What type of water do I use for my plants?

[Guest]

There is great debate over what types of water that you can/should use for your VFT and other CP's.

I have the simple answer:

USE ONLY DISTILLED WATER!!!

 

You can find this at any grocery store for about a dollar.  NO ALTERNATIVE TO THIS!! Drinking water, Spring water still have things in the water that are bad for the plants!!

If you have the means... you can collect rain water (it is free - just not of the side of your house. ).

If you have the money...  you can buy a reverse osmosis filter  (which will run into the 100&#36's of dollars ).


Many people use their tap water for these plants.  For some people it will work ( for a while ).  Some water supplies are low in mineral content.  It is the minerals ( along with sodium, cholrine and other chemicals ) that are in the water which is harmful for the fragile root system of the plant .  Filling up a pitcher of water and letting it sit for a couple of days WILL remove some of the chemicals, BUT WILL NOT REMOVE the minerals.  The water needs to be void of all possible mineral, sodium, chemical content to insure the survival of your plants.

Over time minerals will build up in the soil and the plant will struggle.

The SAFEST way to go with water for your plant is DISTILLED WATER.

If you only have a few plants, a gallon will last a long time.  

 

[Wado]

And if you have been using tap water or spring or mineral water. Don't forget to flush the minerals that may have been deposited in the soil, when you change to distilled water. To do this I suggest that you place the plant in the sink and pour distilled water from the top of the pot until it flows out the bottom drain holes. Do this a couple of times. Then let it drain in the sink for about an hour (as water logged soil can promote root rot) then place it back in it's tray of distilled water.

 

[Dionaea Enthusiast]

However, anyone with a large collection knows buying jugs of distilled will eventually lead to the buyer's demise.
For two reasons:
lugging jugs around town gets really tiring after a while, especially if you're 'lugging' 30+ gallons weekly.
more importantly, you'll be saving a huge amount of cash in the long run by collecting rain or purchasing (or renting) an RO unit

But as Jaie said, buying jugs is just fine for a smaller collection.
Chris

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Yep! That's what I use. An RO. They are great! Well if you have a large collection of 50 plants or more (like me)

 

[Guest]

I know there are a couple of options that exist for water...but I want everyone that is new to this know and understand that water will kill these plants faster than anything else.
Distilled water is the easiest thing to aqcuire. So it is what I recommend.

When collections start to get large, then you look for alternatives.

But not until then!

I can't tell you how many questions I get about water and the questions that are in the forums about water.

1 option means no mistake :smile:

DISTILLED WATER ONLY ( everything else will kill your plants! )

It just can't get much easier than that.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

I see where your coming from. Usually people on here have maby ohh.........i don't know maby 5-6 palnts in all and 1 to 2 gallons of DWater will last a LONG time! I know as I used to have only 3 CP's when I first got back into them after I killed about 25 VFT's when I was a kid.

Sad but true of course they probably where really poor condition to start off with. Anyhow but when your collection gets alot larger consider buying a RO system it is worht the money and you have to replace the prefilter every 5-6 months and the RO membrane every 1-2 years. Of course my collection is nearing around 80 plants and I need the RO. Just my way of more convienence. And it's great to drink!

 

[Dionaea Enthusiast]

I'm still shelling out huge amounts of cash for distilled water! And when I buy an RO unit (which will be this year), I'll be saving at least 50% annually. As you said, an RO unit is only practical if buying one saves you time and money in the long run. I've been looking around a lot, and have basically settled on a certain company:
http://www.rosystems.com
Their systems seem very high quality and trustworthy.

Just a warning about drinking water water you've purified yourself is don't let it sit out for more than a few hours at room temperature--refridgerate it. You wouldn't want microbes harmless to your plants colonizing your personal drinking water. I just use one of those 'Brita' filters and it's great, but it's a little strange knowing my plants are 'drinking' much 'cleaner' water than I am.

Chris

 

[Flint]

LMAO, when I saw that Jaie had started this thread my jaw hit the desk thinking he wasn't sure what to use for water. I was like no way, he does this for a living. LOL. I need coffee.

 

[Dionaea Enthusiast]

That also surprised me, but he just meant that's what someone who doesn't know would ask and that he's going answer it. I need sleep.

 

[Dyflam]

This seems like a good topic to resurrect (sp?). I just bought a new RO system and it's really worth it for me. The installation was... well, that's another story. Sometimes my intelligence is dwarfed by idiots. If I could only follow instructions. Last resort... break out the manual.

 

[arie]

as I need at least about 10 gallons a day!!!!!!
and rain water that I can collect is hold a week or two
there are 2 ways one at summer time is collect the water from the air condition units at home and second is RO system that do a great job. you just have to remember to change the filters in time (great help is to have a TDS meter).
arie

 

[Oli G]

Are distilled water and de-ionised water the same thing? As I am using de-ionised water...

 

[Dyflam]

They are not the same thing but both are acceptable for your plants.
Most of the impurities in your water are ions and deionization removes these impurities through an ion exchange process.
Distillation creates steam and then condenses the steam in a separate location leaving most impurities behind.

In simple terms of course because I don't know much more...

 

[Bubblegirl]

you are so right Jaie, I didn't read the directions and now my plants is almost dead because I used TAP water so I advise you not to use Tap water if you are you should quit while you a head

I guess you have to learn from your mistakes

 

[Guest]

This is an issue that will never go away.

So it is best to deal with it as needed.

I agree that RO Filters and Rain water are 2 other great sources of water for your plants.

And Dyflam, you aren't alone....it took many a hour and beer to get that thing hooked up

Bubblegirl, what are the conditions that your plant is gowring in?

Water is a factor ....it does take some time for it to go down. ...

Besides water, the next best thing you can do for your plant is to give it lots of light!! Not enough light and lots of water will create mold....that will kill as well.

Also, make sure that your plant NEVER dries out.....if it dries it dies!

 

[Bubblegirl]

Well Jaie, one of the mouths are deformed and one of the other mouths are open so wide that it looks like the trap is going to burst open!!! Is you plant healthy? Mine is droppy, I would say that it is dead. But if you think you know whats up you can help.


Hey also do they always seem to be growing little traps, what kind do you have? Also how much water are you subpost to give them?

?

??

BYE!

(Edited by Bubblegirl at 3:17 pm on May 3, 2002)