anyone use rain water for indoor grow?

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Hekinsieden

Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #1

I had a few buckets out last night and collected about 5 gallons of rain for my girls.

I've been giving them mostly rain water since they were... born?

Anyone else use rain water or collect it?

Also I pour it through a strainer to pick out the bugs and little annoyances.

 

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burninjay

Active Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #2

Rain is of course free and naturally occurring, so it would seem a great resource for any grower. Rain does have some dissolved carbon dioxide, which makes it slightly acidic with some buffering capacity as well, so I would just check pH after mixing nutrients to make sure it doesn't drop too low.

 

Rastamoney

Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #3

I took a rubbermaid storage container, attached a copper screen over the top, and have been using rain water for a long time. I've never experienced too low ph, but I wouldn't let the water sit outside too long.

 

DawgMountain

Active Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #4

I'm just starting to collect it here. Rain is real iffy right now. But just a few minutes ago I got around 2" in two five gallon buckets during a cloud burst. Our tap water is a little too alkaline (7.1) so I'm hoping the rain water will be closer to perfect.

 

SoonCome

Active Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #5

I set a 13 gallon res. outside and let it fill up with rain during the summer. I filter it through a strainer into one gallon jugs that I keep until I need to fill or top off my other res. Works good.

 

realmaple1

Active Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #6

i use filter water from the humidity outside. AC units who leak out into a cooler and a great supply of clean water.

 

TommyHobby

Active Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #7

realmaple1 said:

i use filter water from the humidity outside. AC units who leak out into a cooler and a great supply of clean water.

Click to expand...

I don't know much about this, but I've read somewhere in a different thread this could be bad. The water dripping from a metal tube sometimes has contaminated metals and has components that might harm your plants. Just wanted to pass that on. As far as rain water, it's probably one of the better natural choices out there.

 

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Hekinsieden

Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #8

I wonder if it would keep better in the fridge?
could leave one out while I'm at work so it comes to room temp for use when I get home?

 

Dinosaur Bone

Active Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #9

If your collecting rain water near the "Prius Mine" in Sudburry Ontaria, the largest point source of sulfur dioxide in North America.... you might check the PH of that water.

Other than that and some "patina" or rust in the rain gutter {if applicable} ... you should be fine. Personaly I would drop an airstone in the rain barrel to keep things aerated, so slime, algea etc doesnt grow.

 

DawgMountain

Active Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #10

I get fresh mountain rain. And I collect it in 5 gallon plastic buckets.

But the evap thing would bother me. I would be concerned about lead paints and cheap metals from china.

 

Spanishfly

Well-Known Member

Aug 12, 2010

• #11

TommyHobby said:

I don't know much about this, but I've read somewhere in a different thread this could be bad. The water dripping from a metal tube sometimes has contaminated metals and has components that might harm your plants.

Click to expand...

Think that is probably BS. We all drink tap water that has passed through copper pipes no problem. Used to be lead once upon a time. And water from my AC units drips from plastic tubes into a bucket - I give it to my grape vine every morning.