Beginner With Chinese Elm, Tap Water No No?

Dominion wrote: there are tablets to soften the water..

most dangerous about tap water is the calcium and chemicals..

Just so we know what we are talking about... which dangerous chemical do you mean?

The easiest way to reduce limestone buildup is having the trees in the raib. every week adding a spoon of table vinegar to a large watering can of water an watering with this can alsi help. normally you should however not have too many problems in most regions.

Water from water softener is not good or plants, rain water in a hard wqtr area has the same pH as mains water. Chlorine when used dissipates in a very short time, minutes once in a can or on the ground and has no adverse effect on plants.
I have used mains water on all my plants and I have yet to kill any because of it, lost a few from too much though,

leatherback wrote:

simplysaid wrote: I use filtered water from a brita water filter just for the azalea. I read online that you can filter water through a cotton sock with sand in in. Also... Letting tap water sit for a few hours, will allow the harder chemicals to sink to the bottom.

This is all nonsense. Sand does not filter calciumcabonates. And the do not sink to the water. Those fairy tales really need to stop going around.

I never said anything about calcium carbonate. I was simply making a suggestion that may help. Testing tap water for chemicals that may be harmful to trees is pretty good advice.
Then again... I'm not a hydrogeologist.

There are no harmfull chemicals in mains water full stop.

simplysaid wrote: Testing tap water for chemicals that may be harmful to trees is pretty good advice.

My water company tests the water for harmful chemicals before delivering it.

I've worked in houses that had such hard water deposits that it turned their shower brown. The company I work for has the water tested once a month because of chemicals that are in the water can be harmful if consumed for long periods of time. It won't kill you, but you can can sick.
Better safe than sorry, if you're concerned.
It says on this site about azalea, which is what I made my otiginal comment about, "Azaleas need a slightly acid soil and hard tap water is not appropriate for them. You can use rainwater, mix rainwater with tap water or filter your tap water for the azalea bonsai."

simplysaid wrote: "Azaleas need a slightly acid soil and hard tap water is not appropriate for them

Let me repeat: look up the specifications at your water company's site. You should be able to find the hardiness there.

hard water deposits that it turned their shower brown

Sorry, that makes no sense at all.

What country are you in? If the water is that bad it is about time something was done about it.

simplysaid wrote: I never said anything about calcium carbonate. I was simply making a suggestion that may help. Testing tap water for chemicals that may be harmful to trees is pretty good advice.
Then again... I'm not a hydrogeologist.

that is the point, isnt it. Hard water means water rich in calcium carbonates, which cause limestone deposits. These are white. iron oxides in them make it brown. Water from taps that is unsafe for plants.. nah. Just limestone buildup can harm plants, but hardly ever occurs.

i have very hard tap water..
in summer if i don't have access to rain water for a few weeks, and i need to water with tap water..
i ALWAYS get a white shine on the nebari and bottom of the trunks from the calcium in the tap water..

hardly ever occurs?

you must have some sweet heavenly nectar tap water mate..



also: people saying.. "why would tap water harm plants, we can drink it, so can plants"

well.. plants prefer rain water.. would you drink rain water?

plants are not humans.. we have different needs.. what's good for one isn't automatically good for the other, just because we're both alive..