Is Bong Water Good For Plants? We Tested the Viral Bong Water Plant Experiment

If you’ve been on Instagram lately, you’ve probably seen the reel that made thousands of people ask: Is bong water good for plants?

The clip from @spoofpasta is pretty straightforward—two basil plants, same setup, one watered with regular tap water and one watered with bong water. After some time, the bong water basil plant grew noticeably larger and fuller than its tap water counterpart.

Naturally, the internet lost it. And it’s easy to see why. The video looks like real proof, and it taps into a long-standing stoner myth about recycling bong water instead of dumping it down the drain.

But here’s the reality—is bong water good for plants in any meaningful, repeatable way? Generally, no. Bong water isn’t conventionally beneficial for plant growth, and as you can probably guess, there isn’t exactly peer-reviewed research on the topic.

So rather than speculate, Herb decided to test it. We grabbed two tropical zodiac houseplants from a local nursery, set up an observational experiment, and tested the bong water for plants theory over 14 days. 

The goal was ultimately to find out firsthand whether bong water is good for plants or if the internet was getting ahead of itself. 

We sourced two tropical zodiac houseplants from the same greenhouse—same species, same approximate size, and same starting condition—to test the bong water vs. tap water experiment. 

Both plants were watered twice over 14 days, as most tropical zodiac houseplants only need watering every 7 to 10 days. 

Now, full transparency—this wasn’t a perfect experiment. There are always micro-differences between individual plants, even from the same batch. One might have slightly stronger roots at purchase, or respond differently to environmental shifts. We kept things as consistent as possible.

So what happened? By Day 14, the differences were pretty telling, and they didn’t exactly build a strong case for anyone asking, “Is bong water good for plants?”

The tap water plant looked healthy. Leaves were firm, color was consistent, and the overall posture of the plant was upright and normal.

The bong water plant told a different story. After the second bong water watering, signs of stress showed up fast: slight wilting, some discoloration on the leaves, and less vitality compared to Day 1. It wasn’t dead, but it definitely wasn’t thriving.

We stopped the experiment after 14 days and switched the bong water plant back to regular water. We weren’t trying to kill it, just test the theory.

So what does this prove? Our results suggest that bong water on plants — at least on a tropical zodiac houseplant—isn’t doing them any favors. The plant showed a noticeable decline compared to the tap-watered plant. At minimum, our experiment suggests that the answer depends heavily on the species, the conditions, and the variables that nobody on Instagram is accounting for.

What it doesn’t explain is why the basil in the viral video grew bigger.

We’re not here to discredit the original video. The results looked real, and the experiment seemed genuine. But there are several factors beyond bong water that could explain why one basil plant outgrew the other.

Differences in light exposure, even small ones, can dramatically affect plant growth. A few extra hours of direct sunlight per week adds up. Root space matters too. If one plant had slightly more room to spread, it would naturally grow fuller. Watering volume is another variable—if the bong water plant received even marginally more liquid per session, that alone could account for extra growth.

Soil composition is a big one. If the potting mixes weren’t identical, one plant may have had access to more nitrogen or organic matter, which directly fuels leafy growth. So do plants like bong water, or did that basil plant just have better soil? Impossible to say without controlling for it.

The point isn’t that bong water didn’t help. It’s that there are many simpler, more likely explanations for the difference. And without a controlled setup, it’s hard to credit the bong water alone.

Taking Herb’s experiment, the original Instagram video, and the lack of scientific research into account, the short answer is probably not.

By the time you’re done with a session, your bong water has collected a cocktail of stuff that plants really don’t want sitting in their soil:

• Tar and resin buildup from combustion
• Burnt plant material and ash particles suspended in the liquid
• Standing water bacteria that multiply the longer bong water sits
• Potential pH imbalances that can throw off a plant’s ability to absorb nutrients

Think of it this way—you wouldn’t drink old bong water, and your plants probably don’t want it either. Most houseplants prefer clean, low-salt, low-sugar water with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. That’s the range most regular tap water falls within, which is why it works perfectly fine for the vast majority of plants. Using bong water for plants introduces variables that aren’t just unnecessary… they can actively stress the root system and create conditions for root rot.

The viral video was fun, and we get why people ran with it. The idea that your leftover bong water could double as plant fertilizer is the kind of stoner life hack everyone wants to be true. But after running our own test and looking at what’s actually in bong water, the reality is less exciting.

Bong water plants showed visible stress in our 14-day experiment. The tap water plant stayed healthy. And while the Instagram basil experiment had different results, there are too many uncontrolled variables to crown bong water as some kind of secret growth serum.

Is bong water good for plants? For most species, in most conditions, no. Stick with clean water, give your plants proper light and decent soil, and pour your bong water somewhere else.

For more than a decade, Herb has been a gathering place for people who love, use, and are simply curious about cannabis. What started as a small corner of the internet has grown into a community where millions come to learn, share, and stay connected to the culture.

Here’s what you can tap into at Herb:

• Learning hub and guides that break things down clearly, from growing weed outdoors to understanding how terpenes impact your high
• News hub that spotlights the latest cannabis culture and policy shifts
• Dispensary directory to help you find licensed shops in your local area
• Deals page, updated monthly with the best cannabis discounts available online

Stay connected with the Herb community by subscribing to our newsletter, following us on Instagram, and X for the latest in cannabis lifestyle and culture.