Chlorine? - Orchid Board

VERN · #1 10-30-2006, 10:54 PM

HOW CONCERNED SHOULD I BE ABOUT CLORINE IN MY WATER

orcdfrk · #2 10-31-2006, 02:21 AM

If you're just using ordinary tap water, then just let it sit out overnight and most if not all of any chlorine would/should dissipate. Now whether you have hard water would be another thing and your water provider should have testings posted somewhere or would be able to tell you.

Wendy · #3 10-31-2006, 08:52 AM

Back when i used tap water for my orchids I would letthe water sit overnight....the chlorine would dissapate. I quickly discovered though that our water is so hard that chlorine was the least of my worries. Now i collect rainwater.

Ray · #4 10-31-2006, 09:18 AM

If your community uses chlorine gas, the advice so far is good. If they use chloramine, standing won't do a thing, and you'd be better looking for another water source.

justatypn · #5 10-31-2006, 10:51 AM

Great point Ray on the chloramine, was not aware of it. You might want to go to your county/city website and pull up the info there on the found water supply "utilities". I have taken my down to the lab a few years ago for other reasons but its a great source to get started with.

jonnygreenthumb · #6 11-01-2006, 12:05 AM

You can also call you local utility/water company and ask for a report on the amount of additives such as chlorine and chloramine. I know with mine they were more than happy to provide the info.

Marco · #7 11-01-2006, 01:18 AM

I use my tap to water all the time. I did get a report from my water company and had someone read it for me and he told me my water was ok to use. No way was I gonna interpret that chart on my own.

Ross · #8 11-01-2006, 10:38 AM

Mine goes through a softener. I have a RO unit for drinking water. In the past I have used the unsoftened water for the orchids with no ill-effects but recently starting mixing RO with unsoftened water 50/50.

s1ren · #9 11-14-2006, 04:30 PM

I'm a newb, and have no experience with orchids themselves...

...but, it seems to me that an aquarium-water conditioner that removes chlorine and/or chloramines from tap water might be good to use for orchid-watering. Has anyone tried this?

I use "Repti-Safe" in my amphibian tanks, and that removes chlorine and chloramines (and ammonia) from tap water; there are several brands sold for fishtanks that do the same thing.

Ray · #10 11-15-2006, 08:57 AM

It's probably fine, although it's too bad it removed ammonia, as that's a free source of nitrogen!