To flush LECA medium with tap water or reverse osmosis water?

[estación seca]

Back to advising OrchideeNormus.

With high-mineral water, your growing method results in more minerals concentrating at the medium surface, due to evaporation, than you would have with pour-through watering. I would use R/O water most of the time for self-watering pots. Once minerals form on the surface (efflorescence), they won't dissolve back into the water to any practical degree, so this would not be removed by periodic flushing with pure water.

You can mix RO with well water to decrease the mineral concentration, but it helps to know exactly what you're starting with. See how much it would cost you to have a water quality analysis done on your tap water. It's for your safety, as well. Find out concentrations of total dissolved solids, nitrates, sodium, phosphate, boron and metals. Find the hardness.

Your water company might have their annual water quality report online. I think in the US they are required to provide it, though it is true some small rural water providers don't always do the best job.

[OrchideeNormus]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Back to advising OrchideeNormus.

With high-mineral water, your growing method results in more minerals concentrating at the medium surface, due to evaporation, than you would have with pour-through watering. I would use R/O water most of the time for self-watering pots. Once minerals form on the surface (efflorescence), they won't dissolve back into the water to any practical degree, so this would not be removed by periodic flushing with pure water.

You can mix RO with well water to decrease the mineral concentration, but it helps to know exactly what you're starting with. See how much it would cost you to have a water quality analysis done on your tap water. It's for your safety, as well. Find out concentrations of total dissolved solids, nitrates, sodium, phosphate, boron and metals. Find the hardness.

Your water company might have their annual water quality report online. I think in the US they are required to provide it, though it is true some small rural water providers don't always do the best job.

Are you saying flushing the pots isn't making any difference at all? I exclusively use RO water for watering and feeding. If flushing isn't going to make a difference I would rather not. It seems to be a popular habit and according to some deemed necessary. I have read several articles stating that the efflorescence won't hurt the plants so long as it's only on the medium and not on the roots. Only one of my phals is having issues with salt build up on the roots and I think I've figured that issue out (my ph was way too high for them to be absorbing anything). I was trying to be safe rather than sorry! If it's not necessary then tell me now and I won't waste my money anymore lol.