Water too cold

[papheteer]

I think i have watering with water thats too cold. Is water thats about 10 degrees celsius harmful to plants? I have noticed that a lot of the root tips just turned brown and stop growing.

 

[Leo Schordje]

could be. The normal recommendation is water should be within 5 C or 10 F of the leaf temperature. Not all plants are equally sensitive. Where rather cold water splashes onto Paph sanderianum leaves, you will get tissue collapse, which will eventually turn brown and can become the entry point for pathogenic bacteria or fungi. Sanderianum is more sensitive to cold than many species of Paph. There are others, and there are Paph who don't seem to care as long as the water is not frozen. Best precaution would be to use water within 5 C or 10 F of room/leaf temperature.

Work a way out to let cold water warm up to the same temperature as your growing area. I mix hot water into my water, I try to use water a few degrees warmer than air temperature, but no more than 10 F warmer. This helps a little with humidity too.

 

[NYEric]

Any reason why your water isn't room temperature?

 

[gonewild]

One thing is certain when you use 10c water to water your plants it is not beneficial.

It may not be the cause of brown root tips but could very well be.
Some orchids that grown in 10c air temperature may not be adversely affected but most orchids don't like it that cold. So logic will tell you it is not good.

As Leo said the difference in leaf tissue temperature should not be extreme or tissue will die. The same probably holds true with root tissue.

You should warm the water.
Water warmer than air temperature is better than colder.

 

[papheteer]

Any reason why your water isn't room temperature?

I use it straight from the container that collects RO water. For some reason it takes forever to turn to room temperature.

 

[papheteer]

I was assuming that since collecting Ro is so slow, by the time the 5 gallon container was half full, the water has warmed to room temperature already. Then a few days ago, i felt the water was very cold so i took the temperature and its pretty close to 10c.

 

[gonewild]

What is the room temperature?

Simple solution is to put an aquarium heater in the water tank.

 

[Rick]

I use it straight from the container that collects RO water. For some reason it takes forever to turn to room temperature.

Is it safe to put a small immersible aquarium heater in it?

Never mind Lance already fixed this one.

 

[Ozpaph]

Suggest you use a 300W heater and set the temp fairly low (say 18C). I would also run it on a timer to come on 8-12hrs before you normally water. That way you wont be heating water 24/7 and using a fair amount of electricity. You should cover the top and perhaps stand the 'tank' on some sort of insulating material to minimize wasted heat loss. Place it near the bottom of the tank. Most heaters now have a thermal cutoff if the water level falls and exposes the heater to air.

 

[NYEric]

I use it straight from the container that collects RO water. For some reason it takes forever to turn to room temperature.

As with any considerable volume of anything, a large cold water mass holds it's temp longer than a small mass. i use one gallon bottles to hold my RO water, We use 6-7 gallons on watering day.

 

[keithrs]

I have a 200w aquarium heater that heats my 35 gal trash can. I have it set to 65 but it heats too around 80 or so. It heats it up fairly fast(about the time the RO system is done filling). I use an air pump to circulate the water as well.

 

[Ozpaph]

the air pump is a good idea or a small pump sitting on the bottom to aid circulation

 

[Ray]

I use a heater, too, keeping the water at 70F.

What's the purpose of aeration? It seems to me that the water will equilibrate with the atmosphere pretty quickly in any open container.

 

[gonewild]

I use a heater, too, keeping the water at 70F.

What's the purpose of aeration? It seems to me that the water will equilibrate with the atmosphere pretty quickly in any open container.

Aeration would be good for circulating the water to make heating more efficient but it also will cause the water to loose heat faster.

 

[gonewild]

Suggest you use a 300W heater and set the temp fairly low (say 18C). I would also run it on a timer to come on 8-12hrs before you normally water. That way you wont be heating water 24/7 and using a fair amount of electricity. You should cover the top and perhaps stand the 'tank' on some sort of insulating material to minimize wasted heat loss. Place it near the bottom of the tank. Most heaters now have a thermal cutoff if the water level falls and exposes the heater to air.

Heating 24/7 might not cause any loss of energy since the lost heat would go towards heating the plant area....assuming the water tank is in the plant area.

 

[keithrs]

I airate the water to keep the fertilizer even and to reduce anaerobic bacteria in the water.