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daiv
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Joined: 16 Aug 2004
Posts: 17842
Location: Long Prairie, MN
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 Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:57 am Post subject: How Hard the water is... |
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Can you see the build up on the pumice and on the ribs of the plant?
This is from two waterings:
I'm switching to rainwater... 
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Andy_CT
Joined: 03 Jul 2007
Posts: 1672
Location: Connecticut, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 3:31 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I've completely given up on tapwater. Fortunately chances to collect rainwater are frequent here. Comes in handy for seedlings that need water often. |
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DannabisAx
Joined: 10 Jun 2010
Posts: 124
Location: NJ
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 3:36 am Post subject: |
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| Ouch! Your tap water sounds unfriendly |
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*Barracuda_47*
Joined: 10 Sep 2008
Posts: 1397
Location: Harrietta, Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 5:26 am Post subject: |
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 HOLY CRAP! Daiv, wow my well water is really hard but not that bad, i use rain water when and if it rains lately any chance of rain i just set buckets under the gutters to collect the rain water and have filled tons gallon jugs to get by till the next rain, but when i dont have the rain water i use distilled water since i have to buy it to water all the carnivorous plants with it i always get extra for the cacti and other plants, my house plants i just use the well water.
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TimN
Joined: 06 Aug 2007
Posts: 1898
Location: Cave Creek, Arizona USA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:15 am Post subject: |
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Looks like the problem I was having when I was acidulating tap water. Very crusty! I don't acidulate any more.
Luckily the 17 inches of rain this winter has washed away quite a bit of the build-up. I gently removed the crust from a few of my small plants with a toothbrush and a blunt dental pick. Fortunately, I didn't accidentally stab any and kill them!
Bummer! I feel for you, man!
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http://timnevins.spaces.live.com |
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iann
Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 9159
Location: England
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:53 am Post subject: |
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Looks like habitat, it should be right at home 
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luddhus
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Posts: 210
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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Daiv,
What is the hardness of your tapwater? |
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Tony
Joined: 26 Sep 2005
Posts: 7445
Location: Chino, California, USA (zone 10)
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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Yeeesh!
Is tha A. coahuilense?
Tim wrote;
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| Looks like the problem I was having when I was acidulating tap water. Very crusty! I don't acidulate any more. |
I thought acidulating the water was supposed to help flush that stuff outa the pot?
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TimN
Joined: 06 Aug 2007
Posts: 1898
Location: Cave Creek, Arizona USA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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No, it helps in the uptake of water and nutrients (as I recall). But it also makes it easier for the hard stuff to precipitate out. Ian explained it once.
It's not exactly as I explain it, but when the water is less alkaline it has less capacity for dissolving salts.
Mainly a problem with super hard water like I have here in AZ and apparently in the great white north where Daiv lives.
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daiv
Site Admin
Joined: 16 Aug 2004
Posts: 17842
Location: Long Prairie, MN
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| Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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Hey my own post got away from me here... 
It is one of your little guys, Tony. I'm not sure exactly what the hardness is of the water. It is well water from 80 feet down and is the best tasting water I've ever had. It isn't indicative of all of Minnesota or even all of the local area. Our friend Ron lives less than 5 miles from there and his water has a very high iron content. Not really bad, but you can definitely taste it in his water.
I'm able to catch a lot of water off the greenhouse roof so I shouldn't be using the well water much anymore.
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CoronaCactus
Joined: 24 May 2007
Posts: 8662
Location: Corona, California USA [Zone 10]
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| Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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Dang! That's crazy after just 2 waterings.
Rain? You mean water actually falls from the sky!? 
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Livin' la vida cacti | CoronaCactus.com | Mojave Desert
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daiv
Site Admin
Joined: 16 Aug 2004
Posts: 17842
Location: Long Prairie, MN
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| Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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| CoronaCactus wrote: |
Rain? You mean water actually falls from the sky!? |
Yeah, it's been doing that non-stop since I got back from CA. I'm reluctant to complain, however because when I left, things were turning brown and we were in serious need for it. I'd rather have lots of rainy days than a drought situation.
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Cacti77
Joined: 04 Jan 2010
Posts: 192
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:24 am Post subject: Re: How Hard the water is... |
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| daiv wrote: |
Can you see the build up on the pumice and on the ribs of the plant?
This is from two waterings:
I'm switching to rainwater... |
I was having this problem, I use distilled water on my seedlings/smaller cacti and rainwater if its available for the larger ones. They can handle tap water once large but I have to repot them more often. The tap water here is so strong it burns my eyes and nose, I let it sit out for at least 24 hours before using. |
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daiv
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Joined: 16 Aug 2004
Posts: 17842
Location: Long Prairie, MN
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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This year has been awesome in terms of rainwater availability. I just have a plastic tub sitting under the eaves of my greenhouse. We've had so much rain this year that I've been able to use rainwater ever since that picture was taken.
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CactusFanDan
Joined: 30 Jun 2010
Posts: 46
Location: Manchester, England
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| Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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Blimey, that's really hard The tapwater in my area's nice and soft, which is quite good, i suppose.
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