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By rosieonfire
Posts:  4
Joined:  Sun Mar 26, 2023 1:56 pm
#432583
Hi all! I accidentally watered my beloved ventricosa x ampullaria hybrid with salt water! I realized my mistake immediately and flushed the pot thoroughly several times with distilled water. Do you guys think I need to change the substrate? Is my plant a goner?
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By Shadowtski
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Posts:  4723
Joined:  Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:19 am
#432584
I would flush the pot 10 - 20 times with tap water to dissolve any remaining salt. (Assuming your municipal is not ridiculously bad.)
Then I would flush once or twice with distilled/RO water.
If you have a TDS meter, read the drained water each time.
PS: A TDS meter is only $10 - $20, everybody who grows CP should have one.
Just my 02¢ worth.
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By rosieonfire
Posts:  4
Joined:  Sun Mar 26, 2023 1:56 pm
#432586
I don't know what my tap water is like, do you think flushing with tap is preferable to flushing with distilled? I've flushed with almost about 3/4 of a gallon of distilled water already. Also thank you for your help! I've had this plant for 3 years, I'd be so sad if I killed it.
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By ChefDean
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Posts:  9345
Joined:  Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:44 am
#432588
At this point it doesn't matter what your tap water is like, it's going to be better than salt water. Flush with tap multiple times to remove the salt, then flush with distilled or rain water a few times to remove the minerals from the tap water.
After that, you should be fine.
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By Supercazzola
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Posts:  1503
Joined:  Sun Nov 22, 2020 1:57 am
#432616
and label your salt water next time. I assume you have a salt water aquarium and had a bucket of salt water made from the output of an RO filter? Just try to understand how it happened so it doesn't happen again.
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By rosieonfire
Posts:  4
Joined:  Sun Mar 26, 2023 1:56 pm
#448037
Supercazzola wrote:and label your salt water next time. I assume you have a salt water aquarium and had a bucket of salt water made from the output of an RO filter? Just try to understand how it happened so it doesn't happen again.
Actually I keep land hermit crabs which require both fresh and salt water. I keep the salt water premixed in a gallon jug :)
Jedikinigit liked this
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