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Tap Water increase

  • Thread starter Scuipici
  • Start date
Scuipici

Scuipici

When I put cold water from the tap, my TDS reads about 33 ppm, but after 4-5 hours it goes up to 38-39 and stays there, why is that? Also, should I be worried for any hidden substances in the tap water that the TDS can't pick up? I've been watering my nepenthes with this tap water for 4 years and they are fine, but since VFT and Sarracenia are more sensitive to water, I'm a bit worried. The demineralized water I buy from the store has about 13 ppm but since I bought a lot of sarracenias, vft etc. buying water for them it would become too expensive since I keep them in full sun and soil can dry fairly often.
 
The reading on the TDS meter is affected by temperature. Higher end models will automatically correct for this, but it's generally not a big enough difference to matter. Your tap water TDS is about the same as mine as I have no problems either.
 
nimbulan said:
The reading on the TDS meter is affected by temperature. Higher end models will automatically correct for this, but it's generally not a big enough difference to matter. Your tap water TDS is about the same as mine as I have no problems either.
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That's good to hear. Then that means I can water a lot without fear. I took the pot saucers away, so the water can drain any accumulating minerals. I water them everyday when it's very warm and sunny here, so the lack of pot saucers shouldn't be a problem. Thank you for the help :)
 
Have you ever calibrated your TDS meter; or can you? Some inexpensive models will not allow for it, along with a calibration solution; but a poorly calibrated meter is next to useless.

Any water source below 50 ppm should just be fine with any CP; though, if you're concerned about, say, chlorine, you could store some water and let it evolve off overnight . . .
 
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I am not aware of any substances that a TDS meter will not read that are harmful to CPs. It's pretty much just metals and minerals, especially calcium (not for all CPs, but most of them) and copper that are the problem.
 
As noted before temperature will affect the TDS readings unless your meter will compensate for temperature. Most substances will dissolve more readily as temperature increase. Temperature also affects conductivity.

My tap water out of the refrigerator will measure about 100 ppm. Straight out of the tap cold water measures 170-175 ppm.

The general instructions for most of the HM Digital TDS meters recommends the calibration solution be at 25°C (77°F) for optimal results.
 
Lmao you guys, mine's 300 out of the tap today. Which is really good, because I've seen it at 450 before.
 
I hadn't used my TDS meter since I moved out in the boonies with well water. I've been using distilled water ever since I've been growing CPs, but figured "Eh lets just see". Mine reads at 29-30 ppm. Made sure the thing still worked, checked my distilled water which reads 0 ppm.

I'm debating on just switching a capensis over to it, and see if it will actually not kill the plant(s) :scratch:
 
Give it a shot. I'm really surprised about well water reading so low though.
 
  • #10
thez_yo said:
Lmao you guys, mine's 300 out of the tap today. Which is really good, because I've seen it at 450 before.
Click to expand...

There's no real comparison. You're on Planet Di-eggo -- your favorite spot on earth . . .
 
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