Tap water on mounted orchids

[estación seca]

Yes, rain is wonderful. But one must take careful mosquito precautions. I have 300 gallon and a 150 gallon livestock tanks to collect rain. (1 gallon = 3.78 liters.) I filter the water into buckets and carry several meters it to 32 gallon covered trash barrels inside my growing space. These absorb heat during sunny winter days and keep my growing area warmer during chilly winter nights.

[marcoeverard]

Yes it was specifically mounted orchids that i was interested in as I think that the salts wouldnt build up to the degree they would in a pot and are easier to flush away. Perhaps I will give it a try with UK tap water and if things dont go well i will move to RO with a shut off valve as suggested.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by cbuchman

Please also remember that RO systems produce a LOT of waste water; and although they produce pure water for your plants, it does so at an environmental cost. Water is a precious commodity and should not be wasted. If your tap water is not suitable, consider a rain barrel.

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Traditionally, residential systems were "3:1" - 4 gallons in will produce 1 gallon of pure, with 3 going to the flush line. The systems I build have all been 2:1 or better. With standard membranes 1:1 can be done, but they tend to foul faster. If you have a sewerage charge based upon water consumption, replacing the membrane more frequently might be a cost-effective approach.

I have seen some recent 1:1 encapsulated membranes that look interesting, but haven't evaluated them yet.