JMorgan
Member
I received a great deal of help here a while back and have been getting along quite nicely with using my tap water at about 10 to 20%. However the problem I have is that I have an RO reservoir of about 100 litres with an automatic cut off when its full. That means I have to chuck out 10 to 20 litres before I can add tap which is wasteful. Also, probably because I'm a bit of a control freak but also because the whole reason I have an RO unit is because the nitrates in my tap water are not just high but incredibly variable (30 to 60+ ppm). Yes I know the limit should be 50ppm but I'm not about to go head to head with Yorkshire water with an amateur test kit result they'll laugh at.
Anyway the point isn't that the nitrates are high, but that they vary massively and I want consistency and to eliminate a potential problem. I'm trying to revive dim memories (35 years ago!!) of an A level chemistry exam I just about scraped through, reading threads and generally educating myself.
That all said James' remineralisation formula aims for a GH of 5 and a KH of 1. The KH being deliberately very low because some plants thrive on it. I'm not sure I really need it that low and I'm (maybe unnecessarily?) a bit worried that I may not be experienced enough properly manage things if it goes wrong.
(Italics pasted from James' web site)
0.4g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
2.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate
2.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
0.7g Potassium Carbonate
per 25 litres Water
So if I were instead to aim for a KH of 2 how would I alter the Potassium Carbonate amount? Is it as simple as just doubling it as its the only source of Carbonate in the mix?
1.5g NaHCO3 in 25 litres of water = 2 dKH
1.8g KHCO3 in 25 litres of water = 2 dKH
1.2g K2CO3 in 25 litres of water = 2 dKH
In other words why isn't it 1.4g Potassium Carbonate (K2CO3) = 2 dKH
I'm quite happy to just make up the formula and trust that James knows what he's about, but I'd prefer to understand . . .
Thanks in advance and thanks to James for all the valuable info
Anyway the point isn't that the nitrates are high, but that they vary massively and I want consistency and to eliminate a potential problem. I'm trying to revive dim memories (35 years ago!!) of an A level chemistry exam I just about scraped through, reading threads and generally educating myself.
That all said James' remineralisation formula aims for a GH of 5 and a KH of 1. The KH being deliberately very low because some plants thrive on it. I'm not sure I really need it that low and I'm (maybe unnecessarily?) a bit worried that I may not be experienced enough properly manage things if it goes wrong.
(Italics pasted from James' web site)
0.4g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
2.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate
2.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
0.7g Potassium Carbonate
per 25 litres Water
So if I were instead to aim for a KH of 2 how would I alter the Potassium Carbonate amount? Is it as simple as just doubling it as its the only source of Carbonate in the mix?
1.5g NaHCO3 in 25 litres of water = 2 dKH
1.8g KHCO3 in 25 litres of water = 2 dKH
1.2g K2CO3 in 25 litres of water = 2 dKH
In other words why isn't it 1.4g Potassium Carbonate (K2CO3) = 2 dKH
I'm quite happy to just make up the formula and trust that James knows what he's about, but I'd prefer to understand . . .
Thanks in advance and thanks to James for all the valuable info