# Rain Water



## New_2_Chronic (Aug 19, 2008)

I have heard Rain water is the most beneficial you can get, so today was watering day anyway so i set them out in the rain....any benefit to doing this?


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## HMAN (Aug 19, 2008)

ya can't beat Mother Nature......


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 19, 2008)

When my BF used to grow, we caught all the rain water in 50 gal food grade plastic barrels and that was always his favorite water to use.  I am in a different place now and cannot do that, but if rainwater was a possibility I would use it.


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## FourTwenty (Aug 19, 2008)

I've always heard good things about rain water.

I like to collect it and mist with it.


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## canibanol cannonball (Aug 19, 2008)

just keep an eye out for industry stacks letting out there pollutants, they build em tall so wind will carry there garbage 2 towns over


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 19, 2008)

canibanol cannonball said:
			
		

> just keep an eye out for industry stacks letting out there pollutants, they build em tall so wind will carry there garbage 2 towns over



One of the things I love about living in the mountains...it is quite pristine where I live.  We get wildfires most years that give us a smoky atmosphere, but that is as bad as it gets.


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## canibanol cannonball (Aug 19, 2008)

sounds beut' we get lake fires and smog warnings, i live close to an industry and one time there stack got plugged and the air was orange all day, smelly stuff. If i could use rain water i would but...


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## New_2_Chronic (Aug 19, 2008)

yeah where i live we get ALOT of rain,,,, even hurricanes(im praying that doesnt happen, my grow is not hurricane proofed). I could get them out in the rain literally once a week...

Over the next two months if it rains and it is watering day ill throw em out in it....

It just alot of work to move around a dozen plants in 3 gal pots...especially if they have been in the rain


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 19, 2008)

New_2_Chronic said:
			
		

> yeah where i live we get ALOT of rain,,,, even hurricanes(im praying that doesnt happen, my grow is not hurricane proofed). I could get them out in the rain literally once a week...
> 
> Over the next two months if it rains and it is watering day ill throw em out in it....
> 
> It just alot of work to move around a dozen plants in 3 gal pots...especially if they have been in the rain



We collected rain water from rain gutters and downspouts that emptied into 50 gal barrells.  We used a submersible pump to pump from there into the plant room into another 50 gal barrell.  Moving the plants in and out is a lot of work.


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## New_2_Chronic (Aug 19, 2008)

gutters and downspouts?

were you not worried about contamination of the water by going through a gutter or downspout? I would think that would be an issue.


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## SmokinMom (Aug 19, 2008)

My girls LOVED all the rain we got last summer.  They thrived in it BIGTIME!


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 19, 2008)

New_2_Chronic said:
			
		

> gutters and downspouts?
> 
> were you not worried about contamination of the water by going through a gutter or downspout? I would think that would be an issue.



No--not at all.  What kind of contamination do you get from your gutters and downspouts?


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## New_2_Chronic (Aug 19, 2008)

Well roofing material that is wasked down into the gutter....all the decaying matter up there if you havent cleaned them in awhile...I would of thought runoff water would be full of harmful things.... But what do i Know....:hubba:


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## 4u2sm0ke (Aug 19, 2008)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> No--not at all. What kind of contamination do you get from your gutters and downspouts?


 

Im sorry hemp Goddess...I have to some what dis agree ...some roof top material Has some chemicals I cant even begin to mention that kill vegitation...Thats why they Have run off ponds...dry wells....I collect Rain water for outside as well as inside...I am a strong believer of rainwater/distilled...and snow...but we dont  get much here...Rain  YES!!  Lots...I Put 55 gallon drums out and they fill quik..  I then pump it into Gallon Milk jubs I been saving from Kids breakfast...wow they Grow fast..:holysheep: ...no  diss HempGod.. just wonder...whats on his room top?..also be sure to seal containers...algea and Moskitos(SP)..lol..yuk


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## canibanol cannonball (Aug 20, 2008)

New_2_Chronic said:
			
		

> Well roofing material that is wasked down into the gutter....all the decaying matter up there if you havent cleaned them in awhile...I would of thought runoff water would be full of harmful things.... But what do i Know....:hubba:


the top cap of roofing sometimes has "zinc strip / moss boss. Its a lead like metal strip, when rain hits it, it washes chems down the roof to kill moss.


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## Growdude (Aug 20, 2008)

New_2_Chronic said:
			
		

> gutters and downspouts?
> 
> were you not worried about contamination of the water by going through a gutter or downspout? I would think that would be an issue.


 
Ive use rain water from the roof, small asphalt pieces get washed down but I filter them out and have no problems using it.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 20, 2008)

4u2sm0ke said:
			
		

> Im sorry hemp Goddess...I have to some what dis agree ...some roof top material Has some chemicals I cant even begin to mention that kill vegitation...Thats why they Have run off ponds...dry wells....I collect Rain water for outside as well as inside...I am a strong believer of rainwater/distilled...and snow...but we dont  get much here...Rain  YES!!  Lots...I Put 55 gallon drums out and they fill quik..  I then pump it into Gallon Milk jubs I been saving from Kids breakfast...wow they Grow fast..:holysheep: ...no  diss HempGod.. just wonder...whats on his room top?..also be sure to seal containers...algea and Moskitos(SP)..lol..yuk



You are absolutely correct that not all rainwater is safe to use.  Our ability to use rainwater depends somewhat on our individual circumstances and location.  We do not have run off ponds and dry wells where I live.  There are no seperate rain water systems.  Rainwater helps fill the canals and rivers that water the crops.  There is virtually no pollution of any kind unless we have a wildfire near.  We all have steel roofs with a steep pitch so the snow will slide off--we get lots of snow.  The worst things that get in my gutters are pine needles and pine cones.    I forget sometimes how nasty things can be in the cities.  I sure love my little piece of heaven...


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## zipflip (May 12, 2009)

so wats soem you think if i got shingled roof wit them shingles that like thick tar paper and them tiny speck rocks coatin top of shingles. the roof job itself is well over 6 years old maybe more like 8 years since done last.  i'm thinkin that if any chemicals in my roof they'd be leached out by now after that many years of rain an snow. i went an cleaned my gutters real spotless just 2 days ago to try catch rainwater as well. so gitters were clean an free of debris. 
  i went out this afternoon and filled a five gallon water jug with the gutter water. only its a dirty cloudy when in the jug.
  PH tested an it reads 7.8   is this high for rain water? or does that mean there all sorts goofy chemicals in there raisin Ph so high?
  my girls are all thirsty right now an thought i would spoil them wit some mother nature goodness but now after readi some i'm unsure wether it safe to use or not.
  i mean im sure theres always a risk usin roof water but in all actuallity have any of you who use rain water ever experience any deprivation or harm to ya girls ever from any rain water? if so i'm all ears. 
  ya always hear the possibilities but seldom hear actual stories from experience regardin them precautions..


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## docfishwrinkle (May 12, 2009)

dont do it just for the fact its 7.8! that water will cause lockout if used enough. yeah rain water is typically 6.2-6.8


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## Super Silver Haze (May 12, 2009)

rainwater is good but be careful of collecting h2o from a roof that isnt metal.  its tempting to sit a bucket under the downspout and watch it fill fast but i just cant see chancing it when you have an asphalt shingle roof.  

get some visqueen and stretch it across a couple of saw horses, put you bucket under the visq. and poke some holes above the bucket.  not as fast as collecting off the roof but i dont have a Clay Tile or Metal roof.

the rainy season is almost here.  got rain for the first time in 6 wks or so.

if you have bargin trader magazine available you can pick up 55 gal plastic drums pretty cheap.


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## zipflip (May 12, 2009)

i got an old plastic 55 gal barrel to use but i think i might try the visqueen deal but maybe rig it somehow without sawhorses. i got a huge blue tarp maybe that'd work just the same.  but i know my neighbors are nosey an will wonder wat the hek i'm doin stretchin oput a big tarp an all in yard. i have no privacy in my yard trees nor fence either lol.  it blows. 
  but i do live in a rural area where smog or air pollution is by far not a problem here so i asume that reason my rain water was 7.8ph was cuz more chemicals leachin off the roof tho than anythin.. 
 thans all


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## dr_toker81 (May 12, 2009)

hmmm  i think im gonna start collecting...beats buyin dist


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## Smokey Mcpotster (Jun 5, 2009)

You be the judge....


Safety of Rooftop/Rain Barrel Collected Water
As rain barrels increase in popularity, questions about their use have arisen...

Below is some information gathered from various sources:--

Summary:  The consensus is that there is not a clear consensus. There are significant and reasonable concerns about using rooftop harvested rainwater for drinking or watering food plants. To paraphrase a famous adage: Caution is the better part of good health. You'll have to weigh this information and should probably gather more before making your own choices and decisions. There are many variables to consider, including what part of the country you live in and what your roof is composed of. You can certainly have your water tested, though I suspect that is a costly procedure. [Note: If you can send or direct me to evidenced findings specifically about the use of rooftop harvested rain on edible plants by a credibile source, I would appreciate it.]



From the Minneapolis Star Tribune Fixit column of 04/04/06:
"...You can't drink the water collected, nor should you use it to water vegetable gardens. It's likely to be contaminated with chemicals and bacteria. But you can use it to water flower gardens and lawns or to wash lawn furniture, cars, etc...."



From an Environmental Toxicologist with the Minnesota Department of Health (April 2006):
Thank you for your inquiry concerning a warning you read in the newspaper about the use of collected rainwater for vegetable gardens. My search for data to back up the warnings turned up some useful information, but not all of the answers that you need.

Rainwater washing off of roofs has been studied to determine the load of contaminants picked up from roofing material. Some rainwater collection systems, intended for drinking water, discard a first "flush" of water off the roof in order to make sure that organic material such as bird droppings do not contaminate collection tanks. The water is then treated for drinking.

But the contaminants that you could be worried about are the heavy metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons from asphalt shingles and other contaminants that may deposit onto roofs from air. It appears that contaminants that rainwater washes off of shingles may be a significant source of surface water contamination. The contaminants that are washing off of roofs include zinc, lead, chromium, arsenic, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. It is similar to what you might collect off of a parking lot.

It is possible to find data on the amount (concentrations) of chemicals in rainwater from asphalt roofs. However, I was not able to find information on whether or not the levels were high enough to accumulate in garden plants intended for consumption.

I believe that warnings not to use roof-top collected rainwater for vegetable gardens are taking a precautionary approach. I do not know if the calculations have been made that would determine the extent to which these substances are accumulating in plants. Those calculations would need to be made before the MDH could tell you whether you could safely use the water for vegetable gardens.

From another website: "When NOT to use a rain barrel for watering: If you have certain kinds of roofing material you shouldn't use rain barrels for watering plants. If your roof is made of wood shingles or shakes that have been treated with any chemical (usually chromated copper arsenate-CCA) to make them resistant to rot and moss, lichen and algae growth, don't water your plants from a rain barrel. Water collected from copper roofs or copper gutters also should not be used. Zinc (galvanized metal) anti-moss strips-usually mounted at the roof peak-also produce toxic chemicals you don't want in your garden. Don't use rain barrels if you have these strips (you may want to remove them), or if you have had your roof treated with moss-, lichen or algae-killing chemicals within the last several years. Note that nowadays there are asphalt shingles on the market which have zinc particles imbedded in the surface. Check your shingle specifications if you have recently re-roofed.

In addition, general practice is to avoid watering vegetables and other edible plants, such as herbs you plan to use in cooking, with rain barrel water collected from asphalt-shingle roofs. These kinds of roofs may leach various complex hydrocarbon compounds, so most people avoid using water from asphalt-shingle roofs or flat tar roofs on plants meant for human consumption. To date there is no definitive research on the amounts and types of hydrocarbon compounds which may leach from such roofs, though it is common practice to use water collected from asphalt-shingle roofs for watering ornamental plants and shrubs. Enameled steel and glazed tile roofs generate little or no contamination and rainwater harvested from them is commonly used to water vegetables."



From an urban rainwater collector and rainwater system designerwho works for the Council on the Environment of New York City (April 2006):
The New York City Water Resources Group is in the process of having the collected rainwater tested at 1 site. Preliminary results show bacteria in the samples which is expected as we do not treat the water in any way. Also slightly elevated lead levels probably from airborne sources. No other contaninants that might be expected from roofing, piping or tanks. More testing will be done this season and hopefully a full report to follow. We have signage on the storage tanks warning not to drink.



From someone at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (April 2006):
I can kind of see the bacteria angle since maybe bacteria, fungus, etc. could multiply in a rain barrel, but the chemicals are the same ones that are already in the rain runoff. And bacteria levels in runoff, don't get me started. However, there are chemicals in tap water (like chlorine) and well water (like lime) that make rain barrel water preferable for gardens.

Anyway, I think I would tell this person that a rain barrel is an excellent idea for the reasons that are listed in the Fixit column, but they should take the normal precautions in cleaning their veggies before eating them. You might also advise them to allow the spring rains to flush off the roof before setting up the barrel.

I personally have two rain barrels and have no compunctions about using them for watering any plant, veggie or not. I did find (especially when we were heating with wood) that the first few flushes of rainwater from the roof in early spring had some soot and I wasn't comfortable using it for watering plants.



From someone at the Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (April 2006):
Without water quality data I'm not sure what the basis is for these statements of risk. That said I don't think I would drink the water off an asphalt roof but concerns over using that water on vegetables seems questionable.



From a University of Minnesota Horticultural Specialist (April 2006):
[paraphrase] The advice of not using rain barrel water in vegetable gardens is sound and precautionary. Such water should not be used for drinking or for vegetables. Until a detailed study can be conducted, the best advice at this time is to use the water for ornamental landscape plants/lawns.

Additional comment: I do not think there would be enough zinc or other metals in the collected rainwater to be toxic to plants. This is because any of these substances that may be present would be diluted substantially with the rainwater. The main concern with the collected rainwater is if applied to edible plants, there could be negative effects to humans if those plants are ingested. This would be due to accumulation of metals in the plant tissue over time. More importantly, if there are bacteria (E. coli) in the water and then sprayed on edible plant parts, this could also cause human sickness if the plants are eaten.



More from an Environmental Toxicologist with the Minnesota Department of Health (April 2006):
I spoke with a stormwater expert from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency about your question. He, in turn, sent out a request for input to a national and international list serve. He sent some interesting comments back to me today.

From the University of Connecticut: "Based on monitoring at a site with asphalt shingles in CT, we found very low (mostly ND) concentrations of Cu,Pb, and Zn in runoff from the roof. The roof did not have lead flashing, though. We did not test for mercury"

From Snohomish County government, Washington: "Galvanized or copper flashing on asphalt shingle roofs should be a concern also. Here in the Pacific Northwest, where moss grows on nearly everything that's not moving, it's somewhat common to place a galvanized ridge cap on gable-roofed houses with cedar shake roofs. Minute amounts of zinc from the cap wash down the roof surface in rain and prevent moss from growing on the shakes. Without the caps moss grows thick on shake roofs here. I assume that if runoff from a 3-inch wide galvanized flashing is toxic enough to kill moss on an entire roof, it could be affecting other plants as well."

From Volusia County government, Florida: "The adhesive for shingles is now including parts washer solvents. I understand a waste company in Florida picks up the parts washer fluid, ships it elsewhere and then uses it as part of the adhesive for shingles. I am unsure if the company removes the heavy metals, therefore, I would not use the rain water from the shingled roof-but that is my personal opinion."


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## Smokey Mcpotster (Jun 5, 2009)

I hope that this is helpful. The consensus from web sites and these interactions seems to be that unless the roof is designed with materials and methods intended for rainwater collection, there is a possibility that toxic substances will end up in the water. The point made about the rainwater being toxic enough to kill moss and mildew suggests that it may actually be toxic to garden vegetables if collected water is a primary source of water for a garden.



From a Physician with the California Public Health Service (March 2009):
1) In California (and probably across the nation), rooftops are often sites for raccoon latrines. Raccoons leave feces on rooftops, usually where valleys form, or alongside the intersection of walls and roofs. The danger is the Raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), which is a common intestinal parasite in the raccoon. The roundworm eggs are found in the raccoon feces and the eggs develop in the feces -- often surviving for over a year in dried raccoon feces. These roundworm eggs can be found in roof runoff water; an internet search on "raccoon latrines" will give several references.

2) Many shingles are now made with a mild algicide and/or fungicide. Usually this is a copper compound, but may be a more complex chemical.



Filter The Water
If you are concerned about contaminants in your rooftop-collected water, you can build a device to filter water. Visit this webiste to see one person's project creating a homemade bio-sand filter. I do not vouch for how "clean" or safe the resulting water is.

I found this on the web. Theres no way in hell I could remember all of that.


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## Caretaker (Jun 5, 2009)

I always use my tap water sat out for atleast 2 usually 3 or 4 days. I am thinking about collecting a nice bucket of water when it rains. It wouldnt be often most likley once or twice a month. Maybe 3 or 4 on a heavier raining month. But I never check my PH anymore and do no adjusting. I also live in the most industrial city in the state I live. Would the rain water be bad living within a few miles of some major factorys? Also would there be a chance of a huge PH jump I would have to worry about. Seems my tap PH is between 6.5-7 when sat out. Even if I am already running unproper PH can the rain water stress my plant from the different kind of water?


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## Super Silver Haze (Jun 5, 2009)

Caretaker, if there are air quality concerns in that industrial are of the city then rule out rainwater collection unless you plan of filtering it somehow and then your just saving the cost of the H2O.  if there is pollutants in the air then expect them in the rainwater.

Zip, a stealth way to collect rainwater is get a plastic kids pool and sit it in an open area.

i started doing this and noticed that diring the heavier rain storms the rain hitting the ground next to the pool bounces dirt and small leaves into the pool. 

i sit it on top of an outdoor table @ the back of the yard, it looks like i put it up there to get it out of the way for he mower.  

get your H2O out fast to avoid mosquitos.


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## CoolAsAFan (Jun 5, 2009)

ive been using rain water now for quite some time with no problems. imo, any organic matter; poops, plant matter, etc, are goodies for your plants, not contaminents.  ever leave a gal of rain h20 sit out for a few weeks? the ph drops a decent amount due to micro organisms breaking down this matter to a more usable form for your plants. i usually add AEM to my rain water also to get rid of any bad micro's and help break down the organic matter, i wonder if the micro's have any effect on the heavy metals? i would assume they chelate them naturally.  i think most chemical contaminets from runoff of your roof would be more prevalent in newer contruction and would be an insignifcant amount to harm your plants.


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## Smokey Mcpotster (Jun 6, 2009)

Coolas, What is AEM?


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