Water type, defined by water’s hardness level, is a key factor in determining how smoothly your Gardyn runs, how healthy your plants grow, and how much HydroBoost you should add to your tank weekly.
Water hardness is the amount of mineral content in the water, which affects pH and nutrient levels. Understanding your water’s hardness level will help you anticipate how your Gardyn will react to it.
Best Water Types for Your Gardyn
✅ Standard to Hard Water
Most tap and well water falls into a standard to hard range, with hard water being higher in dissolved minerals, typically calcium and magnesium.
Signs of hard water include:
- Mineral spots on glasses and silverware coming out of the dishwasher.
- A slimy or slippery feeling after washing your hands with soap.
Naturally soft water (low hardness level) is okay to use, too, but note it is different from softened water treated with a softener, which we do not recommend. If you’re using naturally soft water, see our recommendation for adding CAL-MAG, below.
✅ Filtered Water
There are many types of filtered water, but reverse osmosis (RO) is the purest. RO filters remove bacteria plus impurities at the ion level, including dissolved chemicals and minerals.
✅ Distilled Water
The distilling process purifies water through evaporation, leaving heavy metals, bacteria, and other waste behind.
TIP: If you’re using naturally soft, filtered, or distilled water in your Gardyn, we recommend adding CAL-MAG to offset the missing minerals typical of tap water that help your plants uptake nutrients. Add 1 teaspoon of CAL-MAG per gallon of water, once a week, straight into your water tank after the addition of other water/plant food. We suggest combining it with your weekly tank top off or tank refresh, whichever you’re scheduled to do for the week!
❌ Avoid Softened Water in your Gardyn
Softened water is different from naturally soft water. Softened water is processed through a water softening system (typically installed at the household level). Most water softeners use sodium chloride, which can cause a gradual build-up of sodium in your Gardyn, hurting your plants. If you have a water softening system, we recommend using untreated municipal water in your Gardyn instead.
Unsure of your water’s hardness level?
Ask your water supplier, as it’s often measured and reported annually. You can also obtain a test kit from your local home improvement store.
For a water quality deep-dive on pH and EC, click here to keep reading!
Questions? Reach us at support@mygardyn.com, or chat with us. We're here to help!