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Post by vraev on Aug 5, 2015 3:57:12 GMT -5
Hey guys, Lately I have been wondering about using rain water. There is of course that notice of garden plants showing a bloom burst/growth spurt after a nice rain. I know that may be because of nitrogen dissolved in the water. I was wondering if watering my CPs with this water can have any benefit. I collected some rain in a "dirty bucket" in which I just washed a bunch of perlite/peat/bark mixes for potting the BCP order... lol...just placed out in the front yard during our recent rains in GTA. Sadly...forgot taking the bucket out of the sun...so a lot of it evaporated (thereby concentrating whatever was in there). Ofcourse lot of particulates, but I filtered it and got roughly only 300ml of water. So 29PPM for that. Not bad for that particulate filled water mixed with the sediments/dirt from my washes. Do you think safe for CPs? sphagnum? On the topic of rain water, also planning on making a collection barrel with run off from the roof. However, from what I was looking around on TF...people say NEW roofs contain anti-algal compounds that can seriously harm plants in general and therefore shouldn't use run off water. We JUST replaced the asphalt roof shingles over a month or two ago. So its pretty new...do u guys think its not worth collecting roof/runoff water for CP use? cheers V
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Post by hebtwo on Aug 5, 2015 5:29:59 GMT -5
Lot's of folks use pure rain water for carnivorous plants. As long as your collection/storage methods aren't compromised (like you say, not filtering roof water, etc), it's perfectly fine to use! It's been a good few days for us GTA people to collect water. Yikes!
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Post by lloyd on Aug 5, 2015 8:34:54 GMT -5
Rain water collected directly into containers-0 PPM. Same with snow.
Off roofs-lots of people do it with no problem. My garden is irrigated with roof water (flat, tar-membrane roof) and is growing very well.
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Post by vraev on Aug 6, 2015 0:08:44 GMT -5
Thanks guys. Would u think the roof being brand new might cause an issue in terms of any chemicals it may leech off into the water?? I might still do it as a good way to water the yard....considering the amount of water it takes. Might have to be a bit selective about CPs would u think ...atlesat until I make sure the "anti-algae" compounds aren't going to do any damage.
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Post by lloyd on Aug 6, 2015 8:38:45 GMT -5
I have the same concern about roof water but other people use it with no problem. The run off is so quick, there probably is no time to dissolve impurities like aluminum. You could always measure PPM. If it's zero, should be good. Also you could let it sit in the sun and see if algae grows.
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Post by vraev on Aug 6, 2015 13:48:34 GMT -5
true. Might give it a shot. Perhaps even worth trying it on sphagnum...if it works for sphagnum..pretty much anything can live off it.
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Post by Dennis A(cook1973) on Aug 8, 2015 16:33:18 GMT -5
I collect rain for those times when I cannot get distilled water or RO water As far as pure rainwater it fine,I used to have concerns about rainwater as well then I remembered these plants grow in bogs and get pure rainwater whenever it rains
Utrics feed on organisms in rainwater if you concerned put a piece of screening over the opening to filter it I only have a few plants so I( have a 5 gallon bucket in a open place in my yard I used to screen the top as a filter but a few times I used pure rainwater and seen no negativity in growth so I ditched the screen but have it close by incase I need it.
BTW melting the top layer of clean snow in winter works too...its just rain in another form.
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Post by bored4lyfe on Aug 26, 2015 20:13:33 GMT -5
Is rainwater same as distill water?
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Post by Dennis A(cook1973) on Aug 26, 2015 20:39:28 GMT -5
Is rainwater same as distill water? Actually that is debatable rainwater has air in it where distilled does not so rainwater is better that way but distilled against rainwater is like 9 for distilled and 10 for rainwater CP will accept distilled,, RO, or rainwater(in winter melting clean snow is the same as rainwater.
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Post by paulkoop on Aug 26, 2015 20:43:05 GMT -5
A rain after alll these forest fires might not be soo clean id love to hear what the tds is of rain water when it rains friday compared to tuesday supsto rain for awhile in bc I dont have any rain collection set up might quickly set a small one up tomorow
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Post by bored4lyfe on Aug 26, 2015 23:46:41 GMT -5
I will be trying to use the rainwater since it has been raining a lot in Ontario. It seems that a lot of prefer the rainwater more than distilled water.
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Post by paulkoop on Aug 26, 2015 23:52:12 GMT -5
Yah i live in an area where my tds is super low sooo i can use tap water hahah makes things soooo much easer for me
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Post by paulkoop on Aug 26, 2015 23:54:05 GMT -5
Takes me ...1or 2 hours a week to water all my plants in the house ......that doesnt include filling up all the trays Thats another hour Than alll the plants out back and the gardens Soo much watering lol Glad to see rain this week ...which is something u have never heard from someone in the fraser valley EVER hahhahaa
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Post by Avery on Aug 27, 2015 0:33:16 GMT -5
I only collect rainwater for my terrarium plants when it's been raining hard and the shingles have been washed off. If it's a gentle rain I would leave it alone. I don't want to collect the initial chemicals/bird poop/dust that have washed off the roof. I do think rainwater is great for plants. It's clean, oxygenated, and great for leaching the soil of house/terrarium plants.
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Post by stevebooth on Aug 27, 2015 7:17:00 GMT -5
Use rainwater whenever possible, afet all no one runs about watering them with Ro or distilled in the wild.
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