New discussion on R.O. water

[IdahoOrchid]

Originally Posted by goodgollymissmolly

There has never been anything like the internet for education but unfortunately about 90% of it is false information.

So, does that mean I have to ignore 90% of the information in this thread or just 90% of what YOU contribute????





Regarding my use of RO, my water comes out of the ground, any "waste" I produce goes back into the ground.

[goodgollymissmolly]

I would check out anything I read on an internet forum and everything I read on the internet that appears commercial. If you personally know something about the subject and the information appears reasonable versus your knowledge of the subject then you can make an informed choice.

I apply to that to everybody. Everybody should apply that to me. The misinformation, false information, stupid information, dishonest information, misleading information, and other forms of useless information far exceeds the good information on the internet.

[Ray]

That's one reason a reference from Wikipedia is of no value to me. Anything that can be edited to suit anyone's interpretation is ridiculous.

It's also why I try my best to "share" rather than "sell" on my website. I thoroughly evaluate everything I use when I grow my orchids, and I try to document those observations and learnings online. When I find something I want/need for me, I try to buy it wholesale so I get a good price, and sell off the balance. You'll never see something there I have not personally used and given the "thumbs up" to. (Good thing I have a "real job" to put food on the table.)

I whole-heartedly agree with Goodgolly on this one (never thought you'd hear that, did you?).

[IdahoOrchid]

Originally Posted by Jerry Delaney

I just use an orchid mix I make using either coconut chips or New Zealand sphagnum. Does that count as s/h?

I would say, "Yes!" It is not the medium you use, it is the method that determines S/H or not.

[Ray]

Technically, semi-hydroponics is defined as "single-pot orchid culture utilizing an inert medium, with a constant source of nutrient solution" (it's my invention, I can define it how I want), but I would still consider doing so with organic media components as such, just less convenient, as you have to change the medium and watch for decomposition.

[IdahoOrchid]

Originally Posted by Ray

Technically, semi-hydroponics is defined as "single-pot orchid culture utilizing an inert medium, with a constant source of nutrient solution" (it's my invention, I can define it how I want)

Maybe we could call it semi-semi-hydro?

[Jerry Delaney]

Then maybe what I am doing is not S/H Ray. I really do not have a constant source of nutrients for the plants. When I water/fertilize them I just water from overhead as on nearly all of my plants. I do try and keep the tray full of water at all times, but I am using just an old oil drip pan that you can get in any Wall Mart store for a few bucks and it is not very deep. Unfortunately, during some of our "warmer" days (we average about 40 days/year of 100+ temperatures), the fans and cooling system can evaporate a good deal of water from the trays. My memory is not so good sometimes and by the time I get around to checking them, the pans are empty due to evaporation. When this happens, I fill the pan with just tap water and also flush out the pots as I worry about salt build up. So, I am afraid that they aren't really blessed with a constant source of nutrients.

[IdahoOrchid]

Jerry, even in true s/h culture the water can evaporate pretty quickly.

[Ray]

Jerry, whether it's an internal reservoir (my pot design), and external one (pot tray) or large nursery tray is irrelevant. And yes, I occasionally forget to water enough to keep the reservoirs full too. "Constantly" full is the goal.

I recommend against using shared trays, though, as that common bath is the ideal way to share plant pathogens!

[Jerry Delaney]

No argument from me Ray about sharing the same "bath water". At one time, I only had about half a dozen Phrags and each had it's own separate saucer (the little clear round plastic tray for setting pots in) and they didn't have to "share". Unfortunately, I suffer from an incurable disease that my wife has termed as "one of" disease (you know, just have to have one of these and one of those) and the half dozen grew into over 4 dozen! As a result, space became a huge problem so pot edge to pot edge they went into a single large tray! Being an industrial microbiologist nearly all my working life, I should know better, huh. It has become a case of "do as I say, not as I do". Just to prove how dumb I am, I am in the process of putting together another Phrag order!!