More than a little perturbed at the high mortality rate of my plants recently, I took a sample of the water I was getting from the RO vending machine near my house and got it tested. I took it to 3 different locations and one said that the water was soft but the other two said it was HARD. I saw the little testing stick on one and it was indeed reading hard.
I'm glad to possibly have arrived at the cause for such crappy plants while everyone else posts such gorgeous pics with plants under the same kinds of lights, but I more than a bit pissed to 1.) have been duped by the poorly maintained machine and 2.) have just tossed the final sarracenia seedling from this past fall-the one that I was drawn to very early on and had survived until suddenly taking a turn for the worst and 3.)wasted so freakin' much money on plants that are dead or near it. It is largely affecting the sarrs, VFTs and baby plants (either seedlings or tiny pings) although bladderworts are hit or miss. Some are sort of alive but not really doing anything and others are just pots of soil and dead plant mush.
I don't know if this water supply has been bad for a while (it was fine at first-I had it tested before trusting it) or if this is the cause for the CP massacre at all so I'm wondering what would happen to a sarr in hard water? What sort of death would occur and about how long would it have before kicking it?
I'm glad to possibly have arrived at the cause for such crappy plants while everyone else posts such gorgeous pics with plants under the same kinds of lights, but I more than a bit pissed to 1.) have been duped by the poorly maintained machine and 2.) have just tossed the final sarracenia seedling from this past fall-the one that I was drawn to very early on and had survived until suddenly taking a turn for the worst and 3.)wasted so freakin' much money on plants that are dead or near it. It is largely affecting the sarrs, VFTs and baby plants (either seedlings or tiny pings) although bladderworts are hit or miss. Some are sort of alive but not really doing anything and others are just pots of soil and dead plant mush.
I don't know if this water supply has been bad for a while (it was fine at first-I had it tested before trusting it) or if this is the cause for the CP massacre at all so I'm wondering what would happen to a sarr in hard water? What sort of death would occur and about how long would it have before kicking it?