Yes Matt, you're "off" there.
OK - the baseline is RO, as it is essentially free of all dissolved solids,
The fertilizer is designed to provide the all of the nutrition needed by the
plants.
Fine, but (generic) you don't use RO. Instead, you have a municipal or
private well water source. In the case of the MSU study, they analyzed the
water and concocted a formula that when added to their well water,
more-or-less matched the RO formula in pure water.
From that, one should conclude that each individual should have their water
analyzed, then have a custom formulation blended just for their water
supply. It can be done, IF you're willing to pay for it., but imagine the
number of different formulae that would be needed. So, (simplifying
greatly)...
The fertilizer companies "averaged" the water chemistry likely to be seen by
potential customers and designed a generic formula that is likely to be
acceptable for all. Hence the "well water" brands.
--
Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids -
www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Matthew Donadio" wrote in message
...
Ray,
I am a bit confused here. Please forgive me; I have been out of touch
with
the orchid community for about a year and a half...
On the page 456 of June 2003 issue of Orchids, there are the statements:
``Due to the extreme variability of well-water mineral content, the RO
Water
Special formula is the preferred choice for the home grower. The second
formula, called Well Water Special or 19-4-23, was designed to complement
the well water found at Michigan State University.''
I read this as: Everyone should use the RO forumula unless your tap/well
water matches the MSU well characteristics. Am I off here? Are people
having success using the Well Water forumla in tap water, even though it
probably doesn't match the MSU well analysis?
Thanks.
--Matt Donadio )
"Ray" wrote in message
...
Yes there is, Matt. The producers typically refer to it as a
"well-water"
formula. I am so impressed with the RO stuff that I'll be carrying both
shortly. I have become a distributor for the JR Peters versions, and am
expecting to pick up my first load next Friday (3/5).
--
Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
. . . . . . . . . . .
"Matthew Donadio" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
Does anyone here use an MSU-type fertilizer with tap water?
Unfortunately, an RO unit is out of the picture for a while, so I am
stuck
with tap water until I can figure out a rain collection method. I
read
the
article in Orchids, and if I understand it correctly, their tap/well
water
forumla was designed for that particular well at MSU, and that they
recommend the RO formula (13-3-15-8-2) in general. Is this correct?
Thanks.
--Matt Donadio )