Q/A #32 - Slimy Water Tray

QUESTIONS:
I purchased a few plants from you a while Back. I have them sitting in a plate of water that I keep refilling. I use distilled water now. I was stupidly using tap water (and things seemed fine) but over the winter they seemed sad, so I switched to distilled water. Hoping the damage isn’t permanent. Anyhow, that’s not my question. I’ve noticed that the water in the plate is... slimy. It’s clear, it doesn’t smell, but it’s slimy. Is this normal Or ok? Should I be dumping the water daily, cleaning the plate and then Refilling? Any help would be appreciated.
( Submitted in February 2020.)

RESPONSE BY JEFF DALLAS:
It sounds like you may be getting some water mold in your trays. It will sometimes look pink. This is pretty normal with indoor plants. No need to dump daily, but maybe just scrub the trays one or two times a month with dish detergent and warm water. Rinse the tray of all soap residue. This will help the stuff from forming as readily. 

If you're plants were looking sad over winter it's most likely from low light and short days. You didn't mention the types of plants you have or your care, so I can't offer an opinion about them.

Some cities have tap water that are pure enough to use with carnivorous plants. Others don't. It just depends on the dissolved solids content. You have to test it, or look up the TDS with a city's EPA water report. When we had our nursery in the Portland city limits (Oregon), we were lucky enough to be able to use water straight from the tap without needing to filter it.

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