Simplest Water Filtration Method for Small Grow

[TLP80905]

I recently contacted General Hydroponics product support with a question about whether growers should use Cali Magic product in areas with hard water like CO Springs, where I live.
Our water does not totally come from mountain runoff like I assumed when I moved here, but from other reservoirs in CO, including some mountain run off.
I am not complaining but I got 2 replies and 2 different answers from GH. One person who was very nice on the phone told me it would be okay to just skip using the Cali Magic, because the water already has enough minerals in it; the other email reply I got said the best option for hard water like this with a base TDS reading of 250 -280ppm, they would recommend a RO water filter, then use Cali Magic.
The GH Nutrient charts only suggest a few little bit of Cali Magic anyways so I am not sure it is worth worrying about other than when using hard water it throws off the ppm readings on the GH Feeding Charts by approx. whatever your base TDS reading is. If starting with a TDS of 250, then after adding your nutes the ppm is supposed to be 800, instead it will be 1,050 or so.
I only have a couple of plants and don't need to filter a lot of water. Maybe I could use a pitcher, filtered dispenser, or install a low cost, basic filter?

 

[Toker1]

No need to filter. 250-280 ppm is good water. Hard water has plenty of calcium in it. I would just use the tap water as long as it’s close to neutral PH.
So no need for cal mag unless you are experiencing a deficiency, or if you are growing in coco coir, those are the only times you actually need it.

 

[Weed Pharma]

Zerowater is a good pitcher solution.
I'm fortunate to have 40ppm tap water which I run through a Brita- to remove chlorine or I would use the Zerowater products.

 

[DW2]

Howdy TLP80905, I use the local tap water for my grows and since the city uses a combination of well and surface reservoir water supplies, our water is hard as well. I have not used any of the CALiMAGic in my grows. If the plants are not showing any deficiencies, then there is no need to add the supplement. I would recommend that You contact Your local water plant and get a report from them showing that minerals and at what concentration, that are present in the local water. I get one every year from the city water plant to see if I need to start adding any supplements. Depending on the location a sources of the water, there could be a need for some like boron, magnesium, etc., but those needs can vary by location.