Phosphate level.

[Martin cape]

Hi guys,

My tap water had a phosphate level of 3ppm. This is ideal as far as dosing is concerned. But is it the same type of phosphate as what we add as ferts?

At 3ppm I shouldn't need to dose anymore should I?

 

[ceg4048]

Yes you should. Although PO4 is PO4 you should never trust the reported concentration level of Macronutrients in source water.

People get into trouble all the time because they assume that their measured or reported PO4 concentration values are accurate. Then they get plant health problems or performance issues and since their minds are set against PO4 deficiency as the culprit, they muddle about for the rest of their lives searching for a solution that does not exist.

Cheers,

 

[roadmaster]

Must not forget fish food's as contributer as well as source water.
When I began dosing Macro/micro nutrient's,, I used scaled back version of EI due to no CO2 inhancement.
Plant's performed well ,until the plant mass grew quite a bit larger.
I then saw some plant's struggling ,and being completely ignorant as to identifying possible deficiencies save the obvoius lack of CO2,,I added more of everything .
Plant's resumed the desired growth albeit slow,,and pinholes ,curled leaves,went away and new growth picked up to where trimming was needed more than once a month.
Might trust local water company with reported level's of that which they measure, but would maybe be not so trusting of the test's that hobbyist's are able to perform.

 

[Martin cape]

Only reason I ask is I check it at work using a bit of kit so I know its very accurate. No colour scales lol.

I'm going to be using rain water soon anyway so ill have to add it then. Was just curious as to whether, as you say, "phosphate is phosphate" and all forms are adequate for plants

 

[Pinkmummy79]

they muddle about for the rest of their lives searching for a solution that does not exist.

I just love these little snippets