Do You Dechlorinate? What are the Benefits?

[Dyold]

I don't often run across overly well written articles these days concerning Water. I mean its there and you use it. Some people use ROW = Regular Old Water and some people use RO Water = Reverse Osmosis Water while other use rain water along with captured water from flood tables and dehumidifiers, AC etc..

Reverse Osmosis would be my last choice just because it is so wasteful and is really not good for human and animal consumption ( this is my personal opinion mind you ) as it has most of not all of the beneficial minerals removed. I have also read articles in support of NOT using water softening of any kind for use in outdoor or indoor gardens.

I prefer to use ROW aka regular tap water to which I add a dechlorinator with a heavy metals remover similar to API Tap Water Conditioner - Google Search this. Similar products like API are extremely concentrated and will last for months if not years for some folks.

I have also learned that if your trying to get microbes to grow in your soil and your not using a water conditioner like API your just killing your bacteria. Chlorine kills everything. Including Humans.

Here is a very well written article on the benefits of this method.

Removing Chlorine and Chloramines from Water

Should be an interesting post after we get all the feedback in. I would appreciate verifiable, tried and tested feedback if that is possible.

 

[Dyold]

Re: Do You Dechlorinate ? What are the Benefits ?

My product of choice when it comes to preparing my water for the girls.

Just takes a mere drop per gallon and the water is perfect for plants and fishes.

 

[CareStaker]

I use StressCoat from the pet store ... probably the same stuff. Aloe helps too.

 

[MassMedMan]

I'm currently using roof run off, have been since October. Prior to that I used RO. Prior to that I used tap and left it out for 24 with a few drops of molasses. I was nervous about rain runoff, but it's working, and it's free. Temps have been favorable though.

 

[Z3ro]

Two liters of plain tap water here to 4 ML of white vinegar for the perfect PH (5.8 to 6.3). Interesting side note... my cold water tap supplies 150 PPM water. My hot water tap supplies 350 PPM. Must be the water heater tank. I suggest everyone check your tap PPM from hot and cold. You may not need any reverse osmosis water. 150 PPM seems to be the ideal amount. Good buffering so PH doesn't swing and not so much that it locks up the roots with excess salt and minerals. All my water sits for a few days before it gets to the plants and I have it in a reservoir with an air-stone so I don't think I get any chlorine. I also add a teaspoon of %3 Hydrogen Peroxide to my water reservoir once a month to prevent algae and root rot.

 

[Purpsmagurps]

I bought a reverse osmosis filter because I live next to the treatment plant and I've amended with dolo lime. its wasteful but I dont care I need clean water lol.

 

[Young Yoda]

I know it's a little late but I found this recently.

https://www.iuhoakland.com/Chloramine.pdf

Based on this I have started using vitamin c powder to neutralize chloramine. It's by far the most cost effective option for that specific purpose. That being said it won't deal with heavy metals or anything else, so it's not for everyone.

One last note on dechlorinators. According to the pdf, beware of products that contain only sodium thiosulfate, as the reaction will neutralize the chlorine/chloramine but leave ammonia in your water.

 

[CareStaker]

I know it's a little late but I found this recently.

https://www.iuhoakland.com/Chloramine.pdf

Based on this I have started using vitamin c powder to neutralize chloramine. It's by far the most cost effective option for that specific purpose. That being said it won't deal with heavy metals or anything else, so it's not for everyone.

One last note on dechlorinators. According to the pdf, beware of products that contain only sodium thiosulfate, as the reaction will neutralize the chlorine/chloramine but leave ammonia in your water.

Would you think that that amount of remaining ammonia would be harmful? Plants use and can break down ammonia if I recall?

 

[cannilingus]

everyones water, is different. i am lucky, where i live. my ppm, out of the tap, is low. like 100. and thats all ca. i justs fill the buckets, and leave them uncovered for a day. the natural way to declorinate, tho my water does not have much of it. when i flush, i do it straingt from the tap, however. no problems.

 

[Young Yoda]

Would you think that that amount of remaining ammonia would be harmful? Plants use and can break down ammonia if I recall?

You may be right. Personally I am worried about bacterial life as I use teas. That pdf involved "ferments and cultures" so I'm not sure about the plant itself.

 

[CareStaker]

You may be right. Personally I am worried about bacterial life as I use teas. That pdf involved "ferments and cultures" so I'm not sure about the plant itself.

I'm not sure either. I did a comparison with tap and bottled water, and didn't see enough of a difference to lug the jugs anymore - fwiw. My tap comes out at 120ppm though.

 

[Young Yoda]

I'm not sure either. I did a comparison with tap and bottled water, and didn't see enough of a difference to lug the jugs anymore - fwiw. My tap comes out at 120ppm though.

Really? What kind of grow are we talking? Organic/ you use teas?

I used to not worry about chlorine at all but now I see foam in my bucket and I feel the need to protect my invisible little friends.

 

[CareStaker]

Really? What kind of grow are we talking? Organic/ you use teas?

I used to not worry about chlorine at all but now I see foam in my bucket and I feel the need to protect my invisible little friends.

My girls typically get rganic soil, and feed with both organic and synth nutes in flower.
I am agnostic when it come to feeding the plant.

For Chlorine, you can really just let it evaporate over a day or two, before you mix. Although, as I said, my tap water is cleaner (PPM) than the Spring water (PPM), and it doesn't have so many Chloros as it's all filtered and treated. Your water could be very different though. I do still use Spring water for Veg.

Maybe you could run a similar experiment, and see what you think.