Recycling stuff has now become second nature, trying to find another use for everything before throwing it out. After all, this is recommended by everyone from climate change crusaders to manufacturers.

You probably have a reusable container or a water bottle to refill instead of buying bottled water every time.

The same is true for smokers and vapers. You probably don’t like draining your bong water down the sink regularly, especially after you’ve heard or seen people water their plants with dirty dishwater and the like.

But is bong water good for plants? We’ve covered everything you need to know, but first, let’s understand bong water better.

What is Bong Water?

You must understand the bong first before you ask about the water. A bong is simply a smoking device that uses water to filter the smoke you inhale. Essentially, the filtration helps remove tar and toxins from the smoke. Besides filtering the toxins, bong water cools down the smoke making it gentle on your throat.

Once the smoke from the dry herbs passes through the water, it deposits ash, toxins, and other materials, and the end product is “bong water.”

While the toxins and residue on bong water are not a big deal, you need to know how to use them for ultimate benefits. Unfortunately for the smoker, the bong water also filters crucial elements of your cannabis, such as CBD and THC.

Additionally, there’s a high chance of bong water catching debris and loose leaves that stick to your bowl hence the rusty brown color on most bongs. Other elements commonly found in bong water include carbon monoxide, acrylonitrile, and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

The main reason people use bong water on plants is due to this residue, which, when decomposed, may be mistaken for a rare type of humus. Besides, what better way could you use the bong water after a smoke session other than draining it on your houseplants?

So, Is Bong Water Good for Plants?

If you’ve been using your bong water for some days now, and it has started turning brown and full of debris, consider changing it. But what do you do with it? Do you pour it on the plants as a type of sustainable fertilizer?

The already decomposing material in the bong water almost makes it look like a decomposing bin full of nutrients. Sure, the bong water has some natural cannabinoids, as mentioned earlier (CBD, THC), and they have some benefits for your body. However, that’s not to say they’ll help your plants flourish.

Aside from the few anecdotal stories and threads on Reddit, proof that bong water benefits plants remain scant.

Similarly, we have plenty of evidence that the harmful compounds in tobacco and cannabis smoke are toxic. Like tobacco, cannabis produces carcinogenic smoke when burned and increases PAH concentrations known to affect human tissue.

So, when you hit it, the PAHs, tar, ash, and other toxins remain in your water bong. This feature makes smoking with a bong healthier than a joint or dry pipe. In fact, it’s the filtration that makes your bong water pretty icky.

Bong water contains all the harmful toxins we don’t have to name here and attracts bacteria and fungus when it stays in your bong for a long time. Remember, this is stagnant water, and the germs and fungus it accumulates are harmful to you and your plants.

Moreover, the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide push the bong water toward the acidic part of the PH scale. The materials and others increase the bong water’s acidity, making it more harmful to your plants.

Simply put, don’t use bong water on your plants. Though the water may contain desirable cannabinoids and natural plant material, the risks outweigh any benefits for your plants.

Alternatives To Bong Water for Plants

The main requirements for a healthy plant include water, soil, and sunlight. Plants also need potassium, calcium, oxygen, carbon dioxide, phosphorus, etc., to flourish. Finally, ensure that the temperature is ideal for plant survival.

When it comes to water for plants, you have many alternatives to bong water.

1. Distilled Water

As the name suggests, distilled water is purified to fit human consumption and irrigation. So, you don’t have to worry about additional minerals or chemicals as in bong water.

On the flip side, though, distilled water lacks valuable materials like calcium and magnesium. Besides, it’s so expensive, so it’s not an option to stick with for long.

2. Rain Water

Like the distilled water above, rainwater is clean and contains added minerals that are perfect for your plants. What’s more, you get rainwater for free, and you only need a container to store and use as much as you want.

The downsides are rainwater may not be available throughout the year, and long-term storage may lead to pollution and acidity.

So, Can I Reuse Bong Water?

Bong water becomes useless as soon as you’re done smoking. So, consider dumping it somewhere away from vegetation. However, the bacteria and plant material can aid the decomposing process in a composite pile.

There’s still no evidence to support this use, though.

Bong Water and Plants

Bong water keeps your lungs safe by filtering residue from the smoke. This feature renders the water useless for our plants, so draining the water on your houseplants is a bad idea.