u/Sad-Zebra-6323

So as the title suggests, I have well water with very very high iron. I do have a water softener and a separate iron filter(idk exactly what it's called but it looks like a water softener without the salt tank and only removes iron) that feeds into it. I don't have EC/ppm readings right now, but I'll get them when I get home later today.

My concern is that because I have such hard water, after going through the softener it'll be high in sodium, which will cause a nutrient lockout with my plants. So I need some suggestions or advice as to how to filter my water so it's usable, without dropping 2k on a large RO system.

With my hydro grow I use roughly 70-90 gallons a week, which involves draining and refilling a 60 gallon drum, weekly. It's not realistic for me to get a smaller RO system that only does 100gpd because my plants get watered at least twice a day, and I need time to mix nutrients into the still 60 gallons before the plants are watered (it's on a timer)

I've looked into a deionization filter, but those seem to be just as expensive. I do also collect rain water from the gutters but it's not reliable enough because I use so much water and with how dry it's been where I live.

So basically, what are my options? What's the cheapest option? What is the best option? I know I'm going to have to spend a few hundred dollars, but money is tight right now(as it is for everyone lol) and I don't have thousands to spend.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Edit: before I installed the new system I think my water was reading at 2.5 EC after the softener. It was also 30 years old, so I doubt it was doing much, if anything.

So as the title suggests, I have well water with very very high iron. I do have a water softener and a separate iron filter(idk exactly what it's called but it looks like a water softener without the salt tank and only removes iron) that feeds into it. I don't have EC/ppm readings right now, but I'll get them when I get home later today.

My concern is that because I have such hard water, after going through the softener it'll be high in sodium, which will cause a nutrient lockout with my plants. So I need some suggestions or advice as to how to filter my water so it's usable, without dropping 2k on a large RO system.

With my hydro grow I use roughly 70-90 gallons a week, which involves draining and refilling a 60 gallon drum, weekly. It's not realistic for me to get a smaller RO system that only does 100gpd because my plants get watered at least twice a day, and I need time to mix nutrients into the still 60 gallons before the plants are watered (it's on a timer)

I've looked into a deionization filter, but those seem to be just as expensive. I do also collect rain water from the gutters but it's not reliable enough because I use so much water and with how dry it's been where I live.

So basically, what are my options? What's the cheapest option? What is the best option? I know I'm going to have to spend a few hundred dollars, but money is tight right now(as it is for everyone lol) and I don't have thousands to spend.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Edit: before I installed the new system I think my water was reading at 2.5 EC after the softener. It was also 30 years old, so I doubt it was doing much, if anything.