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Discuss any carnivorous plant that doesn't fit in the above categories here or general chat about carnivorous plants

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By fishandplants
Posts:  140
Joined:  Thu Jun 02, 2011 1:30 pm
#142060
Hello! I collected my first batch of rain water yesterday with my open top rain barrel (covered with screen to keep out insects). I actually got around 13 gallons with only a light shower. However, as I'm not familiar with this method, is it unusual that the water is kind of brownish-yellowish?? I thought some of it might be from the blooms off the oak trees since there's apparently still some falling. This wasn't the first rain of the season, so I expected the roof to be pretty clean.
I've had one of my nepenthes get water straight off the roof once or twice, and it's still growing fine. But for vfts?
By Grey
Posts:  3255
Joined:  Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:48 pm
#142063
You may find that the brownish/yellowishness is due to tannin release from the oak. If oak blooms or leaves may have fallen into the bucket they will naturally release tannins (dried oak leaves are desirable for this quality in aquatics for the blackwater conditions that many softwater species of fish enjoy); this may or may not affect the PPM of the water you collected, I know it can lower the pH but am otherwise uncertain.

If you have a TDS meter I would suggest checking the water if you have doubts.
By Vern
Posts:  232
Joined:  Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:51 pm
#142119
The birds in my neighborhood are notorious for sitting on my roof, eating stolen fruit and other foods up there. The color maybe from your oaks, moss that my be growing on your shingles, left over items in your gutters, bird and squirrel business.
By fishandplants
Posts:  140
Joined:  Thu Jun 02, 2011 1:30 pm
#142641
Ok, so that water was no good (tested way too high). I cleaned out the barrel and got it filled yesterday with 55 gallons. And this water tested to be 6 ppm! I still got bits of blooms that fell onto the screen, and I can see some bits in the bottom of the barrel. However, it's not dirty as the last batch was, so I call it progress. :)
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