Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
bronwynh_gw

Recycling water

BronwynH
10 years ago

I really hate the idea of wasting water. One of the ways I try to 'recycle' water is in the morning/evening when freshening my dog's water bowl I use the leftover water from my dog's dish when to water the herbs and vegetables I grow on my balcony (if they need watering at the time). [** before I get any concerned messages about the level of care for my dog, I do replace his water more often that twice a day, I just don't water my plants in the middle of the day as I don't want them to scorch in full sun]

But I do have another source of 'recyclable' water, and here's where my question comes in. I have a 55 gallon tank where I keep goldfish. I do a 25% water change once every 1-2 weeks depending on the water quality. This water normally just gets dumped in the toilet. I wonder if I could use it to water my plants?

Today I plan a water change, so I tested the water first. I realize these tests are designed for fish needs, not plant needs, but maybe some numbers will be useful.

- pH 7.8
- GH (general hardness; Ca and Mg salts) 120mg/L
- KH (carbonate hardness) less than 10 mg/L CaCO2
- NH3/NH4 (ammonia) 0.6mg/L
- NO2 (nitrite) less than 0.1 mg/L

Given that different plants have different requirements I may as well list off what I have:
- tomatoes
- cucumber
- a large pot with basil and oregano
- geranium
- dipladenia
- spider plant (1 variegated, 1 non)
- english ivy (variegated)
- wandering jew
- peperomia
- prayer plant
- rubber plant

I realize that this is a rather odd question and I'll be lucky if anyone has an answer, but I appreciate anyone who's read this far. Thanks!

Comments (4)

Sponsored
Moda Kitchen and Bath
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars20 Reviews
Loudoun County's Custom Kitchen & Bath Designs for Everyday Living