Water treatment - bonsaiTALK Community

2-Jan-2006	#11
greerhw Welcome to Oklahoma Join Date: Apr-2003 Location: Oklahoma City AHS Heat Zone: HELL+ Posts: 1,466	I have to use city water with god knows what all is added to it.I fill a couple of 30 gal. drums at a time and let it set for 24 hours before use. I also add white vinegar to reduce the ph to around 5.5, my pines and junipers seem to love it. Harry

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2-Jan-2006	#12
jo schmoo bonsaiTALK Master Join Date: Jun-2004 Location: Eagle, WI USDA Zone: 5a AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 268	i chose other because i use rainwater. water from the hose is hard and water from the sink is soft, so i like to use rainwater exclusively. i don't have many trees so gathering enough rainwater isn't much of a problem. everytime it rains, i run out to the downspouts and set up some empty milk jugs. once they're full, i go out and replace them with more empty jugs. i usually have anywhere from 10 to 15 jugs for rainwater at a time. __________________ History stopped being interesting when people stopped killing each other with swords. -Me during US History class

2-Jan-2006

#13

Victrinia_Ensor

Bonsai mai-farli-perfetti

Join Date: Nov-2005

Location: Bremerton, WA

Country: USA

USDA Zone: 8b

AHS Heat Zone: 3

Posts: 1,456

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Vance Wood

DO NOT USE SOFT WATER. Water that has gone through a water softening process runs the risk of having toxic levels of salt in it and is not fit for bonsai.

Yikes! All water, including outside water spigots, at my home is softened water. Is there anything I can do to nuetralize the salts? Or worse any way I can tell if it is causing my trees a harm

Thanks,

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Le belle cose prendono tempo...

www.elandangardens.com

2-Jan-2006

#14

JohnQuinn

bonsaiTALK Master Craftsman

Join Date: Jan-2005

Location: South Carolina

Country: US

USDA Zone: 8

AHS Heat Zone: 8-9

Posts: 921

I just use tap water...I figure I haven't had any ill effects myself!

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2-Jan-2006	#15
patmac Anticipating to slow time Join Date: Apr-2005 Location: Northeast Kingdom,Vermont Country: USA USDA Zone: 4 AHS Heat Zone: 4 Posts: 287	I answered other because my tap water comes from my own well. John do you happen to live next to a toxic dump also? Nice photo! I laughed out loud. Patrick

2-Jan-2006	#16
Victrinia_Ensor Bonsai mai-farli-perfetti Join Date: Nov-2005 Location: Bremerton, WA Country: USA USDA Zone: 8b AHS Heat Zone: 3 Posts: 1,456	Is that pretty tree someone else's and you are green with envy?? __________________ Ms. Vic Le belle cose prendono tempo... www.elandangardens.com

3-Jan-2006	#17
Bonsai_Steve bonsaiTALK Journeyman Join Date: Oct-2005 Location: Virginia Beach Country: USA USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: 6 Posts: 44	I voted other because I use rain water. I have two 32 gallon rain barrels that keep enough water for the winter. We will see how it works in the summer. Steve

3-Jan-2006	#18
shibu Enthusiast Join Date: Nov-2005 Country: Australia USDA Zone: 10 AHS Heat Zone: 8-9 Posts: 321	Tap water. It's pretty neutral here and I have too many trees to mess about with rainwater. The hose, with a relatively soft spray head, overhead watering through the foliage, to wash dust and dirt off the leaves. __________________ Vidi, vici, veni...

3-Jan-2006	#19
Fletch bonsaiTALK Expert Join Date: Apr-2003 Location: Calgary, AB Country: Canada USDA Zone: 3a AHS Heat Zone: 2 Posts: 198	Other. Well, as much as possible anyway. I collect rainwatwer and snow whenever I can (a dozen rubber made garbage cans to collect in) and water exclusively with that. Some years I've had to resort to tap water but when I do I let it stand for 24 hrs or so before using it. Regards Fletch

3-Jan-2006	#20
PatArizona Bonsai Master, in my mind Join Date: Feb-2005 Location: Back Home in Northern California Country: USA Posts: 1,929	Ms. Vic... If you are using a true water softener, you are adding salt to your water...and that's probably worse than any "good" that the softening has done...for your plants. Pat __________________ BONSAI isn't about surviving in a storm, rather, how to dance in the rain. THE ONLY WAY: Always remember, and don't ever forget, that whatever you read here is not cast in concrete... the intent of any advice is to help. In no way should you feel that I’m saying that my way is the only way…heaven forbid! I've seen far too much of the "my way or the highway" attitude in bonsai as well as in other areas of life. Pat Patterson...Bonsai in the Greater Bay Area, Northern California

View Poll Results: How do you treat the water that sustains your trees?
I don't need to treat it; I use water out of the tap or hose	45	62.50%
I should treat it but I use water out of the tap or hose anyways	9	12.50%
I use water out of the hose, but let it stand for twenty-four hours first	5	6.94%
I use filtered water	4	5.56%
Other	9	12.50%
Voters: 69. You may not vote on this poll

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