mold on S/H media

[Niki]

I just moved one of my Phals to S/H three weeks ago. It seems to be doing fine, however I just noticed that there is something airy and white (which I am assuming is mold) growing in the media. I can see this stuff on the S/H media on inside the container as well (some of the whitish stuff is sticking out of the drain holes). I looked at the orchid last week and there was nothing on the media.

Oh, I only use distilled or RO water for the plants, so it shouldn't be mineral built up. Also, I soaked the pellets in RO water for 48 hours, changing the water 3 times in the first 24 hours, and once in the last 24 hours to help clean it out. I did not use calcium nitrate or magnesium nitrate with my soak, however. Could what I'm seeing just be mineral deposits or is it likely mold??

We've been hit really hard with thunder storms/hail/rain/tornados for the past two week and have had very high humidity (80-95%). I usually leave the window cracked open to give my orchids airflow, but haven't been able to do this lately due to all the bad weather we're getting, so I'm wondering if that's the reason.

The plant otherwise looks really good.

What is the best corase of action at this point? Should I just spray with Phal 20 to be safe? If so, should I just spray it once and see what happens, or should I spray it once, wait 24 or 48 hours, and spray it again?

Should I repot? (in which case I'd take it out of the pot, spary it, and repot into clean media)

What is the best way to avoid mold in the future? I'm guessing that adding a few drops of bleach to the S/H media is not a good idea, but wanted to double check with you all.


Thanks
Niki

[Niki]

Okay, so after reading another post I looked at what I'm seeing on my media more closely. Depending on the light I view it in, the whispy, white, airy tendrils I'm seeing look almost like they're sparkling. (like snowflakes catching the light). This makes me wonder if I'm seeing mineral deposit crystaline structure and not mold.

I also looked more closely at the Phal and it's shooting up a new leaf, which I take as a good sign.

Niki

[Ray]

It's probably mineral crystals. How well did you wash and soak the medium?

In the manufacture of any clay body - bricks, pots, tiles, toilets, LECA, etc. - chemicals known as "binders" are used to all the unfired article to have "green strength" so it can stand up under its own weight. When being pelletized, there's a lot of it to allow the clay to roll up like little snowballs.

Upon firing, some of those binders remain in the body as manufacturing residues. Additionally, to keep down dust and coll the post-fired pellets, they are often sprayed with water, and I'd guess that to be non-potable, containing who-knows-what.

When you water, those minerals dissolve and are transported to the top surface, where all of the evaporation is occurring. There, they precipitate into the crystals you see.

My advice is to water very heavily and frequently for the next few weeks, as that's help with the flushing.

[Niki]

Ray,

Thanks for getting back to me. As I mentioned in my first post, I soaked the pellets in RO water for 48 hours, changing the water twice the first day and one the second day.

I also placed an order with you yesterday and forgot to order calcium nitrite to soak with the next batch of pellets I use (when I switch my other two into S/H). I replied to the confirmation e-mail asking if I could add this to my order...sending the request to raybark@firstrays.com...is the the appropiate place to make the request? I couldn't find a phone number.

[Niki]

Ray,

Just wanted you to know that I did what you suggested (watered frequently, to flush out the deposits) and the orchid seems to be doing extremely well.

It's sending out all sorts of new root growth (roots are popping out from all over, including the aeriel roots that I trimmed before repotting as someone suggested).

It's also growing a new leaf!

I just got my order from firstrays, and will be treating my other two orchids with KLN root grow and waiting for new buds so that I can move them over to S/H also.

I LOVE S/H. No more guesswork as to when to water, and no worries the media is too dry or too moist.

Thank you for all your help everyone!!

Niki