Vanda overnight soaks - add physan

[hypostatic]

HMMMMMMM

OK SO, I'm thinking if you really wanted to reuse a bucket with water/fert, and you're worried about possible contamination, you could just use a submersible aquarium UV sterilizer!
Soak your vandas overnight; UV sterilize the water during the day (or every other day)?

something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Coospider-Aqu...s%2C162&sr=8-5

[guccisimo85]

That is so very clever!

Based on what I’ve read online, I should be targeting 225ppm of N in my nightly soaks. That’s 3 tbsp of MSU fertilizer for a 10 gallon container So a UV sterilizer is probably the cheaper option long term. It would also save me hauling that 10 gallon tub full of water up into the sink every night!

Originally Posted by hypostatic

HMMMMMMM

OK SO, I'm thinking if you really wanted to reuse a bucket with water/fert, and you're worried about possible contamination, you could just use a submersible aquarium UV sterilizer!
Soak your vandas overnight; UV sterilize the water during the day (or every other day)?

something like this:
Robot Check

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by guccisimo85

So a UV sterilizer is probably the cheaper option long term. It would also save me hauling that 10 gallon tub full of water up into the sink every night!

True!! Maybe workable. Just got to make sure that the light source can properly cover the 10 gallon ----- like consideration about whether the light properly covers whatever is being treated. Eg. geometry considerations - size considerations etc. And bulb life-time, such as whether the bulb becomes less effective over time due to aging etc.

[vegetalmatter]

Originally Posted by aliceinwl

I’m guilty of reusing water too. I wound up with roots going dormant with some minor root death in my Vandas too. Now I’m pretty good about using the soak water on my other plants and giving the Vandas fresh water for their overnight soaks at least every couple days. In mine, roots rapidly resumed normal growth once I freshened up the water.

You are describing the exact problem I am having! I will just have to get better at freshening up the water more often and see if things improve

The UV idea is great, I just wonder if pathogens are the only issue here, or could it be other things as well? Maybe plant wastes accumulating in the water or it running out of oxygen?

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by guccisimo85

That is so very clever!

Based on what I’ve read online, I should be targeting 225ppm of N in my nightly soaks. That’s 3 tbsp of MSU fertilizer for a 10 gallon container So a UV sterilizer is probably the cheaper option long term. It would also save me hauling that 10 gallon tub full of water up into the sink every night!

You can use far less than that, especially as you are feeding them daily or close to it. 100-125ppm is more than enough, and you could probably use less than that. However, it's probably better to wait for Vanda growers to confirm this.

[estación seca]

Please explain to me how buying, installing and using UV sterilization is better than running fresh water into a bucket?

[hypostatic]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Please explain to me how buying, installing and using UV sterilization is better than running fresh water into a bucket?

The one I linked to is cheap, and there's no installation required. OP was asking for a solution for reusing water with fertilizer, instead of wasting a whole bucket every day.

[guccisimo85]

As an update ... apparently there is debate over whether UV sterilizers break down chelated fertilizers. It has been reported on some of the aquascaping forums. I am using MSU, which contains EDTA chelated iron, so I guess I will be hauling this 10 gallon bucket in and out of the sink. I’d rather not any more variables to the mix! Admittedly, I will still probably try to get 2 days out of it every time I mix it up

[hypostatic]

Or just add more iron if it looks like there's a deficiency

[guccisimo85]

How does that normally manifest in vandas?

Originally Posted by hypostatic

Or just add more iron if it looks like there's a deficiency