what exactly is "good" water... for orchids (Epi. tetraceros) - Orchid Board

Jeff214 · #1 12-01-2019, 01:57 AM

hello and a belated happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US!

I recently purchased an Epidendrum tetraceros and its culture notes mentioned using "good water"... does anyone have experience growing this plant or know what type of water quality it needs?

I assume slightly acidic pH and low mineral content... perhaps low chlorine content (leaving tap water out for 48 hrs)? maybe it'll accept my Brita-filtered H2O...!

Thanks

Subrosa · #2 12-01-2019, 06:45 AM

I'm not specifically familiar with that species, but its habitat in higher altitude cloud forests would strongly suggest it's intolerant of hard water. A Brita does nothing to remove hardness, so unless the water was suitable before it went in, it won't be suitable when it comes out. Chlorine at the levels found in drinking water is a non-issue. You're going to need to know the specific properties of your tapwater before you can make a determination as to its suitability. If you're on public water contact your supplier and ask for a copy of the latest analysis. It's free of charge.

Roberta · #3 12-01-2019, 12:49 PM

Jeff -
I think you are in the San Diego area. where tap water is pretty uniformly awful, though some people in the SD County OS Species Study Group say it has improved recently in at least some areas (meaning 275 ppm instead of 600+). Along with the water company analysis, well worth the time to get involved with the orchid society - a place to get local, "on the ground" information from some incredibly knowledgeable people.(I make the long drive for the Species Study Group because I learn a lot there, a very special bunch of people) But if you have a plant that has "good water" as a criterion, RO or DI in your area is probably needed.

Jeff214 · #4 12-01-2019, 02:51 PM

Thanks for the advice.

The 2018 water quality report in San Diego mentions that the total hardness of the water was between 115-292 ppms and pH of 7.95. My other orchids have been doing fine with tap water... but I guess I'll err on the side of caution with this Epidendrum and use DI water. In any case, I'll see if I can get a more recent report.

I've been meaning to attend the orchid society meeting in San Diego. Hopefully I'll make it to the next meeting in January.

neophyte · #5 12-01-2019, 03:12 PM

Jeff, on a side note, did you get the Epidendrum tetraceros from Andy's during the Black Friday sale? Because the name looked so familiar and I searched it up on the list and there it was... lol

a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

DirtyCoconuts · #6 12-01-2019, 03:18 PM

Rain water

Jeff214 · #7 12-01-2019, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neophyte

Jeff, on a side note, did you get the Epidendrum tetraceros from Andy's during the Black Friday sale? Because the name looked so familiar and I searched it up on the list and there it was... lol

a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

Neophyte,

I did get the Epidendrum tetraceros from Andy's sale. Lots of interesting stuff I've never heard of before. This was probably my most adventurous purchase... haha.

Orchid Whisperer · #8 12-01-2019, 04:20 PM

Jeff, I'm guessing that when others refer to "ppm", they are probably talking about total dissolved solids (TDS). As Subrosa stated, your water company should be able to provide testing data.

Hardness is different from on TDS. The "nutshell" explanation is that hardness is the mineral content of water associated with calcium and magnesium compounds. Wikipedia provides a reasonably good layperson's explanation of hardness. Suffice to say, your TDS is probably higher than 115-292 ppm. It would still be worth asking your water company about TDS, and the concentrations of specific elements. Most orchids need a little Ca and Mg, but prefer water low in sodium (so, no water that has gone through a water softener). Many orchids can do well with slightly to moderately hard water, but the species you have may need better water quality (Andy's Orchids may have this information).

Once you have more information on the quality of the tap water, you will have a better basis for determining if you need a reverse osmosis water treatment system. I agree with Subrosa, your Brita will not help.

Jeff214 · #9 12-01-2019, 04:50 PM

Thanks for the clarification.

You're right, I was just thinking about Ca and Mg (hardness) + chlorine and I do see TDS in the report. The TDS is 332-588 ppm in my area - about 153 ppm from sulfates, 92 from chlorides, 112 ppm CaCO3 and most trace elements below their detection range. While there's a variety of elements/compounds detected in the water, I'm not certain what the acceptable ranges are for each in terms of orchid culture. I understand that each orchid may have different requirements, but do you have a "rule of thumb" range for the TDS components?

I mentioned Brita regarding the removal of chlorine. The guy who sold me mushroom logs mentioned this... Not sure if that really helps at all... In any case I decided to just let tap water sit uncovered for 2 days before watering my shitake logs.

Roberta · #10 12-01-2019, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff214

Neophyte,

I did get the Epidendrum tetraceros from Andy's sale. Lots of interesting stuff I've never heard of before. This was probably my most adventurous purchase... haha.

And now you should go to Andy's Open House next weekend (3 days)... just in case you need more orchids... and then Sunset Valley orchids the Saturday after that. You live in orchid heaven...