Rain water

[Grow big 3]

Has anyone out there grew anything with straight up rain water the area I'm in has a hard water supply dont know if this has an effect on yields or not would changing to rain water improve yields or quality ??

 

[anomalii]

A quick answer/solution is to cut your tap water with the rain water to make it less hard. 50/50 maybe. Hard water is not bad for plants unless there is too much crap in it. On the other hand, rainwater has almost no minerals in it and eventually you might need to add calcium and magnesium, depending on your grow medium.

 

[Dr. Who]

Rainwater makes a fine water source!

The use of a calcium carbonate based Ca/Mg is a good idea too.

 

[bernie344]

I use rainwater because of the low ppm, mine is only 20 but my tap is 220

 

[thetruthoverlies]

I like to collect rain water and then add humic powder to the container. Plants love it. Rainwater round these parts is 0ppm

 

[Nutty sKunK]

I use it when it’s not all frozen up.

I add an organic zero N calmag (biobizz) at 0.3ml per 1L and then increase it after stretch, mid bloom and final few weeks until the last week. Maxing out at around 1.2ml or 1.5ml per L depending on plants needs.

 

[MustGro]

If I had hard water I'd use rainwater. I checked it a few years ago and up here in Canada it was 4 PPM and around 6.5 PH.

 

[Beehive]

I've used exclusively rain water.

It's a huge PITA. At one time, I had 15 one gallon jugs lining the hallway. Hoping like hell it'd rain before my supply ran out. Then refilling them while standing in the rain. Hoping all the dust on the roof washes off before I'd collect it.

I quit doing that shit fast. PH out the sky isn't the same after it sits.

 

[kingromano]

what is the EC of your "hard water" ? around 0.4/0.5 Ms its perfect, more than that can be considered too hard

rain water dont contain mineral anymore, it measure 0.0mS. however it can hold some polluants

i advise you to invest in a RO filter which will give you the cleanest water possible
or to recover the condensate water of your air conditionners if you have some ..

and like say beehive, you're dependant on your weather and its a big pita ..

if your tap water is too hard cut it with rain water until you get 0.5mS

 

[thumper60]

Has anyone out there grew anything with straight up rain water the area I'm in has a hard water supply dont know if this has an effect on yields or not would changing to rain water improve yields or quality ??

Been doing it for yrs here in maine ph here comes in at 6.1, i also melt snow in the winter my well water sucks for growing.

 

[bernie344]

what is the EC of your "hard water" ? around 0.4/0.5 Ms its perfect, more than that can be considered too hard

rain water dont contain mineral anymore, it measure 0.0mS. however it can hold some polluants

i advise you to invest in a RO filter which will give you the cleanest water possible
or to recover the condensate water of your air conditionners if you have some ..

and like say beehive, you're dependant on your weather and its a big pita ..

if your tap water is too hard cut it with rain water until you get 0.5mS

I got a 5,000 litre tank on laybuy, will have it paid off and intalled before next winter,

 

[Grow big 3]

Thanks for the input will try 50/50 rain and tap water in my next grow will see if it makes a difference

 

[Three Berries]

I mix mine about 50/50. Well water is hard and a 7.6pH, ~450ppm. The rain is around 6.5pH so it comes out around 7.0. Will store 20 gallons over the winter for when I get froze out.

I also filter it and use rainwater in my mister humidifier, to water any first year trees or plants and to mix with antifreeze for the car.....