It's easy to get ppm from your info. 1 grain (gr.) with a lower case "g" is
65 milligrams (mg.) and a gallon is about a litre. 1 grain per gallon is
therefore about 65 mg/litre = 65 ppm, parts per million. That's good water,
and I grew up with it :-)

6 grains per gallon is a bit harder, almost 400 ppm might be a problem for
Dracula. I have that Dracula here in Northern California and we get Sierra
Nevada runoff, about 60 ppm and it grows fine and blooms. I'm not a very
skilled grower... I've killed at least 100 orchids but am in no way an
expert. Let's see if someone else has better growing information for you.

Paul Simon
"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
et...
I recently purchased a Dracula erythrochaete and Masdevallia infracta. I
was instructed to use very good quality water with absolutely no sodium
softener, but the water should not be hard. So I wrote to the Department
of
Enviormental Protection agency, and received the following answer:

"The water does not contain a sodium-based softener. Please be advised
that
New York City water is generally considered "soft", and the hardness
depends
on the location. All of Brooklyn, Staten Island, and most of Queens
receives Catskill/Delaware water, which has a hardness of about 1
grain/gallon. Parts of Manhattan and the Bronx receive Catskill/Delaware
water, and parts get Croton water (hardness about 6 grains/gallon). The
total dissolved solids for the Sheepshead area of Brooklyn is
approximately
52 mg/L. "

I'm trying to understand what the above means and was hoping that I can
get
some assistance from the more experienced orchid growers. Will my newly
aquired beauties be able to deal with the water in my area?

Mariana
Brooklyn, NYC 6b