FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Ive been thinking of using rainwater collected from my roof, so im guessing thats okay? my roof is made with shingles

sans wrote: ↑Thu Jan 26, 2023 2:51 pm Ive been thinking of using rainwater collected from my roof, so im guessing thats okay? my roof is made with shingles

It might be ok. Different people have had different results. Different types of shingles produce different results. Let the first bit of water go to waste as it will have bird poop, windblown debris, asphalt oils, etc., in it. After a rinse period then start collecting. TDS meters are cheap and very handy tools to have on hand, especially if you're going to stick with carnivorous plants for any length of time. There are some experienced users on here that store and use rain water from their asphalt roofs...but, their roof isn't your roof. Your's is probably ok, but I would want to test its TDS.

alright thanks

Source:
Drexel Hill, PA, USA
Aqua America Pennsylvania, Southeastern Division Service Area, Delaware County

Date:
1/29/2023

Measurement:
185 ppm @ 68°F

Meter:
Hofun
https://www.amazon.com/Hofun-Water-TDS- ... B0BJD9ZNJM


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just received the 2022 annual water quality report from my rural water supplier. They have numerous wells scattered out and show TDS ranging from 176ppm to 446ppm. The area is roughly 25-60 miles south of Montgomery, AL, and sits over several limestone aquifers. I just tested my tap water with my trusty $15 meter and it's showing 336ppm.

Vancouver BC

Real Canadian Superstore brand distilled water - 0 PPM
Kitchen faucet - 24 PPM
Outdoor hose bibb - 26 PPM

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, USA

Tap water room temp - 276 ppm
Tap water ~120 F - 506 ppm
water from reverse osmosis filter - 13 ppm

When I was fed formula the tap water gave me high concentrations of lead so BA beware, though this was roughly 19 years ago.

I have no idea where that is, but I have no idea where I was the one time I went to/thru Oklahoma. I was a young kid going through one of those "moments in life" and was headed to see a friend stationed at Ft. Seale. Anyhow, it was either Oklahoma or Arkansas that my glass jar full of ice-water ran dry. Well, I saw a convenience store and pulled in. I whipped out my jar, filled it with some ice from the cooler and went over to an outside faucet and filled it up. I swished it around good with the ice to get it nice and cold. Man, I turned that jar up and took a big ol' drank of that "clear and cold" as a friend I used to work with called it. INSTANTLY my lips puckered up like Olive Oyl puckering up to kiss Popeye!!!! I spit and spit and spit!!!!! I went in the station and blurted out, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR WATER!!!". The guy behind the incredulously responded, "YOU DIDN'T DRINK THE WATER, DID YOU???!!!". Man, that was some of the worst *anything* I ever put in my mouth!!! I think if you were to stick a TDS meter down in that stuff smoke would come out of it!!!! Probably would read in the trillions of PPMs of TDS!!!!!! I have no idea why I shared that. But...thar it is!!!!

Bahahaha!!! From what I have seen in my state I wouldn't put it past the water. I learned my lesson quickly that some people had well water or otherwise they had stagnant pipes. My neighborhood was built in the 50's so I know from experience that the water was questionable, not too long ago we had lead pipes in and out, though it came as a surprise that my neighbors still keep water bottles for that reason. I remember in another area my parents were taking a shower, and during the middle the water began to run orange!! This happened whenever they would do any work on the mains, but she immediately gave the workers a piece of her mind ha! I still remember her saying they could have picked any other time than the one everyone wakes up and showers!

Yeah, that water was....BAD!!!! More like somebody had squeezed the juice out of 4,399,484,207,210, 209,001 green persimmons and piped the juice through the pipes!!!!!!!

ETA: Just thinking about it makes me want to spit!!!

I notice that the tds readings of my tapwater can vary drastically depending on the time of year, sometimes giving a lower reading during winter or after rain. It hovers around 200ppm so not suitable for carinvores at any time of the year.

My tap-water coming from the Potomac river.

I would think that the TDS would be different in different sections of the Potomac...different watersheds involved. Then, throw in seasonal (rains, snows, droughts) and (as other places) the measurements change. 200ppm makes for good drinking water, not so much good for CPs.

ETA: But...I'm not sure I'd be wanting to drink out of the Potomac.

The only place I have ever found river water to be good enough to drink is near the source, in the mountains. Mountain water is some of the cleanest, best tasting water I have ever found. Now, I am talking Montana and Washington state. There are only a couple other places in the US that has better water than Washington, from what I have read. I just tested my tap water 2 days ago and it was 37. I have been mixing our rain water with it and that drops it below 15.

Andy, at 37ppm, why worry with catching rainwater? The biggest benefit I see would be the lower pH of the rainwater which could probably be adjusted for the tap water.

andynorth wrote:I just tested my tap water 2 days ago and it was 37. I have been mixing our rain water with it and that drops it below 15.

Intheswamp wrote:Andy, at 37ppm, why worry with catching rainwater?

Are you on municipal water? If so you would need to check for chlorine or chloramine as both are not good for the plants. Chlorine is easy to get rid of with a simple carbon filter. Chloramine is going to require RO to remove it.