elaineo wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:03 am
jetfire245 wrote:
I'm unsure how to answer this completely. Those acids are definitely not safe for carnivorous plants and that hydrochloric is actually capable of dissolving flesh in high quantities. That carbonic acid is actually what makes your water taste weird after it sits for hours.
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Long story short: Check the tds output. If it's within our usual levels of about 100 or lower. It should be fine. Just be careful because once that filter is saturated, it will basically just start dispensing hard water lol.
I know 100 ppm is the usual rule of thumb, but not all dissolved solids are created equal. Na+ is known to be harmful to CPs because it triggers electrical activity that causes the traps to die. On the other hand, humic and fulvic acids are found in peat, and not harmful even in abundance.
Is there a scientific reason why sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, carbonic acid are "definitely not safe"? (Given the measured pH of 4.22, I'm pretty sure it's mostly just carbonic acid)
Well. My chemistry class taught me that hydrochloric and sulfuric acid are highly caustic acids both able to dissolve humans in a barrel lol.
From Brittanica on Sulfuric acid: "In addition to being an oxidizing agent, reacting readily at high temperatures with many metals, carbon, sulfur, and other substances, concentrated sulfuric acid is also a strong dehydrating agent, combining violently with water; in this capacity, it chars many organic materials, such as wood, paper, or sugar, leaving a carbonaceous residue"
From pub Chem on hydrochloric acid: "Hydrochloric acid is corrosive to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure may cause eye, nose, and respiratory tract irritation and inflammation and pulmonary edema in humans."
Full disclosure these are not complete information quotes. These are just a small piece of the article from where they came.
My point being though is both of the acids are known to be highly caustic capable of burning and dissolving organic matter. Now, I'm certainly not a scientist, but if that crap can dissolve my skin, I'm sure it can dissolve my flytrap.
Now that being said. Those definitions are the acid in its purest form. The water you're processing is likely output with a diluted form of the acids we talked about.
You're right. Not all dissolved solids are created equal. But generally if that crap is below 100ppm and its not some extremely rare poison. You should be fine.
Of course, I suppose I'd be inclined to test that theory if I were you. And make sure there's not other stuff in the water to make the plants unhappy.
Edit: Oh I see your TDS is 20ppm and ph is 4.2. Well Google says acid rain is about 4.6 and carnivorous plants generally don't mind slightly acidic soil. So I guess really I'd be more concerned about long term exposure making the soil super acidic. But also, I have zero idea on how long or if that would ever be an issue.
Edit 2: Also, to bring the water down from its usual 7ph on the zero water down to 4.2 it is guaranteed there is SOME sort of acid. But the possibilities are pretty diverse on which one is really doing that because we don't know the exact composition of the water.