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Ontario, Canada.

I was checking the hot tub water this morning went I decided to check our tap water. Yikes!!!! I found it around 8.0 PH. I have attached a picture in my photo gallery of the test strip.

12/24/2003 9:15:20 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

It's time for a water softener. Showers & lawndry will be better too. Soils of ideal pH can usually buffer alkaline water better than your skin can so the Pumpkins might fair better than you.

Some insecticides & fungicides are very pH sensitive though. When preparing sprays from "more or less than ideal pH water", make sure to use them quickly since their life expectancy can be reduced to less than 10% in some cases.

Steve

12/24/2003 10:07:32 AM

Montoursville, PA

The salt from the watersoftener chemicals will be more potential harm than the PH existing. Maybe consider a bypass line for the garden if a softener enters this picture. I'm pretty sure your wife would really like that water treated. Not so sure about you and your gardens.

12/24/2003 11:26:13 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Steve I have a softener. The test sample I took was from the kitchen tap which is separated from the softener. Also so is the garden irrigation lines. So I have this high Ph water in my patches.

12/24/2003 12:12:59 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

If it's not practical to soften the irrigation water (& I can see where this might be the case), then filtering it (while better as Doc points out) is even more cost prohibitive.

Let's think some more about this one.

12/24/2003 12:43:21 PM

Indiana

Let the water sit overnight and then check the ph. The change can be substantial. Many cities add ph raising chemicals to the water to keep the water above 7. Acid water can dissolve lead solder from pipes.
Steve

12/24/2003 2:39:06 PM

Oz

what can you put high mineral water through to "clean it"
sumtin natural,,,,electrical??/,,,,
somthing that lime would stick to.
distilling?

12/28/2003 6:12:53 PM

Indiana

you can use reverse osmosis but that would be wasting a lot of water for pumpkin growing. But it is ok for drinking water systems.
Steve

12/28/2003 8:41:05 PM

Montoursville, PA

While you are installing the reverse osmosis system order up a set of wings for the garden bullfrogs so they don't bump their butts when they land.

Reverse osmosis....really??? What does a simple system cost that makes a gallon or so a day for human comsumption?

Only the finest government program would ever even attempt planning on it. They however would be expected, to blow your money and time converting the sea to cool clear water...and tell you they were saving money. Equipping sea going vessels to make war is not an issue. There it is the only way in some cases.

12/29/2003 7:09:54 AM

Indiana

doc
check http://www.spectrapure.com/
Steve

12/29/2003 11:06:42 AM

Western NY

If you pump up to a holding tank of some sort, you can add something slightly acidic to balance things out. other than that i might not worry unless your pH of the soil is already over 7. If you have fairly acid soil, the water might help a little.

Andy

12/29/2003 12:13:41 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Moondog, I let the water sit for about seven hours today. Ph is still up there around 7.6 to 7.8. I will recheck in the morning.

1/1/2004 9:20:51 PM