tap water versus filtered water

[ChasWG]

Colorado State law just recently changed allowing home owners to collect rain water that falls on their roofs. Meaning installing a rain collection device on your down spouts is no longer illegal.

I know what you're thinking, "Collecting rain water used to be illegal in Colorado?" Water law in Colorado is very complicated and people still get shot for throwing a water pump into someone else's river. The Eastern plains of Colorado (Denver) is called a high plains desert for a reason. It's freaking dry here even though right now is our "monsoon" season. Reletive humidity is up to a whooping 38%!!!!

So I recently bought a rain collection tank and now I have a 54 gallon supply of rain water and a few bugs right outside the door of my orchid area. I have been collecting rain and snow water for a while now. I add in the fertilizer mix that I get from the local orchid supplier and the plants are really showing a great improvement with new growth in the roots and the leaves. Would I be seeing the same thing with tap water? Not sure, but I know what works for me and I'm sticking with it.

Now my mother who also raises orchids waters her's with tap water and they look great too. So there you go.

It all depends...