Date: Thu, 08 May 1997 11:46:20 +0200 From: v3andesp@ulmo.stud.slu.se (Anders Espef\dlt) To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1825$foo@default> Subject: Distilled water IS good water!
Dear list, I want to correct something that Benjamin F. Lasseter wrote as an
answer to a question from Ryan. It=B4s a bit long but I thought it necessary
to repeat it:
> Second, should like to respond to a question from one of our members.
>
>> Now all
>>I need is the correct water. I have buckets outside right now, because=
it's
>>raining. I know I possibly get enough water from the rain to give to my
>>plants, so I need to find some other source. I need to know what to do! =
I
>>was wondering if I just let a bucket of tap water out to sit for a couple
>>day, if that would get rid of all those nasty things in the water that=
pose a
>>threat to my CP's. Also, I have a dehumidifyer. Is the water collected=
from
>>that good? And, my pool had a cover on it over the winter. A lot of=
water
>>has colleced in it, but it is a bit dirty. Is that okay too? Thanks
>>alot!!!!
>>
>> Ryan
>>
>
>
> Leaving tap water to sit out for a couple of days is very likely to
>get it contaminated. Tap water is fine to use, however. I have found that
>boiling such water for a few minutes, covering it, then letting it cool
>back down to room temperature is a fine way to make sure it is pure. I am
>not sure if even this boiling step is always needed, but it certainly
>doesn't hurt. Do not use distilled or deionized water for plants. It
>lacks the trace metals that are required for growth. Bottled spring water
>would probably work just great, but I have never felt the need to go this
>far.
>
> Sincerely,
> Benjamin F. Lasseter
>
And here is my opinion:
As I have understood, the water that most cp like is what is referred to as
"soft", that means that it contains very very little calcium and magnesium
ions. A lot of tap water contains these ions in a too high concentration,
partly because some cities add it to the water as a part of their process to
make it drinkable and partly because the water has drained trough ground
containing limestone.
The cities add lime to the water because slightly alkaline water will not
corrode the water pipes as slightly acidic water would. Cp usually grow in
soils that is slightly acidic and thus will not be happy about tap water.
These metal ions can only be removed by distillation or deionization. Water
from a dehumidifyer is by definition distilled since it is water collected
from water vapour in he air.
If the water contains a lot of Calcium in the form of Calciumbicarbonate
it can be partly removed by boiling since this will break down the
bicarbonate ion to carbonate and carbon dioxide. Because Calciumcarbonate is
almost insoluble it will form a preciptate that can be filtered off. Some
will still remain in solution so I dont think this method will be
satisfactory for cp.
Some tap water contain clorine too. Clorine is more simple to remove, it
will evaporate if you let the water stand for some days, if you bubble (a
lot of!) air trough it or if you boil it. Remember that prolonged boiling
will merely concentrate the ions that the water contains.
About the trace metals Benjamin F. Lasseter is partly true, but remember
that the cp live in very nutrient poor conditions. Thats why they are cp and
not only p in the first place. These plants are used to not getting any
trace metals or anything else in the water. They will get what they need if
they are fed properly, and might be hurt by metals in the water.
I think that other contamination like small amounts of bacteria or organic
matter, will not hurt the plant since the soil they are planted in contains
so many bacteria that it would take more than a lifetime to count them.
Rainwater will do fine in most areas, this is what wild cp get! If "dirt"
is a moderate amount of leaves and twigs I cannot see that it would be a
problem, not small amounts of acidic soil either. But be sure that it really
is ONLY pure rainwater in your pool, Ryan. It could contain different
chemicals for cleaning the pool or fertilize your lawn or the soil of the
lawn could contain lime that has been solved by rainwater that later entered
your pool.
This information is not valid with tissue culture! Then he water has to be
sterile and to contain a balanced amount of nutrients!
I felt this posting necessary, because Benjamin F. Lasseter recommended
tap water, which in my opinion in some areas would be a sure poison to the
plant.
Greetings from
Anders Espefalt
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 02 2001 - 17:31:02 PST