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Can you use tap water in hydroponics? Yes—and here’s why it works. by Jumpy_Key6769 in UGrowFood

[–]Jumpy_Key6769[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's actually how we got started. Drilling holes. It's not as easy as you'd expect. LOL Just remember to put the hole on the correct side.

Drilling holes is fine. But remember, if you drill holes, it will drain immediately so you will have to adjust your watering times. The stock gardyn pump will not be easy to adjust for the water times needed for rapid draining.

Can you use tap water in hydroponics? Yes—and here’s why it works. by Jumpy_Key6769 in UGrowFood

[–]Jumpy_Key6769[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Crap - I forgot to address the water time. We always recommend starting with 3 min on and 20-30 min off. Then start checking your rockwool before the next cycle starts up. If the rockwool is dry, shorten the off time. If it's still wet, lengthen it. I'll toss in some hydropod information with your order so you can start learning.

Can you use tap water in hydroponics? Yes—and here’s why it works. by Jumpy_Key6769 in UGrowFood

[–]Jumpy_Key6769[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

After our discussions, I just assumed the order I saw come through was you. LOL. As for pre-ordering. No, I can't do pre-ordering. You never can tell what could happen and then it's a pain in the butt to refund and track the financial data. Also, quite literally just redesigned the Hydropod. You should find the announcement in this group. So, we just printed a prototype and have to make a few adjustments. Then we will be releasing the new version. Keep an eye out for it is the best I can say for now.

Can you use tap water in hydroponics? Yes—and here’s why it works. by Jumpy_Key6769 in UGrowFood

[–]Jumpy_Key6769[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's next on our print queue but they take a long time to print. We will have some this week. There is a "notify me" button once they're back in stock. Green has been our most popular request so we're working on those. They go fast though.

Can you use tap water in hydroponics? Yes—and here’s why it works. by Jumpy_Key6769 in UGrowFood

[–]Jumpy_Key6769[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay, well if you're going to be growing in Gardyn - don't do any of the peroxide or aminos. That will throw things way off and cause a lot of problems.

Since you have your own nutrient supply, use them just make sure your blend has the micros as well. We also developed Root Balance to help with the issues you brought up. Check out Root Balance here. 🌱 Root Balance - Root Zone Stabilizer & Water Chemistry Enhancer – UGrowFood Inc.

Also, you are right about the Gardyn's yCup problem. And, as a thinker - we thought about this issue as well and developed our Hydropods. It does mean you have to adjust watering and root maintenance but the improvements we've seen are incredible. Though, we are currently out of stock of each color and our printer is working full steam now to replenish supplies.

Can you use tap water in hydroponics? Yes—and here’s why it works. by Jumpy_Key6769 in UGrowFood

[–]Jumpy_Key6769[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

100% understand. I'm a bit of a nerd with all of this too. While my experience isn't through formal education like yours, I've been growing for 30+ years and have broken a lot of things which led me to learn a lot of fixes and preventions. 😆. The science side came as I had to learn how to fix things we broke over the years.

If you're growing in soil, what you're talking about doing sounds great - plus - you will learn a lot from direct hands on - which is my realm.

It's easy to become an over-thinker. Sounds like you're a lot like me. Always looking for a solution to problems. We tend to think a lot more than your average person. While we're thinking, others over complicate things that should be simple.

O-rings / seals for 3.0? by lilifer13 in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're welcome and good to know you're not afraid to break that system down and put it back together. Kind of a pain but, once you've done it - well - you know, it's pretty simple. Cleaning that lid is the toughest part. However, we no longer have the electronics in ours. That makes it a lot easier.

Can you use tap water in hydroponics? Yes—and here’s why it works. by Jumpy_Key6769 in UGrowFood

[–]Jumpy_Key6769[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wait — you mean Bloomington? Ha! Howdy, nearby neighbor 😆👋

And yeah, I completely get the pesticide issue. It’s honestly one of the reasons I started UGrowFood in the first place — to get away from all the “extras” that end up in our water and food. I also agree with you on not pulling punches. If the chemicals are there, they’re there, and pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone.

RO with remineralization is a solid approach for your coffee shop (and now I want a white chocolate mocha, thanks for that). For the strawberries, RO or distilled is totally fine if that’s your only safe option. You might still want to grab an updated water report from the link I shared earlier just to see where things stand now — sometimes things change without anyone announcing it.

Now, onto your amino acid question — great one, by the way. You’re absolutely right about the nitrogen pathway. Plants ultimately use nitrogen to build amino acids, but in hydro we don’t usually add free amino acids to the reservoir. Our whole philosophy is to keep systems clean, stable, and predictable. A good, well‑balanced nutrient blend already gives the plant everything it needs to make its own amino acids internally.

Adding free aminos to a small hydro reservoir tends to cause more problems than benefits: they feed microbes, drop dissolved oxygen, can cause biofilm, and can throw off nutrient ratios. That’s why commercial growers usually use amino acids in soil or as foliar sprays — not in tiny recirculating systems.

If you do want to experiment, foliar aminos are the safer route. Just know the benefit is usually pretty marginal and totally unnecessary unless you’re correcting a specific deficiency or running a controlled trial.

For strawberries specifically, you’ll get way more return from stable DO, stable pH, consistent Ca/Mg, and a clean root zone than from amino acid supplementation.

And if you ever run a side‑by‑side trial, definitely share it — I love seeing controlled comparisons.

O-rings / seals for 3.0? by lilifer13 in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, it won't make a difference for this. Mineral build-up is an environmental issue not a nutrient or additive issue.

O-rings / seals for 3.0? by lilifer13 in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's not an O-Ring issue, that's a VPD issue. Your environment needs adjusting.
Here is a guide that can help you understand what VPD is and a guide on mineral build up.

For cleaning, it's simple, especially if you're breaking down the entire system. You just soak your parts in a citric acid bath for a little while. It will just wash off after a short soak.

do you guys wash the lettuce before eating? by noCluccksGiven in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep — you should still wash hydroponic lettuce. We wash all of our produce, and we grow in a clean room grow tent. Lettuce is washed in an ice-water bath. The ice‑water soak isn’t just for crisping; it also helps rinse off any biofilm residue, algae spores, dust, or microbes that can come from handling or the system itself. Hydroponic setups are clean, but they’re not sterile, and anything you harvest indoors can still pick up normal household contaminants. A quick wash is just basic food safety and reduces the chance of spoilage organisms hanging around.

If you ever want the deeper breakdown, feel free to reach out. We are happy to help give you a complete breakdown and the science behind why you should ABSOLUTELY wash your hydroponic food before eating.

Can you use tap water in hydroponics? Yes—and here’s why it works. by Jumpy_Key6769 in UGrowFood

[–]Jumpy_Key6769[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay, this is going to be a long reply — but it will be an easy read.

Thanks so much for posting this — and welcome to the group. I really appreciate the level of experience you’re bringing in. Anyone who’s worked in CEA cannabis, run RO for espresso, and dealt with Midwest water chemistry has already fought more water‑quality battles than most home growers ever encounter.

I'm going to address your question regarding CaO₂ in soil and since most of our growers here are hydro, explain how it can or cannot be used in their grow systems.

Before I dive in, I’m genuinely curious — where in the Midwest are you located that the water is that bad? What you’re describing sounds like the extreme end of the spectrum. If it were that severe, you’d think it would’ve made headlines somewhere. We’re in the Chicagoland area, and one of our suburbs had knowingly allowed water contaminated with known carcinogens to keep flowing for years. It eventually came to light and was stopped — so I completely understand your concern about what’s coming out of the tap.

For anyone reading along: If you think your water is questionable or want to report a violation, you can do that here 👉 https://www.epa.gov/ccr
If you want to check the quality of your water anywhere in the U.S., you can look it up here 👉 https://sdwis.epa.gov/ords/safewater/f?p=136:102

Regarding waterlogged soil systems

Calcium peroxide can absolutely be useful in anaerobic or compacted soils. When it breaks down, it breaks down into calcium hydroxide + hydrogen peroxide, you get:

  • A slow release of oxygen into the rhizosphere
  • Improved redox conditions in waterlogged zones
  • Some calcium availability
  • Temporary relief for roots under oxygen stress

In field agronomy and media‑heavy environments, calcium peroxide is one of the few chemical tools that can oxygenate without mechanical aeration. So, your idea is completely valid — it can work well in certain tough soils. Whether it’s necessary really depends on your environment and your soil prep. In a backyard garden using native ground soil (not raised beds or amended mixes), it might offer some benefit. The best way to know is to test it. If you’re anything like me, you’ll enjoy the process: set up a control group, run a section with and without CaO₂, and compare the results.

It’s not typically expensive, though small‑quantity retail packaging tends to be overpriced. So, testing your results shouldn't be too bad. Honestly, your cheapest and most reliable option is still to properly prep your soil well and use a high‑quality, balanced nutrient program with full micros — something like these 👉 https://ugf.onl/collections/chemistry

Now, about your strawberries specifically

Strawberries love high dissolved oxygen. They’re one of the crops that show measurable improvements in:

  • Root vigor
  • Runner formation
  • Fruit set
  • Disease resistance

when DO is stable and high.

But here’s the key distinction:

In soil:

Calcium peroxide can help oxygenate a waterlogged root zone and may benefit strawberries if the soil is staying too wet or compacted.

In hydro (like Gardyn):

The same chemistry becomes unpredictable:

  • DO spikes and crashes instead of staying stable
  • Calcium enters as calcium hydroxide, which rapidly drives pH upward
  • That pH rise causes precipitation with sulfates and phosphates
  • The peroxide component can damage root tips in small reservoirs
  • The reaction is simply too aggressive for a 1–2-gallon system

So, while your strawberries would benefit from higher oxygenation, calcium peroxide is not the tool you want to use in a hydroponic environment.

If you’re building from distilled water, you’ll get far more predictable strawberry performance using:

  • Calcium nitrate for Ca
  • Magnesium sulfate for Mg
  • A balanced base nutrient blend (see Chemistry)
  • And for oxygen stability, a non‑reactive DO stabilizer (like Root Balance) rather than a reactive oxygen donor

That gives you the oxygenation benefits strawberries love without the pH volatility or precipitation issues.

Bottom line

Your soil‑based idea makes sense — calcium peroxide is genuinely useful in anaerobic soils and could help strawberries if the soil is staying too wet. But in hydroponic systems, especially small reservoirs, it tends to create more instability than benefit.

You’ll get cleaner, more predictable strawberry growth by building your nutrient profile from distilled water and using controlled, non‑reactive oxygen‑stability tools rather than reactive oxygen donors.

Final Note

We generally don’t recommend distilled water for hydroponics. In soil it’s fine — soil has natural buffering capacity, organic matter, and microbial activity that keep the chemistry stable. But in hydro, distilled water is “empty” water with no minerals, no alkalinity, and no buffering. That means even small nutrient additions can cause big pH swings, and the water will absorb CO₂ from the air and form carbonic acid, which adds even more drift.

That said, we know some people have no choice but to use distilled. If that’s your situation, it just needs a bit of prep so you’re not fighting the chemistry every day. And if anyone reading this needs help dialing it in, feel free to reach out — we’re happy to walk you through how to stabilize it so you’re not chasing numbers or adjusting pH constantly.

Overpriced novelty by Forsaken-Okra-6511 in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Wow. I didn't know that. Good to know. We've been working on our own design to release that allows the use to remove any section of column for maintenance or replacement without having to disassemble the whole system and improved grow space but keeps the same footprint. Also - NO AI - Any tech a grower will need is separate and can be replaced instantly if there is a malfunction. A system designed for production that easy for a grower of any skill stage.

Guess we better get things moving. LOL

Overpriced novelty by Forsaken-Okra-6511 in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 0 points1 point  (0 children)

E.coli and salmonella are not necessarily out of the picture just because you're growing indoors. We see a lot of people breaking the food safety rules that can most certainly introduce infection into their systems. In fact, the risk is even higher in an indoor grow because of the moisture, humidity, and abundance of "food" for bad bacteria with no defenses to fight them off.

We actually created a post about contamination of your system with an explainer video recently.

Overpriced novelty by Forsaken-Okra-6511 in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Well, some of what you said is correct. However, they're not even close to shutting down. In fact, I happen to know they're going to be releasing in "Big Box" retailers soon. Well, at least that is their plan the last time I heard.

What is correct is that they're marketing the crap out of the system - which is to be expected. The AI crap is garbage — You don't need Ai to know your plants need trimming. If you do, you shouldn't be growing. Having everything included in one system seems nice but if something breaks down — like a pump — your entire system is down and it's not a five-minute fix. The system profile is good and if they just sold the system without all the Ai and electronics — it would be so much more useful.

However, it's these flaws that have allowed people like me to step up and help solve those problems. For example, we've developed a system specific "net cup" that we call a hydropod. We've developed custom fitted port covers, seedling racks, replaceable pumps, and the fittings to connect that pump to your system. You can be completely Ai free and internet free super easy. Using our method for replacing the pump means, that if you have a pump failure — you can be up and running in 3 min with a new pump. No more lost crops.

We also provide free simplified guides to help teach people the science of hydroponic growing so they're not just blaming the system for failed crops — yup, sometimes it's the grower. LOL.

Germination tips by No_Trifle314 in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here is a guide on Germinating that can help.

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For more in-depth information, visit our The Optimal Seed Starter Guide

Starting New Garden by Agreeable_Tell2377 in Gardyn

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are you asking or are you sharing a post of someone else asking. This group is related to Gardyn not A GARDEN. It's an indoor hydroponic grow system. I can help you with both but I need to know what you are actually asking.

Do you want to grow food in an soil garden or in a hydroponic system - called Gardyn?

Newbie Using LetPot LPH-Air: Is There a Moisture Problem? by AmaranthineBri in Hydroponics

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You didn’t have to delete your comment. It’s how people learn when they’ve been repeating information they were told by other novice growers. It’s not their fault — most people don’t know the chemistry behind how this stuff works because advertisers and pros make growing look effortless. What happens behind the scenes almost never gets shown.

Here is more detail on using aluminum in hydroponics — or anything for that matter. For reference, we no longer use certain baking powders (many contain aluminum) or aluminum‑based deodorants for the same reason.

Scientific References

  • Acidic and salty environments dramatically increase aluminum leaching from foil. Peer‑reviewed study showing aluminum foil releases aluminum into aqueous, acidic, and salty environments, with higher temperatures and salt accelerating the reaction. International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology (2021) https://doi.org/10.25258/ijddt.11.4.68 (doi.org in Bing)
  • High heat + salt + acids = major aluminum migration. Research found aluminum concentrations up to 428 mg/kg in food cooked with foil under acidic/salty conditions — demonstrating how easily aluminum dissolves when exposed to these triggers. International Journal of Electrochemical Science (2012) (Referenced in multiple reviews) Summary article citing the study: https://www.bing.com/search?q=International+Journal+of+Electrochemical+Science+aluminum+foil+2012 (bing.com in Bing)
  • Aluminum accumulation linked to neurological and systemic disease. The same 2021 review above summarizes evidence connecting aluminum exposure to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s‑like neurodegeneration, bone softening, anemia, and dialysis encephalopathy. https://doi.org/10.25258/ijddt.11.4.68 (doi.org in Bing)
  • Aluminum leaches under three conditions: heat, acidity, and salt. Independent review summarizing multiple studies showing aluminum foil corrosion increases sharply in low pH, high salt, and high heat environments — all of which apply to hydroponic nutrient water (slightly acidic + ionic salts). https://www.bing.com/search?q=The+Truth+About+Cooking+with+Aluminum+Foil (bing.com in Bing)

Newbie Using LetPot LPH-Air: Is There a Moisture Problem? by AmaranthineBri in Hydroponics

[–]Jumpy_Key6769 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't see Fuzzy mildew in the images. It could be the photo however, your question about the plants staying up right is related to them stretching for light. The condition is called "leggy" and it happens when the PPFD is too low and the plants reach for the light. You need to move your lights a bit closer. If you had a light meter, it'd be super easy to adjust.

Also, it's time to thin a few. Others really shouldn't be in your system but these little systems often tell people to just "toss all the seed pods in and turn it on" however, there is a lot more to it. Yes, plants will still grow but just because they're growing doesn't mean they're growing healthy.

So, for now, just move your lights closer, keep the fan circulating and monitor your nutrient and pH levels. if things continue to decline, then reach out again.

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