC-K-1766-CHLORIDE/dp/B001DO35EU/ref=pd_bxgy_86_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B001DO35EU&amp;pd_rd_r=9E1HJ22ZFG1HCRKJCBHH&amp;pd_rd_w=or2a0&amp;pd_rd_wg=4c4Ws&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=9E1HJ22ZFG1HCRKJCBHH This test kit will do the trick. Easy to use and accurate.
You should consider buying a TDS meter like this one. It allows you to accurately keep track of the solution strength.
Don't worry about buying a more expensive one, you won't need much for a home project.
I have this one, works well for me and apparnetly measures 0-9990 ppm.
I got the pH meter above, and this TDS meter, whilst my cabinet is monitored inside and at exhaust exit with this temp/humidity gauge with min/max for all fields.
Combined price is < $60.
Seems to work just fine.
But I do like the gizmo you linked to. Maybe for a hydro setup?
I have struggled keeping my pool algae free for five years. I have poured enormous amounts of chemicals and shocked it so many times and nothing had worked. But this year I tried this product and boom it's crystal clean blue water. I have not seen a single patch of algae anywhere after 2 day of it being in the pool. Here is the link of the stuff on Amazon
Looks a lot like ours. (Your "holding tank" is a mate to ours -- I assume it's a settling tank; can't think of any other real function for it).
Here's what I use for the pH adjustment: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WKM4A0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Same sized tank, and I use 2 teaspoons for each fill, though your mileage may vary, depending on your starting pH and pump I suppose. I think each teaspoon makes the equivalent of a gallon of bleach (I need to find a source for that, but that's what's in my head).
Alright taking into consideration the 12 plant limit here, my previous setup was too big for so few plants. So with some downsizing hopefully saves even more!
Tent - GROWNEER 48"x36"x72" Lodge Propagation Tent
Lights - HLG65 lm301b and red 660nm hydroponic grow light 4000K x 2
Kingbrite 240W samsung lm301h 288v3 quantum board X1
Fan - AC Infinity CLOUDLINE S4, Quiet 4” Inline Duct Fan with Speed Controller
PH Meter - Wellcows Digital PH Meter
PPM Meter - HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester
Carbon Filter - VIVOSUN 4 Inch Air Carbon Filter
Ducting - VIVOSUN 2-PACK 4 Inch 8 Feet Non-Insulated Flex Air Aluminum Ducting
Nutrients - MEGA Crop (2500g)
Botanicare CAL-MAG Plus Plant Supplement 2-0-0 Formula, 1 Quart
PH Control - General Hydroponics pH Control Kit
Soil - PREMIER HORTICULTURE 20380RG PRO-Mix HP High Porosity Grower Mix
Pots - Gardzen 10-Pack 1 Gallon Grow Bags x 2
Cloning Machine - CLONE KING 25
Total - 880.62 (includes shipping)
So with this setup ill keep 1 or 2 mother plants and then run the rest in SoG in 1 gallon pots. Using the 2 4000k lights for the mother plant and the cloning station and the 240w for the SoG area of the tent. Its a small setup but I think it'll work. Any idea what kinds of yeilds this could achieve? Any further input would be greatly appreciated.
I just purchased a water testing kit https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VVQ7Y2Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I will post back here once I test it. Thank you for all of your help.
I would be more concerned about making sure its cleaned out. There is this cleaner you can get that will clear out the jets and remove grime from the piping. https://www.amazon.com/Ahh-Some-Cleaner-Clearer-Efficiently-Clarifier/dp/B0030MYGXW/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=1E6AKXTRWDK91&keywords=hot+tub+cleaner+for+the+jets+and+the+tubes&qid=1568212796&s=gateway&sprefix=hot+tub+cleaner%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFMUlA2OVlOUjRVR1AmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2NjI0NzExTU1INjZBVjJFMUw0JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzNjQ1MTIxWDJRQkxaVjI5QkM5JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== . I moved into my place 2 years ago and it came with a hot tub from the 90's. After using the cleaner, there was a ton of nasty buildup in the pipes. Once that's done, drain it and give it a good scrub down. Then change the filter.
Download the manual for your hot tub and read it to make sure you are performing proper weekly maintenance and using the correct chemicals. For example, some tubs take bromine tablets, some don't. There may also be some other cool features that you might not know about.
Get some hot tub test strips https://www.amazon.com/Poolmaster-22211-Swimming-Chemistry-Strips/dp/B001E6E9PG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=hot+tub+test+strips&qid=1568212610&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Use them once or twice a week depending on hot tub usage. Then add any chemicals as needed. Make sure you fill up your hot tub once a week at least to make sure your jets are covered.
They can also be referred to as total dissolved solids or TDS. You can purchase a TDS/TSS meter to measure that, but you should do some research first to understand what you're measuring and what your TDS is in your water source.
If you want shrimp for algae control, look at amano shrimp, which are usually large enough to fend for themselves when housed with a betta. In a 5 gal, one would certainly do the trick.
Yeah I didn't go into it expecting much (an ounce or two) so we'll see what it comes out too, i'll be happy to get that.
Here are the links for the meters I get. I tested the ph meter and compared it to drops and it is spot on. Not sure about the ppm one but it got good reviews.
PPM Meter
PH Meter
Thanks for checking out my grow!
with a PPM meter.
http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1383252628&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=ppm+meters
I'm not really sure what scale tbh, here is a link to the pen I got on Amazon if that helps at all. It might appear a lot lighter than it actually is due to my light in the tent being so bright white. Here are some pics with the tent light off and my phone flash on. I'm not sure if that's the right shade of green or not. I just watered them again after reading some info online with recommendations on Coco watering. I adjusted it to have some calmag in it and increased the Flora Grow and lowered the Flora Micro. Had a ppm of about 580 this time. Hoping it will make them happier.
I've considered it, but given that the water report I received from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power states that while "most of the time" I'll receive water from one source, there is a chance that I'll receive water from two others, both of which have different mineral and chemical profiles. I was thinking about getting the LaMotte Basic Water Test Kit, but then wondered what it was going to cost to keep the reagents up to date.
I edited it in. This one.
I think you should be fine using the maxigrow and cal-mag for now. I would not recommend using the rockdust or azomite though. You should get all you need in the maxigrow for now.
As for the TDS tester, I use this one It is cheap and works fine. It converts the PPM to EC by dividing the reading by 500. For example... 750PPM is going to give you a 1.5 EC. Some TDS testers in other countries will use a different conversion rate to get you the correct EC. EC is universal.
So lets say your peppers need to be at a EC from 1.3 - 1.8 "depending on the size." With the TDS meter I sent a link to, you would want your water to be at 650 PPM to 900 PPM. If your tap water is coming out of the tap already with a bunch of minerals already in it like 300 PPM worth, then you want to add your cal-mag and Maxigro until you hit that 650 to 900 PPM range.
As for your pH, you want to keep it as close to 6 as possible for peppers.
Just going through something similar only to learn each 3" Chlorine Tab raises the Cyanuric Acid 1 ppm each and it just builds up over time and the Chlorine becomes less effective until even at 5 ppm the Chlorine can't stop the Algae. From here Algaecide is needed to keep the algae at bay.
Sounds like you may be in the same boat. Get a test kit that measures CYA and see where it's at. Here's the kit I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PWLYTBN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Would this work out?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002C0A7ZY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414341438&amp;amp;sr=8-1&amp;amp;pi=SY200_QL40
Or this one?
http://mobile.walmart.com/ip/19582190?wmlspartner=wlpa&amp;adid=22222222228015536541&amp;wl0=&amp;wl1=g&amp;wl2=m&amp;wl3=40872537152&amp;wl4=&amp;wl5=pla&amp;wl6=78764899592&amp;veh=sem
These are what I use. They work just fine.
pH:
http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-Instruments-pH600AQ-Tester-Calibration/dp/B005H78ZI0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1348464821&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=milwaukee+ph+test
TDS/EC:
http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Auto-off-Function/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1348464821&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=milwaukee+ph+test
the Bluelabs gear is nice if you have the money.
I bought a simple $15 PH600 on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-Instruments-PH600AQ-Tester-Calibration/dp/B005H78ZI0/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334068927&amp;sr=1-1
and just as cheap a TDS meter
http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Tester-Purity/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1334068952&amp;sr=8-2
both work incredibly well
Here. It is by no means a "lab grade" device but gives great reference readings when analyzing how much your plant is eating (for my DWC setup anyways). I've never grown in soil but see people run a sort of "reference flush" to compare their previous runoff from the last time they watered to judge if their plants are consuming more nutes or more water so they can adjust their amendments accordingly. I do the same sort of thing on my hempy buckets but it is just so much easier since my medium is inert.
Before you drain. You pour in a hot tub purge and run the jets for a while. Then drain. There are other brands, but we use Oh Yuk
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012GNCI44/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_HfgRDbTD39X2J
No one has mentioned it so I will:
Get a Parts Per Million meter. It doesn't have to be a fancy one, and actually see what's going on. My water tastes and smells pretty bad, but is only around 170ppm total dissolved solids. If I simply let it sit in a jug overnight, it tastes way better because the chlorine evaporates.
Also, request an analysis from your local water company. In my state, they are required by law to send one annually. It's a list of every molecule in their sample, but with Flint demonstrating, the testers may "pre-flush" the pipes before taking a sample, so if you don't trust the municipality or private water works, you can get your own sample relatively cheap (Home Depot does them for free where I am).
All in all a reverse osmosis system, or even just a passive charcoal one, should help tons. The former can actually take out chemically bonded impurities, while the later removes suspended particulate.
When it was first introduced I wondered about the connected version. Couldn't see the difference between buttons on the brewer vs buttons on your phone. The fact that the price is lowered seems to substantiate my opinion. It's a "gee whiz look at what I can do" feature regardless of whether the feature makes any sense.
As far as water quality there's a difference between hardness (measured in grains) vs total dissolved solids per whatever(tds). There are kits to measure only hardness, but I think this device will tell you more about your water: https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY
The common wisdom seems to be not to use softened water as it will not extract the tastes from the coffee properly. Rather, filter out the tds.
I use a Zerofilter, and Brita filtered water to bring the tds up to 75-100 or so which is the level I think I saw Behmor recommend at one point somewhere.
Yeah def. grab one of these off amazon they are super cheap and usefull. https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY
Works great.
Try this one thing before anything else, get yourself one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/PoolRx-Algaecide-Unit-20000-gallons/dp/B003TXBE4Q
I have a really clean pool but at the peak of summer I started getting the same algae and fought it for a while before I found that Pool RX product.
It instantly killed that algae and it stayed gone for the whole season. I reduced my chlorine by about half and still ZERO algae.
Another major bonus is it makes the water sparkle this certain way, I can't explain it. Like, you think you had a clean pool but this product just makes the water sooo clear it's really nice.
Pretty much overnight I was blown away by the difference.
Its like $60 and now this season I bought a new one and just holding it until either I see that same algae again, or once it starts hitting like 90's and 100's.
Mine is HM Digital, with 342 ppm calibrating solution from them.
Any would work, if it has "Calibrate with NaCl" on the back.
>Where would one get such a meter?
This is the one I bought.
HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester, 0-9990 ppm Measurement Range , 1 ppm Resolution, +/- 3% Readout Accuracy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dqfrzbBA5R7QJ
You will want this. Tap water you say? That is the likely culprit. So you will need this, and this. After this your troubles should be gone.
Tds tester from amazon
HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester, 0-9990 ppm Measurement Range , 1 ppm Resolution, +/- 3% Readout Accuracy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YGc-ybYV4Q0QV
https://www.amazon.com/LaMotte-BrewLab-Basic-Water-Test/dp/B074D9VB25
Dunno how accurate/precise you need to be but this seems to work for me. I use this and BrunWater to do my water chemistry.
This is the salt tester I use it works great and is very accurate: https://www.amazon.com/Hayward-GLX-SALTMETER-Digital-Handheld-Meter/dp/B005IVZKKQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1475185291&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hayward+salt+tester
If I had the time I would always use the test kit for Salt which you can find here: https://www.amazon.com/TAYLOR-TECHNOLOGIES-INC-K-1766-CHLORIDE/dp/B001DO35EU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1475185345&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=salt+test+kit
Also, if you are using strips you might want to consider going towards an actual test kit that is reliable such as this: https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Technologies-K-2005-Test-Complete/dp/B00HEAQO5O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1475185320&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=taylor+test+kit+salt
The cheapest option would be to purchase the test kit for salt and continue using the strips. I recommend no strips and using the salt test kit and a normal Taylor test kit.
I add 3 tablespoons per gallon or 12ml/liter of FloraGro into my water for an aggressive vegetative growth period. This is basically all of the time, because of what I'm growing - herbs and lettuce that is constantly harvesting and never flowering.
In the guide and video I made, I bought soil starts that were a bit beyond seedlings to speed up the process, but I would recommend just starting with seed in the system so you avoid any dirt and bacteria that the soil might bring in. I get the brown jelly going on every now and then, and I think it's one of these:
As for changing the nutrients, I do a recirculating system where I only replace the water that gets used by the plants. So I fill it up once to start and then add water as necessary. I keep a 5 gallon barrel of water that is perfectly pH'd with nutrients added to make it a LOT easier.
To check the amount of nutrients you have going on you can spend 15 bucks and get this. It will let you know the parts per million of nutrient in your solution.
As for pH, it really doesn't fluctuate very much. I check it every now and then but as long as you pH correctly at the start, add the proper amount of nutrients to the water and refill as necessary then you are balancing pretty damn well.
I'm a bit confused on the science question, could you let me know what you mean by that?
El cheapo: http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY
These cheap ones don't adjust to temperature, so you'll have to consider that if you're reporting your values for some kind of project. They calibrate it at 25 degrees C, so any temp lower than that is going to over-estimate your TDS.
pH is as simple as getting a test kit at a pet store.
I tested the distilled i was using and it read less than 5. Then my tap was 400, my shrimp tnak was 385 and my 20 gallon fish tank was at 550. So i think it was reading right. I ordered this one. http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;redirect=true&amp;ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Im not sure there is a way to change it and i think it only measures PPM
So this combined with this other algae killer would probably be a good fight for the algae? Sometimes I’m out of town for work for 3-4 days at a time so if I can get something to keep the black algae at bay like these 2 then it would be worth it to me.
Kem-Tek Pool and Spa 60-Percent Concentrated Algaecide, 1 Quart 2 PK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9VN4XE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wo6cAbPT2T8JE
Cheap TDS (total dissolved solids) testing kit:
https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY
Or any meter that measures EC/TDS.
Having worked in an area where these kinds of pools are really popular, here's what I'd recommend:
Use a basic algaecide like this (or whatever you can find in store that's similarly ammonium chloride based). The benefit of an algaecide is that it'll last longer than chlorine and that kind I linked doesn't require a ton of circulation. And it's cheap.
For your size pool you shouldn't have to put in more than a few cups once a week. You can see from the reviews that people just assume more = better and they end up with a bubble bath. Always read the directions! On that note, wait a day between adding it and any liquid chlorine. Chlorine doesn't distinguish between, well, anything. It'll just eat up your other chemicals if you dump them together (not to mention ammonium bases products or acids + concentrated chlorine = homemade chemical-weapon night night time).
Besides that, a floater with one or two chlorine tablets in it can't hurt during the summer at least. Tablets release chlorine slowly over time whereas the shock just nukes things for a short period. Together they balance each other. Just keep an eye on your PH with that test kit, and you should be golden.
Posting the same thing I did in /r/Plano on this since all of our water around here comes from NTMWD (Which has a purification plant in Wylie). While some may argue we're "within acceptable standards" I've always said on here when this comes up year after year when the lakes turn over and they load the water with chlorine there should be more science on what is acceptable for drinking water. Before that it smelled like swamp water when the lakes turned over, and this is like choosing between the lesser of two evils, I know. Would you rather drink bacteria or chlorine? I don't want to drink either, and that's why I bought a reverse osmosis filter.
Just like in recent history more science lead to the removal of lead in gasoline and paint. I personally don't drink the local water without reverse osmosis, filtering it first because I don't like the idea of putting "trace amounts" of carcinogens in mine or my kids bodies because some agency says the levels are "acceptable" and when very little information on what scientific studies were done for them to come up with what is "acceptable".
It also doesn't dispute the fact that our area has some of the highest concentration of PPM crap in our water than most of the nation. If you don't believe me buy a PPM pen off amazon (https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY) and test your water. Compare to the rest of the US: https://www.h2odistributors.com/pages/info/hard-water-map.asp My tap water usually tests between 300-350 PPM. That's beyond red for that water redness map there and doesn't accurately reflect what our area tests.
If more science comes up with a warning that we should probably be reverse osmosis filtering our water before drinking until they can fix the supply problem, I'm fine with that. At least the information is out there for us. If not, I guess maybe when people die early from some form of cancer because they thought people like me were crackpot conspiracy theorists arguing on what is "acceptable", I guess that's just Darwinism in action.
Make no mistake, there probably won't be an easy long term fix. There are massive differences in how we treat water here compared to other states. For example on how corners are cut here, compare what they have in California for their intake, a cement lined reservoir:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Lake_Reservoir
To ours, a dirt reservoir:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavon_Lake
Dirt brings algae and bacteria and drives TDS up. You have to treat that with Chlorine and other chemicals.
Just my 2 cents on why I drink RO water living here.
I thought dichlor was liquid chlorine.
I bought this.
https://i.imgur.com/r3pnHR4.jpg
The choices on the calculator say dichlor trichlor cal hypo etc.
The jugs that I bought say chlorine and then it has a yellow circle around the number 2. So I figured that meant dichlor.
Sold out on Amazon so it doesn't come up on a. Search but here's the product page. Doesn't say much.
https://www.amazon.com/Kem-Tek-26489048431-Chlorinating-Liquid-pack/dp/B01994IVW6
Hey, I'm looking at amazing water test kits now -- what exactly should I be testing for? pH? something like this?
or this maybe?
I am using this device:
http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452279486&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=water+quality+tester
I used this device on :
To answer your question:
Still pretty readily available in the northeast for me, but you can get it cheap from Amazon from a number of vendors.
http://www.amazon.com/In-The-Swim-Chlorine-Shock/dp/B002WKM4A0/ref=pd_sim_sbs_lg_3
Is a good example. 6 lbs for 33 bucks plus shipping is essentially 60k gallons of water. You can probably find it in cheaper or smaller quantities, I just grabbed the first thing I saw.
Aside from a good filtering setup, a cheap TDS tester like http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ will tell you if there's any increase in stuff in your water. You can measure your baseline for a while and if there's ever a perceptible change, you can test again. It won't tell you definitively what's dissolved in the water, but it can help you check.
Here's a simple and cheap one: http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-WT1-Drinking-Water/dp/B000FBMAVQ/
Here's a more expensive and more complete one: http://www.amazon.com/Watts-Premier-173006-All--Water/dp/B002XISS4C/
Chlorine is a strong acid and oxidizer that can damage the components of an internal combustion engine beyond repair if allowed to circulate through the engine via the fuel supply. Chlorine should never be put in gas tanks. If you suspect that someone has put chlorine in your fuel, do not start your engine as this would allow your engine to be exposed to harmful acids that are especially damaging to aluminum.
https://www.amazon.com/Pool-Sanitizer-Chlorinating-Tables-42008/dp/B01JLY4DK8
HM Digital (brand) TDS meter with 342 ppm calibration solution for it. On the back it has to have "Calibrate with NaCl" screw. This one was available locally.
Maybe someone should buy MIL some of these as a late Mother's Day present.
You could've just gotten this, it's a digital water quality tester:
https://smile.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493673452&amp;sr=8-8&amp;keywords=water+testing+kit
Water tester and filter system. Best items I bought that year.
https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504296326&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=water+tester
https://www.amazon.com/APEC-5-Stage-Reverse-Drinking-Water/dp/B00I0ZGOZM/ref=pd_sim_60_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=J4HVJXXMCEZP1BPW9F5D