How Many ppm is Okay?

[TENroaches]

I recently got a TDS meter, and we turned on the dehumidifier the other day since winter's over. I tested the water in the dehumidifier, and it's 16 ppm. Is this safe to use for my CPs? I might try to clean out some of the gunky-lookin' bottom of container the water is in.

 

[Capensis]

100 is considered as the maximum, so you're fine. If it could be lower, that'd be good, but I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[BigBella]

What, are you smoking dope?

16 ppm is stellar . . .

 

[TENroaches]

Wow. This is going to save me so much money. I'd been buying 3 or so gallons a week. I can't really remember because I used a whole lot when repotting. This is great.

 

[Jag]

I agree with Capensis. 100 ppm is the limit.. You are good at 16 ppm

 

[Clue]

16 ppm... lucky you.

Here the water is really hard; I wish we had water like that.

 

[uphwiz]

where are you getting your water, is it tap?? that's very good.
ive purchased distilled water that read at 20 ppm , ,but from a questionable supplier , ie store brand .
my tap is at 30 ppm to 35 ppm, but i only use it in a pinch when the rain barrel goes too low .

 

[TENroaches]

It's from a dehumidifier. My grocery store's store brand distilled water is 2 ppm. My tap is 173 ppm.

---------- Post added at 06:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:23 PM ----------

16 ppm... lucky you.

Here the water is really hard; I wish we had water like that.

This isn't tap water, it's water pulled from the air by a dehumidifier. Well, two dehumidifiers, in two back rooms in the basement. I think I'll get something like a gallon a day.

 

[Jag]

...my tap is at 30 ppm to 35 ppm, but i only use it in a pinch when the rain barrel goes too low .

wow lucky. My tap water is at 238 ppm.... Gesh you are very lucky. 3 yrs ago I used to water from tap until I saw adverse effects on my plants! That's when I didn't know much about CP's.

 

[Chris_Himself]

16 ppm... lucky you.

Here the water is really hard; I wish we had water like that.

I think our water is like 200ppm. Stopped my sarr's from growing for 2 months before I figured that out. I thought the constant watering from the sprinklers every night in my townhouse complex would balance out the hardness but I've been wrong before and it's all a part of learning.

 

[caesium]

Like what others have said, 16 ppm is good. However, some salts are probably worse for some plants than others. Likewise, some cp's are better at tolerating minerals in the water than even some "normal" plants. The tap water where I live in LA is hard enough to walk on, and while the magnolias and Japanese maples show salt damage by mid summer, my neps will take it for at least two years. I repot them after that, so I'm not sure how much they can take exactly.

 

[billylh]

i took a tip from a friend when i was in houston and started to test water my sarrs with tap water which was around 300-350ppm, for me as long as the pots werent in a tray or saucer and i watered everyday it worked perfectly, didnt notice any problems, but as soon as they were put in a tray they stopped growing and started to decline.

~billy