Hi Thebonepile,

If your well water is drinkable, generally it should be suitable for hydroponics. Any hardness in it is probably Calcium Carbonate and/or Magnesium Carbonate. You might even have some insoluble Iron in it as well. Only a full analysis will show really what is in it.

If you lose 3 gallons due to evaporation at the end of the day, just add 3 gallons of water and adjust your pH. In mid-summer I lose 30 litres (nearly 7 imperial gallons) and make it up at the end of the day, then adjust the pH.
I top up with one full dose of nutrient at the end of each week, and drain the lot out and wash out with fresh water at the end of week 3.

I hope this information is of use to you.

Cheers,
Jimr007

The fert I use is Nutriculture 10-20-30.

It sounds like you are going to have a complete setup.

Your water will probably work fine. Don't use salt in your softener. Use Potassium Chloride. The salt will kill your plants.

On a side note, I was looking and looking for another grow bed. I was looking to get one as inexpensively as possible. I stumbled across the neatest thing. Build it out of wooden pallets. It would be very simple to make a basic raised pallet structure and line it with black plastic. It could be used for drip or flood and drain.

I'd appreciate some expert advice on calcium carbonate in well water .I have just had the well bored. An analysis shows that the calcium carbonate level is 104.35 (the norm is given as 100) However, it's all written in Thai and getting an accurate evaluation on this matter is proving difficult.Can anyone help please?