Re: R/O watering system
- From: "Ray" <raybark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 19:38:39 -0400
If I read that correctly, Pat, I would guess that the RO water played no
role in your experience, but that you "over-alkalinized" things, probably
because - as others have helped me see - leachate pH control is not overly
reliable with orchids.
There is a thread on the Semi-Hydro forum discussing the fact that the
reservoir pH can drop to really scarily-low levels - 3.7 being one I recall.
I never did really figure out exactly what might be happening based upon my
theoretical suppositions relating to gas exchange, carbon dioxide
absorption, etc., but more recently I have heard that [some/all?] orchids
have the capability to lower the pH of the substrate in the root zone,
apparently to force the dissolution of certain metallic ions, which can then
be absorbed.
--
Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!
"Pat Brennan" <orchidsNOT@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:11gon9238suqb73@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Ray,
>
> I was running 100 ppm nitrogen for the Dyna-Gro you use more often. I
> think I was running a lower ppm of nitrogen for the Bloom formulation. I
> would then add enough ProTech to get me where I wanted to be in terms of
> pH. I started using the stuff at a pH of 6.8. As my leachate did not
> improve I increased the pH. Before I gave up with Dyna-Gro I was running
> it at a pH 7.6 - 7.8. (at that point I was using more than just ProTech
> to adjust the pH). It was a most madding time as no matter what pH I
> started with my leachate pH continued to drive down.
>
> Although I had some damage to my Paphs and Phrags in a normal bark based
> mix, it was the Phals in moss that looked the worst and were giving the
> lowest leachate reading. Within the Phals, it seemed that the plants in
> the older mix gave worst reading then freshly repotted stuff. I did not
> have the time or mindset to do a controlled, double blind study. I really
> do not have remember having any problems with my mounted stuff or with
> Vandas just in baskets. They were fed when the greenhouses were getting
> watered and got clear water the other days.
>
> Pat
>
>
> "Ray" <raybark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:4PCdnQOa5I-7CJbeRVn-3A@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Pat,
>>
>> Out of curiosity, at what strengths were you using the Dyna-Gro products?
>> I
>> used about 1 teaspoon per gallon of each, which gave me a pH of about 6.3
>> and a nitrogen loading of about 100 ppm.
>>
>> I had considered that maybe the major difference was the substrate
>> itself,
>> as I grow a lot in PrimeAgra in S/H culture, but I also have lots of
>> plants
>> in sphagnum, in CHC/charcoal/perlite, and in baskets with little or no
>> medium, and I didn't have any such problems.
>>
>> This is most curious....
>>
>> Oh yeah, one more thing. How can sharing your experience make you a
>> scum???? I think it has led to an interesting discussion!
>>
>> --
>>
>> Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
>> Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!
>>
>>
>> "Pat Brennan" <orchidsNOT@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:11gma869hrihd54@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> "Ray" <raybark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:L6udnawTqO69aJfeRVn-gg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> Whoa!!! I think Pat has unnecessarily painted a real scary picture
>>>> there.
>>>> snip
>>>
>>> I know three growers who have used RO water without any problems. Ray
>>> is
>>> one of them. I know six growers who have cooked plants with RO. I am
>>> one
>>> of them. Ray used Dyna-Gro/ProTekt in RO water with great results for
>>> years. I used Dyna-Gro/ProTekt in RO water and after 3 months my
>>> substrate pH was sitting at 3.6. MSU fertilizer makers do not seem to
>>> be
>>> concerned with adding alkalinity to RO water, while a similar
>>> formulation
>>> from Jack Peters suggests it very strongly. I am of the school that
>>> thinks
>>> alkalinity should be added back into RO water, Ray is not. Why the
>>> differences? I do not know. This is not an opinion thing, both Ray's
>>> knowledge and my own have been learned first hand with years of growing.
>>> Maybe it has something to due with the RO units, the substrate we use,
>>> or
>>> our watering habits. But when you make the switch to RO either you will
>>> have no problems and I will seem like a scum unnecessarily scaring
>>> people
>>> or your substrate pH will crash and Ray will seem like an idiot. I hope
>>> I
>>> am the scum, but the leachate tests will help identify problems before
>>> plants are damaged. I think Ray will agree with me here, I highly
>>> recommend you read these articles before you make the switch.
>>>
>>> http://www.firstrays.com/PDF/Part%205%20-%20final.pdf
>>>
>>> http://www.firstrays.com/PDF/Part%202%20-%20Water%20quality.pdf
>>>
>>> Pat
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
.
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