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Cacti & Succulents

water testing for succulents.

9 years ago

What type of water do you use for your succulents? (Well, city, bottle (if so a brand)) And what are the best parameters for the water? I heard a ph of 5-5.5? Anyone do any other tests besides ph? If so which and what should the outcome be? I have well water (has a softener on it but it can come straight from the well) Trying to figure out which would be best for the plants. Thanks! :D

Featured Answer

penfold2

9 years ago

A pH meter can be more accurate than test strips, but in order to ensure that accuracy, it needs to be calibrated regularly, the probe needs to be kept in a proper solution, and the probe needs to be replaced from time to time. Unless you're a gadget junky, it's probably not worth it for our needs. Some cheap test strips should get you in the ballpark, which is all we need. Just try to find some that have a discernible color change at your target value. I can't suggest any brands because I've always used meters and test kits from my aquarium equipment.

-Chris

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Comments (7)

bikerdoc5968 Z6 SE MI
9 years ago
I would use unsoftened water because the sodium exchange might not set well with plants. Just my 2 cents....
Britni Rice thanked bikerdoc5968 Z6 SE MI
penfold2
9 years ago
I agree with bikerdoc that unsoftened water is better than softened. Water softeners replace Ca and Mg ions, which are useful to plants, with Na ions, which are not useful. Personally, I use unsoftened city water. I also add a little over a tablespoon of vinegar per gallon because my water is quite hard. The pH range you mentioned is a good one to target. If you have a very high pH, or find it difficult to reduce pH, you could try testing alkalinity as well. Alkalinity acts to neutralize acid additions while maintaining pH. Adding sufficient acid will neutralize alkalinity, however, and pH will drop much more quickly as alkalinity is neutralized. A good alkalinity range is 0-100ppm. Mine is over 300ppm which is why I have to add a significant amount of vinegar to get my pH down. Really though, getting your pH somewhere in the low to mid 5's is probably all you need to concern yourself with in order to achieve ideal water.

-Chris
Britni Rice thanked penfold2
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Britni Rice
Original Author
9 years ago
Awesome thank you guys very much! do you have any certain kits you like to use? Or a place to get them? I was debating on getting one of the pH meter readers if the 20 something dollars is worth it?
Britni Rice
Original Author
9 years ago
I think my mom's pool kit tests for alkalinity and ph so I may snag it to try and see what my straight well's levels are
Britni Rice
Original Author
9 years ago
Only had ph and stupid thing only went down to 6.2.... so needless to say I'm gonna have to get my own
Britni Rice
Original Author
9 years ago
Well I just collected 5 gal of rain water so I'll hang onto that for now :) maybe I'll grab a ph meter when I see a decent one on sale soon.

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