water
Jean Dewitte (Jean_Dewitte@og.maus.de)
Sun, 02 Jul 95 12:58:00 GMT
Short contribution on the water issue (after all I work in membranes
development and would feel guilty not to contribute):
1. rain water: best source on condition you don't live in the city. we have
installed capture points on the garage roof and feed about 2 cubic meter
storage (600 gal). The first splash can be contaminated but the nepenthes are
doing super, pitchers on all plants and tremendous growth.
2. Ion exchange.
Beware what you install. A softener will only remove the hardness, replacing it
with sodium , so you end up with water which still contains a lot of salts.
(Softeners are the systems regenerated with plain salt).
A real demin plant will either be two vessels, to be regenerated separately
with acid and sodium hydroxide, or a single vessel (mixed bed) to be
regenertated by a specialist e.g. to be replaced upon exhaustion. The water
coming out of the system contains no more salts. Installing a single vessel
with the wrong resin will give you either high acidity or strong alkaline
water,
and ruin your plants.
Also take care what you do with the regeneration liquids, they are either
strongly saline or have extreme pH's.
3. Membranes.
Very nice solution, but expensive in Europe. OK if you can get hold of a small
element and build the plant yourself. Depending on the set-up you might waste
up to 85% of the feed water. However the quality is as good as distilled or
rain water
4. City water.
Adding acid to city water, or just boil it, will remove a part of the hardness.
Nepenthes will survive on this water, but you will see salt deposits on the
leaves.
Hope this clarifies some issues.
John De Witte
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