Show Case: Using Athena Blended with Growee
If you are using athena nutrients and looking to save time, this article is for you.
In this real-world showcase from a Growee user in the U.S., we break down why you don’t need Athena Balance when using the Growee Smart Dosing and pH Control System -and how this setup works seamlessly with RO water and automation.
TL;DR:
This Article showcases how one Growee user in the U.S. automated their ebb & flow system using:
– Growee Smart pH & Nutrient Dosing System
– Athena Blended Line nutrients (without Balance)
– RO water and Aircube flood & drain automation
In a nutshell, here’s what happens with Growee:
✅ No need to pre-buffer water with Balance
✅ Growee handles pH + EC automatically
✅ Consistent results, less work, and full remote control
Why RO Water Has “Unstable pH” (And Why It Swings So Fast)?
When water goes through Reverse Osmosis (RO), it becomes extremely pure.
But it also loses the natural “stabilizers” that help keep pH from swinging up and down.
In chemistry, these stabilizers are called buffers.
Carbonates & Bicarbonates (The “Alkalinity Buffer”). This is the most important missing piece in RO water. In many tap water sources (for example, Texas tap water), dissolved Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) and Carbonate (CO₃²⁻) act like a shock absorber that protects the water from sudden pH drops.
The RO problem:
RO membranes remove around 95–98% of these ions.
That means the water has almost zero buffering capacity (also called Alkalinity).
Result: pH becomes unstable and can swing fast. That’s why Balance is part of the Athena Blended Line; it helps manually stabilize water before nutrient mixing.
Why You Don’t Need Athena Balance with Growee
This is where Growee makes life easier.
Growee comes with automated pH control, including two dedicated pumps for pH Up and pH Down). The system reads the live pH values in your reservoir or manifold and doses in small steps to get the water right to your target pH.
So instead of buffering RO water manually with Balance before mixing, Growee:
Mixes the nutrients to your EC target
Detects the pH shift
Adds the correct pH Up or Down as needed
Keeps pH in range 24/7
No more pre-pH steps. No guessing. No overshooting.
The Power Behind Growee’s Algorithm
Growee’s pH control is based on a patented algorithm that calculates how much pH adjuster to add and when. It applies small doses to prevent overshootingprotecting your plant roots and keeping everything in range. This gives you fully automated pH control with RO water, even without Athena Balance.
How The Growee Works with the Aircube Ebb & Flow System?
This grower’s system uses the Aircube ebb and flow system with a central recirculating tank.
Here’s how the cycle works:
– Water/nutrient mix floods the pots
– Plants feed and change the EC and pH
– Water drains back into the tank
– Growee detects the change and rebalances it.
The solution is ready again for the next flood
“If you add a float valve to the Aircube tank, you can go on vacation for days without touching the water.”
With a float valve in place, the tank refills automatically.
Growee monitors the fresh water, adjusts pH and EC again, and the system keeps running cleanly.
Final Thoughts
If you’re using Athena Blended Line nutrients, RO water, and want to save time in your grow, Growee replaces the need for Athena Balance completely.
