BlueCollarBob- Bumbling Through My First Grow

[Stoneyluv]

That makes sense. I guess you could draw straight well water before filtration, if it was good enough. I'm having a hard time figuring what measurement to convert that conductivity to. Pre-filter pH is high.

As @Stoneyluv mention in his thread, rainwater is an option. I've read about some positives for that, but it sure would be nice to just run a fill line right to a reservoir. Maybe even have a level float and shut off valve.

If I get the water tested post-filtration, I need to learn what all to have them test for. I recall there being options when I had the well water tested.

our water is similar to yours. i used my well water for years to water plants and it worked great. rain water is attractive to hydro because of it's low EC, easier and better to measure your nutrients and more importantly you then also know exactly how much of each food in then combined. my water is under 10ppm from my roof. i only use one side of a third of my roof to collect and i never run out. i have one for the garden and i have another one behind my garage for my koi pond top off and i use a smaller one off of my chicken coop roof to provide them water.

Marty Rainey claims a metal roof is the cleanest for rain collection. i have one on shingles and one on a metal roof and both read identical.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

i have one for the garden and i have another one behind my garage for my koi pond top off and i use a smaller one off of my chicken coop roof to provide them water.

Do the chickens drink directly from the collection barrel or do you have to transfer it to their waterer? My chicken have two buckets with the with the poultry nipples on the bottom hanging in their run. Until freezing weather hits, I just leave a water hose running to a splitter with hoses running to both buckets. It's nice to just open the valve and let the buckets fill up. Your way might require even less labor.

Off topic, but one of the best investments I made for the chickens was adding a solar powered dawn-to-dusk door. I've had it for like 7 years and it has operated flawlessly. They march out when it opens in the morning and head in before it closes at night.

Marty Rainey claims a metal roof is the cleanest for rain collection. i have one on shingles and one on a metal roof and both read identical.

Asphalt shingles here. Good to know that work for you.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

6.8 is not too high of a pH IMO. You should be able to manipulate it.
Your 244 conductivity equals 159 TDS.

Thanks! I see where it says 159 TDS and I'm guessing the 500 mcl indicates the scale. I'm trying to understand how the conversion to TDS was calculated. I've tried using this online calculator, but I'm missing something and/or the starting unit isn't available in the calculator . Might not matter. Just got it stuck in my head.

I was leaning toward coco, but I'm also drawn towards the fallponic systems like PA Hydro sells. I don't really know why those options interest me. I just like the idea of trying something new (to me). I also like the idea of building a system vs buying a package. Starting to get antsy. I'll probably dive into the wrong option here, soon .

 

[steamroller]

500 mcl is
Maximum Contaminant Level
MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) refers to the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water

 

[Zen_seeker]

, rainwater is an option. I've read about some positives for that, but it sure would be nice to just run a fill line right to a reservoir. Maybe even have a level float and shut off valve.

Wonder if you could collect in 50g rain barrels and go from there? At least it’s a secondary reservoir.

We have four now. Only ran out of water for outdoor plants once last year.

 

[Stoneyluv]

Do the chickens drink directly from the collection barrel or do you have to transfer it to their waterer? My chicken have two buckets with the with the poultry nipples on the bottom hanging in their run. Until freezing weather hits, I just leave a water hose running to a splitter with hoses running to both buckets. It's nice to just open the valve and let the buckets fill up. Your way might require even less labor.

i collect it in an elevated drum, i think it's 35 gallons... their coop and run are on a decent grade so it helps me get the elevation so i don't need any pumps. one output goes to a float valve inside the coop in a gallon jug with three nipples on the bottom, in the winter i put a small aquarium heater in it and this is their main source of drinking when frozen outside. and outside in their run i have a big jug with auto fill cups all around it. they prefer to drink from this over the nipples but it makes too much of a mess inside the coop with open water.

Off topic, but one of the best investments I made for the chickens was adding a solar powered dawn-to-dusk door. I've had it for like 7 years and it has operated flawlessly. They march out when it opens in the morning and head in before it closes at night.

i sure do, great minds think alike!!... installed it as i was building the coop!!! i used an automotive light sensor and a couple relays connected to an actuator... it's still a mess yet, i had to take it apart and change out the power source a while back and never ties it back neat again, the chicken don't mind!!! haha

 

[BlueCollarBob]

i collect it in an elevated drum, i think it's 35 gallons... their coop and run are on a decent grade so it helps me get the elevation so i don't need any pumps. one output goes to a float valve inside the coop in a gallon jug with three nipples on the bottom, in the winter i put a small aquarium heater in it and this is their main source of drinking when frozen outside. and outside in their run i have a big jug with auto fill cups all around it. they prefer to drink from this over the nipples but it makes too much of a mess inside the coop with open water.

Yep, that sounds like a good set-up. My waterers are outside the coop, but in the run. I use those 1500W tank de-icers. The 500W bucket de-icers don't seem to last very long.

i sure do, great minds think alike!!... installed it as i was building the coop!!! i used an automotive light sensor and a couple relays connected to an actuator... it's still a mess yet, i had to take it apart and change out the power source a while back and never ties it back neat again, the chicken don't mind!!! haha

View attachment 78456View attachment 78457

Yours is sexier, because you built it. I just bought the door, solar panel and battery as a kit. It's been a great purchase, tho.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Wonder if you could collect in 50g rain barrels and go from there? At least it’s a secondary reservoir.

We have four now. Only ran out of water for outdoor plants once last year.

I was thinking along these same lines. I think I like this idea.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

500 mcl is
Maximum Contaminant Level
MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) refers to the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water

I made a horrible guess, lol.

 

[BlueCollarBob]

Dry trimmed what was left of Jet Fuel Odder Popz, this afternoon. This one had 3 weeks in the dry tent and already smoked well in a test bowl. Weighed in at 11.3oz.



All of my first grow is in the bag. Ended up with 71.6oz, altogether. I lost a little due to not properly preparing for rain and wind late in flower, but still ended up with way more than I imagined when I started. There's a lot to work on, but you all really helped me exceed expectations. Thank you all!