Using soft water for orchids

[mary mcalpine]

I have a soft water treatment system and I use the treated water to water my orchids. The older Phals have developed longer narrower leaves and tend to be limp. The Vandas and others are fine. Is it safe to use soft water?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Check on WHAT is in your softener. If it is table/morten/sodium cloride salt, stop watering your plants with it immediately. If you have no choice, as I did when we moved into out current home, because the whole house was on the softener, empty out you softener unit, and refill with potassium cloride. This is just a little more expensive than the sodium cloride, but will not kill you plants, infact, potassium is one of the constituants of fertilizer. I watered my Cymbidiums with 1000 ppm potassium softened water for about 2 years before the softener started to malpfunction and the plants started to get 1000 ppm of what ever was in our well. There was no problem with the Cymbidiums, since I watered very heavily when I did, except for the summer I left the Cyms in the coldframe all summer. It was a little to hot and stuffy in there, so they bloomed less well that winter. Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

[jerrymeola]

mary

water softners using sodium salt can build up the salt which is toxic for the plants (any plant not just orchids)

Your water faucets outside most probably bypass the softner and you can use it safely. My well is 1800 ppm of dissolved minerals but the orchids thrive. I occasionally use the sodium softened water when I am lazy for an indoor plant and 'occasional' use is not terrible.

[PhalPal]

Hi Mary and welcome to the forum. You will get lots of very useful information here. Per Jerry's statement above, I did not know it was possible for a water softening system to by-pass your outdoor faucets. At least the most popular systems here do not do that; probably because home owners don't like the hard mineral marks left on their house by the hard water AND they like soft water for their pools. If I can get one to by-pass outside I need to check into getting one! (we have terribly hard water) My neighbors are always asking me "Why is your garden so gorgeous and I can't get anything to grow?" SOOOO many ways to go with this answer, but the first thing I ask is if they have a water softener and the answer is always yes. Sounds like you have a little research to do as to what type of system you have.
I really like the idea above to switch to potassium versus sodium, I didn't know that was an option either. Please let us know what you find out.

For just a few plants - does anyone know if a simple Brita filter on a pitcher will filter out enough of the water softener salts?

[Sharyn]

Phalpal: I used to have a Brita system for water stored in frig. It worked very well until someone broke the pitcher. At one time, we also had a filter which attached to the kitchen sink faucet - I think that was Culligan - it also worked well. My dad has one connected underneath the sink on the cold water line. Basically, I think they're all charcoal filter systems. Since you live in CA, your state has requirements that manufacturers of these type of filters must have a certificate that their products actually do what they claim.

If you don't have a lot of orchids to water, this might work well to remove most the nasty stuff. I've attached a link you might find helpful. Don't think this may work for water from a softener. These products are usually meant for regular tap water filtration. By the way, Brita, Culligan, Pur, along with many others are listed on the California approved list. You have to check the comparison chart to see what each filter is capable of removing. (in the links below).
http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.co...son_Matrix.cfm
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/DDWEM/techn...e/section4.pdf

[reen]

Originally Posted by PhalPal

does anyone know if a simple Brita filter on a pitcher will filter out enough of the water softener salts?

Hi PhalPal, from I can google , it appears that Brita jugs do not filter out sodium. However these are not "official" sources so I am not sure where these ppl would have this information from.

[PhalPal]

Thanks so much for the links Sharyn, very helpful! A lot of my problem is that most 'filters' do NOT filter out minerals, including sodium, which is why I asked on this forum. They say it "takes the flavor out of the water". I just may have to get used to the brown tips......

[chefatplay]

PhalPal, I have been told the same thing by our friends here. I live in FL and have very hard yellow water. Running the house water is a must or we would have brown everything in the house. It also has quite a bit of sulfur. Anyway, my hose outside is not connected. Appartently, my orchids don't care if the water is yellow. I make a point of running the hose water for a bit however, to make sure I am getting "fresh" water and not stale water that has been laying in the length of hose. Here in FL that water can get boiling hot.