Collecting Raindance for my droseras and dionaeas

[masonix]

Hi,

I've been using batterywater for my seedlings and plants, but I have been recommended to try to collect rainwater. If I'm going to Do that, I have to do it through my downpipes. No problem so far, but it hit me, do the water collect minerals and such when flowing through the down pipes made of metal? If that is the case my dead friends will die.

Anyone that knows or have tried ?

A bit off topic I know, but I have some water I don't know if I can use.

* My iPad "fixed" the subject for me from rainwater to raindance which is kinda wierd, but I did t notice until I had posted it.

Thanks!

 

[Zath]

Egads...battery water?

At any rate....the accumulation of particulate simply from flowing down a tube like gutters or a drain spout shouldn't be enough to bother the plants at all. Many people here collect rainwater in various ways, and other than the occasional bacteria or algal infestation, it's often recommended.

 

[Not a Number]

Battery water = distilled water

 

[SubRosa]

I have a large rainwater collection system that I use not only to water plants, but to breed fish, some of which are as intolerant of dissolved minerals as any plant. I do have a bypass that allows me to wash the worst of what collects on the roof and in the gutters between storms.

 

[Doomsday]

I personally wouldn't use rainwater without sterilizing it (microwave/boil), because it definitely picks up contaminants. Sure, not all of them will be harmful to your plants, but some might be, such as certain fungi/bacteria. I also sterilize all of my media aside from live sphagnum moss, since it naturally tends to stave off infection by itself, despite being so wet all the time.

 

[fredg]

I've been using rainwater, untreated, on carnivorous plants for 33 years. Admittedly it's collected off greenhouses but part of its travel is along and through aluminium ( correct spelling ref. C1812 - Humphry Davy). Boil it before use? Good grief, never, especially in the amounts I need. There is a risk whilst standing outside I could be hit on the head by ice falling from a passing 747. I do not recall seeing that many people wearing hard hats unless they're on a building site.
NB. Building sites are well known to attract falling ice from passing 747s on a regular basis. It accounts for much of the bad language on the said sites. As a lump of ice bounces off a hard hat an expletive ( or two) will resound across the constructions, sometimes mid word as well as mid sentence.

 

[nimbulan]

My rainwater comes off a concrete roof with plenty of moss on it, channeled through filthy 30 year old gutters and downspouts and only amounts to 15 TDS at the end. I do get occasional mold spots and small bits of algae growing in my water jugs, but it's easy enough to clean them.

 

[SubRosa]

I don't worry about molds, spores, fungi and such in my container. The Daphnia that live in it eat them.

 

[Zath]

Battery water = distilled water

Haha, I thought that was likely, but it struck me as an odd choice of words. I wasn't sure.

 

[fredg]

Haha, I thought that was likely, but it struck me as an odd choice of words. I wasn't sure.

Of course it's odd to you Zath, it's English.

 

[masonix]

Thanks for all your answers, I feel pretty confident to use the rainwater now.



Perhaps I can melt some snow too and use.