Hard Water???

[minds_I]

Hello all,

I just was reading some Wiki on hard water and I recalled my local water department water quality report.

Anyway, the report states that in my district the ground well water has a hardness of 49-97 mg/l.

Now in Wiki say that those numbers corespond to "slightly hard" to "moderately hard".

How is this effecting my teas and bottle mixes? Is there a negitive impact with these numbers in organic soil?

Should I try and use like rain water or maybe the condensation form the my house AC...it pumps a lot during the summer.

SHould I be concerned with those numbers?

I am at a loss.

minds_I

 

[Guest]

My local municipal is very hard and alkaline, i use it to my advantage without any issue. Since teas tend to be on the acidic side I don't amend with dolomite, greensand or anything like that. I don't know what my teas turn out on a technical level but I've never had an issue. I also have extremely clay soil(80%clay in some places.) so I just offset with the fact that my teas tend to be acidic. I wouldn't worry too much unless it is actually giving you a problem - if it ain't broke don't fix it. Or: Don't order "no tomatos" or you'll end up with a tomato sandwich!

J.

 

[Guest]

Water with a high concentration of calcium and magnesium is referred to as "hard" water. How high is high? Hard water has greater than 150 parts per million (ppm) of calcium and magnesium.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- If your indoor plants or plants brought in for the winter seem to be faring poorly, a Penn State horticulture expert suggests taking a hard look at softened water as the culprit.

"There isn't any research that tells us which plants can be injured, but plants do have a widely varying tolerance for softened water," says J. Robert Nuss, professor of ornamental horticulture in the College of Agricultural Sciences. "In many cases, water from a mechanical softener has a harmful effect on plant growth."

Nuss explains that hard water contains large amounts of calcium and magnesium, which are plant nutrients. However, these minerals reduce the lathering effectiveness of soap when clothing or other items are washed. "The minerals in hard water often combine with soap to form the ring you see in bathtubs or wash bowls," he says.

Many homeowners soften their water by using a filtration system to exchange the calcium and magnesium in the water for sodium, creating a softer water that allows soap to function better.

"Sodium is used by plants only in very small amounts," Nuss says. "Over long periods of time, sodium becomes toxic to plants."

Nuss says excess sodium will damage the soil quality around the plant's root system by breaking down the soil structure, thus reducing drainage.

Nuss says savvy plant lovers can save their plants by using several care methods.

Leaching. By using rainwater or unsoftened water to water your plants, high levels of sodium can be leached out of the soil.

Elevation. By placing your plant on gravel or a similar material, a reservoir is formed to collect water passing through the soil. "Never allow plants to stand in softened water," Nuss warns.

Repotting. Fresh potting soil will provide a new environment for the roots, free of excess salts.

Other water additives used by municipal water systems, chlorine and fluorine, also can harm some plants. Nuss says they are trace elements that are needed in very small amounts to keep plants healthy. "In excess, like sodium, they can be toxic," he says.

Chlorine generally presents less of a headache for houseplants, Nuss explains. "Chlorine can be eliminated from water by heating, aeration or by filling watering containers and letting them stand overnight before watering the plants."

Fluorine can adversely affect plants at concentrations as low as .1 part per million. In some municipal water supplies, 10 times that amount is added to prevent tooth decay. "A top indicator of fluoride content is the spider plant, or Chlorophytum, which will show spotted leaves or burned tips," Nuss says.

Houseplant gardeners can deter the effects of fluorine by adding two teaspoons of limestone per six-inch pot of soil. The addition of lime raises the pH of the soil and combines with fluoride in a chemically insoluble form that plants cannot take up through the roots, according to Nuss.

 

[jaykush]

i was actually checking the local water quality near me yesterday. i didnt save the link but i found out theres a lot of things that arent supposed to be in there. it said 80% of the us has at least 16 contaminants in the water. good thing i use stream water for my teas. the local city water by me though is a bit alkaline and ive had no problems in the past growing mj but the moment i switched to all stream water the plants showed me what there happy selfs

 

[elevate]

My water that comes so conviniently out of my various hoses, sinks, etc. is hard water.

I have done no research on wikipedia or other internet sources, but I do know that drains can have hard water deposit build-up and block drainage.

So if it is conceivable to have hard water deposits to appear in soil, maybe particularly in a pot, then it could have effect on your plants. The effect im guessing would be poor drainage.

Please remember this response is not based off any research. And as you can tell I am unsure of the issues, if any, surrounding hard water.

 

[3BM]

Hey Minds I:

The condensed water you describe (from your AC) is a great source of water. Condensation is filtered water, and will contain few if any impurities. I have used that water to great success; you can also use the water from dehumidifiers (same concept).

Check out BigTokes thread on water chemistry over in the hydro forum (blasphemy, I know!), as it covers this subject in some detail. Its a sticky if I remember correctly. Hard water isnt necessarily bad, after all most (if not all) minerals contained in the water are naturally occurring. Just bubble the chlorine out before using. Hope that helps.

 

[minds_I]

Hello all,

Thanks for stopping by.

3BM, I will give that sticky a read.

minds_I