Can I use water from AC?

[Edu]

My biggest question to which I’ve never gotten a straight forward answer for is whether it’s safe or not to use the condensed water that drains from the grow room’s Air Conditioner to water the plants. The weather where I live is humid so I get over 12 gallons a day of that EC 0,0 free water. I do use a reverse osmosis filter which wastes twice + as much water than it produces, so I complete my 100 gallon tank with that A/C draining water, thus I don’t spend nor waste as much. On my first 2 crops I had great results. I’m on my 5th now and it’s been down hill ever since. Though I’ve had a few bugs and nutrition problems throughout these 2 years (all solved) , I just can’t figure out whether it’s been diminishing ever since due to A/C water suposily toxicity or my 600w light bulbs are getting old, or else... I’ve bought a luxometer and followed the GWE tutorials to measure the light power and numbers seem fine, though always in the lower end of the recommended range. In short, am I intoxicating my plants with the A/C draining water or are my light bulbs too old? Or both? Or neither?
Thank you Nebula for the great website!
Cheers, Edu

[alltatup]

Great question Edu! I looked up ac condensate and found this: https://www.livestrong.com/article/1...ycle-ac-water/

I read another article that stressed the importance of keeping the pan where the water collects clean, because lots of mold and bacteria can collect.

What do you use to protect your roots from root rot, etc.?

[BlueBudz]

I think that entirely depends on the operating conditions. The water itself is basically distilled but all the dirt and dust stuck in there can taint he water for sure. Unless you had a way to test for bacteria you just don’t know. “Probably” be ok..... lol if water is not expensive for you I would avoid using the condensate. Just my opinion

[Edu]

Spot on both of you Allatup and Blue Budz! It does smell a bit off as if it has got mold in the “big plastic jug” (we call it “gallon” here) that I’m using to collect the A/C water. (Can’t believe it never occurred to me to put my bud sniffer in there before lol). No more A/C water from now on, unfortunately!
Great link by the way allatup!

[alltatup]

You do know about root rot? You didnt answer my question above.

[Edu]

Thanks again for your kind attention allatup!
I live in Europe so the products available are different from those in America. The brand I use is Canna, and their recommended product to help dissolve dead roots and solidified salts is Cannazym (enzymes) http://www.canna-uk.com/cannazym. That’s the only thing I use for roots but not sure if that prevents root rot, do you? It’s kinda tricky thou as it actually “lays out” a lot of extra nutrients to the plant by decomposing all that is organic and solid in the soil and you can easily “over feed” and cause nutrient toxicity with it (another one I had to learn the hard way). If any different recommendations to prevent it, i’d really appreciate it!
Here’s my schedule:
1. Soil (canna professional plus) http://www.canna-uk.com/terra_professional_plus on 7 litres pots
2. Root stimulator (rhizoctonic) http://www.canna-uk.com/rhizotonic - spray and water cuttings first 3 weeks, before transplanting to bigger pots - then 1 more week till beginning of flowering (SOG method) tab this point water EC is usually between 0,2 and 0,4
3. Water PH in between 5.8 and 6.2 (a bit low now I realize. Should’ve been in between 6.0 and 7.0 range according to GWE. might have generated a problem absorbing nutrients correctly)
4. Canna terra vega (nutrient) http://www.canna-uk.com/terra_vega been using 1/2 of recommended amount throughout vegetative period, realise it’s way too much, intend to use it only a couple of times on next crop
5. Cannazym http://www.canna-uk.com/cannazym as explained before, I use it once here at beginning of flowering stage and once again 2 weeks before harvest (around 7th week of flowering)
6. Canna terra flowers http://www.canna-uk.com/terra_flores 1/2 of recommended amount till 2 weeks before harvest. (Again realise it’s still too much, will cut it to half of half for next crop)
7. CannaBoost http://www.canna-uk.com/cannaboost from 2nd through 7th week flowering, half of recommended amount
8. PK 13/14 http://www.canna-uk.com/pk_13_14 once on the 6th week flowering, 1/2 of recommended amount
9. Plain PHed water EC 0,0 till harvest (2 weeks)

The only kind I grow is Amnesia Haze which is about 60%sativa or so they say. Overall problem is that plants look droopy as if I had over watered them (not the case at all) and/or as if they had a nitrogen toxicity. So they didn’t grow much, besides buds are too small. Those symptoms always begin when flowering stage start (last 3 crops as explained on previous post). After all I’ve been through considering experience fighting gnats, mites (came in with clones) and mildew, I can assure air circulation and temperature are optimal. That pretty much led me to suspicion the condensate water being toxic, and after your comments on the subject and smelling it, I guess they are getting imposioned on every water which finally explains why after I water them (I let the soil almost dry first - every 3 days or so - 7 litres pots) instead of looking happy they keep a sickened appearance that actually improves a little after 2 days when it drys a bit again. Now root rot as in brownish smelly roots I’ve never spotted here...
would you agree with me it’s the A/C water intoxicating them? Or am I missing something right under my nose again? (if you catch my drift)

[Paracelsus]

I'd run RO water a few days and dial in the root water temp and pH, to control and prevent root rot. I've no experience but what I've learned here is you may/could have lock out for many different reasons

[alltatup]

I responded to your message, Edu; read it and let us know what you think!!! ps: He grows in soil, Paracelsus

[Edu]

Can’t find your response anywhere mate. I’m new here, perhaps I’m not looking at right places... tried in box and posts but nothing. Any chance you could resend it here or private again, see if it works?