Question on Potentially Contaminated Water Supply and Solutions

[FirBarkandBlooms]

Good evening,

Apologies in advance if I don’t follow the proper protocols for posting I am pretty new here.

I am currently using a small RO water system purchased from First Rays (which is great, not the problem here) which fills a 30 gallon plastic barre. I fill my watering cans from this barrel. I’ve become increasingly suspicious that the water in the barrel is contaminated with algae/fungus/bacteria that I am spreading to my plants because all at once many started exhibiting spotting and the only thing they all share is the water that comes from that barrel.

I am currently disinfecting the barrel.

My questions are:

1. Is the RO system contaminated too? The clean end was dipped inside the barrel as it filled. How would I sanitize it?

2. Is there something I should be adding to my water to ensure it is free from these bad things? Or is regular disinfecting the best solution.

Thanks in advance,

[Roberta]

Ray would be the one to give the best answers... But I'm pretty sure that the RO system isn't contributing to the problem. I would be more concerned with that watering can - if you put it down on a surface (or the ground) the outside of it can pick up bacteria or fungi, and then when you dunk it back into the RO barrel you are basically washing whatever was on it into your water supply. I wouldn't worry about algae... your barrel will probably get some of that if it is exposed to light at all, and it doesn't hurt anything. But soil organisms or whatever is in the environment might indeed be problematic. If you don't want to get a pump, you could dedicate a bucket or jar, etc for dunking into the barrel, then pour the water into your watering can, keeping your "scoop" clean.

[FirBarkandBlooms]

Thanks for the reply,

The whole system is inside, and I do have a pump which I use to get the water out, which is also being sanitized although for piece of mind I may get a new one. I suppose may last question would be if and how to clean the RO system.

[estación seca]

Which plants? Can you post photos of the spotting? What are your growing conditions - in your house or in a greenhouse? Temperatures day/night, relative humidity, light? How are you watering?

[Ray]

Are you mixing anything in your collection barrel?

Is it open?

Is it exposed to light?

Do you actually know what the water is “contaminated” with?

I probably cleaned my greenhouse RO tank in PA once every 10 years.

I doubt the RO system is contaminated, other than the outside of the pure water tube, maybe, but the way you disinfect them is by removing and disposing all the filters and membrane, fill the various canisters with 1 cup/gal bleach (I suppose Physan solution would also work, but I know nothing about the materials compatibility), wait 30 minutes, then turn the water for to force all the disinfectant out. Then replace the “guts” and away you go.

[FirBarkandBlooms]

Thanks for your responses.

The tank is in my house, there is only a small opening in the barrel where water drips in and I pump it out. I don’t mix anything in the barrel, it’s just pure water.

I grow in a room in my house I converted into a grow room, under lights, with a small fan blowing all the time.

Attached are some pictures of the spots. These are all new plants which started exhibiting symptoms so quickly all I can guess is the water. I’ve pruned none, repotted few, so I don’t think it can be a virus, although my heart sinks at the possibility. The cattleya is a seedling from sunset valley orchids and very new. The new growth is the one with the spotting.

[Roberta]

I think that you can rest assured that it's not virus... that tends to take a long time to become noticeable. But what else it might be? I leave that to others to diagnose.

[estación seca]

What are your temperatures day/night and humidity in your growing area?

[FirBarkandBlooms]

Max temp is 80-85 and night temps only go down to 75 in the winter because the AC isn’t running. Summer temps are actually cooler because the AC runs and then it goes down to about 68.

Humidity is not supplemented so it stays around 35-40%

[estación seca]

It looks to me like different problems in different plants. I wonder about Acidovorax, Anthracnose and Phllosticta infections. I can't see the photos well enough to be certain.

I wouldn't think this is associated with your water. These kinds of fungi are almost always present in the environment. Plants become infected but might not be symptomatic when conditions aren't correct, usually when it's hot and humid. They develop problems when the plant becomes stressed.

Have a look at the Pests and Diseases section of the St Augustine Orchid Society Web page.