What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

How many gallons of water do you use a months and how much do you pay?

How many gallons of water do you use a months and how much do you pay for your CPs?

I refill a 5 gallon container with distilled water about 3 times a months

Totaling at 6 bucks.

What about you guys?

Sorry revised the title, I forgot to specify my question.
 
Last edited:
Depends on the season for me. If its extremely rainy, I dont buy any water and use around 1 gallon per month. 2 gal if plants are thirsty
Other than that if I do buy water, its about a dollar for distilled.
 
I collect rainwater form a 55gallon rain barrel, which is only an option during warmer non-freezing months.

The rest of the year I buy distilled water in 1 and 2 gallon jugs for about 90 cents per gallon from Meijer and Walmart. Probably use about 5 gal/month.
 
OH. If were talking NON carnivorous plants included, I use upwards of 20 gallons a month.
 
my non-carnivorous plants just get dechlorinated tap water.
 
Because my water source is Hetch Hetchy, which has extremely low ppm, I spend $0 on water because I don't need to buy distilled water. Per month, though, I probably go through 60 or 70 gallons, maybe more. Gotta keep the Sarrs happy :D
 
I use dozens of gallons of tap water for nothing.
 
I use dozens of gallons of tap water for nothing.

Outrageous! And they said it couldn't be done....

I use a minimum of 15 gallons of RO water per day, so multiply that by 30 = 450 gallons a month - probably half that from November to April, when the fogger uses far less (comes on less often). I have no idea what it costs me per month to generate that much water, but basically its the cost of electricity.
 
Last edited:
I use about 150-175 gal of ro per month, but most of that goes to my aquarium maintenance business. I normally use rainwater for all my plants, and have about 400 gal of storage capacity. I don't know how much I actually use, but unless I forget the water is running and empty the vessels by mistake, I never run out, including when I used about 200 gal this spring in the initial fill of my new bog.
 
  • #10
I have usually used rainwater, don't pay anything, but also found another free option that comes with having an air conditioner drain that's open to access: the air conditioner dehumidifier condenses the water in the air and thereby it's technically pure and distilled, so while I use probably upwards of 50 gallons a month plus due to outside plants, I collect more than I ever use up, at least during summer.
During winter, I melt snow.
 
  • #11
I steal water from my parents place (about an hour and a half away), it is also where I have my greenhouse, bog gardens and ponds, they have a mountain stream filled with D.adelae, so I figure the water from their bore must be pretty safe, and so far it has never let me down.

For my plants at uni I normally go through about 40-45gallon per fortnight (atleast that's how much I get each time), but the greenhouse at my parents runs misters and the bog gardens are watered by sprinklers, so easily over 50gallonL used a fortnight there.

But I don't have to worry much as it is free (and gives me a reason to shoot off to the greenhouse and check on everything).
 
  • #12
I think it would provide a lot more context if people posted how many plants they are watering as well. One capensis is going to need a lot less water than a tray full of Sarracenia. :)

I have about 10 plants and use 2-3 gallons a week. Our tap water is good enough to use, but I've still been buying distilled water for a dollar a gallon at the store (drought conditions.) As my collection grows I'll probably switch back to tap water assuming we get some real rain!
 
Last edited:
  • #13
all of my Sarracenias and VFTs live outdoors year round with a few sundews in my bog. On the rare occasions they require water (only once this past summer), it comes from my rain barrel, so my water expense for my outdoor bog is zero.

Indoors, I have 2 CP stations.

One is my rack, where seeds are germinated (er...attempted) and all of my indoor dews, and one ping live along with 2 small intermediate neps. That whole setup might use a gallon or two of water per week.

The other is my 55gallon Lowland tropical terrarium, home to 6 different lowland neps. Since it's pretty well enclosed, and runs a fan to keep the air from getting too stagnant, it requires little attention from me. I open it once a week or so to water and feed/fertilize as necessary. I use about 1/2 gallon of water each week doing this.

Again, during non-freezing months, water is free. The rest of the year, it's 90 cents per gallon.
 
  • #14
I have around 60 small-to-medium pots with sundews inside under lights, and 10 larger pots outside with Sarrs and a VFT. I buy distilled water at $1/gallon, and probably use 30 gallons a month. Water is my second-biggest CP expense, and I'd love to find a cheaper way to do it. I live in the East Bay of the SF Bay Area, and I've heard our water is relatively low ppm, but my indoor plants are 100% tray with no top watering, so I'm anxious about mineral accumulation. I've considered building a solar distiller, but haven't sat down to really game it out yet.
 
  • #15
My tap water is approx. 180-200 TDS, so most everything is now on RO water. I go through about 15g a week I'd guess, watering hundreds of plants, I might be closer to a thousand by now.
 
  • #16
My plants in the house probably on average a gallon or a bit more a week. Outside, three to five gallons a day at this time of year. Some days a bit more. That is just for the tanks, tubs and trays. A bit more if you include the ones who get tap water. I save rain water in various containers and buckets. Lots of one gallon containers, and recently I got the tank from an old water softening system. I cleaned it up to get the salt out and set it outside under an overhand to the garage where water drains off during rains. Very spotty now, we have had maybe four decent rain events in two months. Some say if gathering water off a roof, let it 'run' for an hour before collecting. Great, but what if the rain you get lasts ten to thirty minutes? Best case senario, I try to keep 30 to 70 gallons in storage, recently I had gotten down to 2. From time to time, I have to get purified water from the grocery store machine. Last year I bought a lot, no so much this year.
 
  • #17
I fill up my sarracenia tub with a 5 gallon jug. I use about the 5 gallons a week for that, and about 6 gallons for my other carnivores every week. My tap water is terrible so i get all my water from a water vending machine. Making about 20.00 a month on water. 240 a year. Wow that is a ton, i have never done the math before :(
 
  • #18
I have never really kept track, but depending on the rainfall, (less rain means more water I need to use)
I would estimate I probably use about 5 gallons a week average..20 to 30 gallons a month.
and I pay zero dollars for it:


Scot
 
Last edited:
  • #19
All you guys who live in the east are so lucky. In the west, we are all in drought and have gotton almost no rain this year.
 
  • #20
exactly what i was thinking goodkoalie, i couldn't even fill up a gallon tank LOL so sad
 
Back
Top