Rain water...
 

I know alot of you talk about using rain water instead of tap water to water your chids. I know this is because its more pure. This might be a stupid questions but seeing as I live in Michigan and we have a basement and we run a dehumifier all day everyday would the water collected in that be pure:scratchhead: ? Mom thought it might be and its better then me waiting around for the rain.

Thanks
Angela

Yeap. Water fron the dehumidifer should be quite pure. Make sure your collection tray is clean. Depending on your local water supply the water from the dehumibifer should have low solids and therefore be better for your plants.

Isn't water from a dehumidifier taking the moisture from the air? Does the water supply matter if it's just atmospheric moisture?

It is not only a question of being pure , rain water is high in dissolved oxygen which makes it very beneficial for your plants it helps the plants take up the nutrients that they need . This is one of the reasons why plants have a growth spurt after good rains You can replace the dissolved oxygen in any water source by using an aquarium aerator

I must say that my orchids LOVE the rain water. They are all outside under the Avocato tree and since it's reainy season they get showered often besides me misting them daily specially the Vandas. They all have new growths and roots and looking gorgeous.

Nope. Mold spores
 

I'd stay clear of water from a dehumidifier. In theory, the condensed water is pure. In reality, it is loaded with mold spores and such from standing stagnet in your basement.

I have a 40 gal trash can at the bottom of a downspout collecting rainwater. Works well and its cheap. Good luck.

Thanks everyone for your input. I will stick to rain water, in Michigan we have had rain storms the last three days so I wont run out anytime soon:rofl:

My hubby put a rainbarrel on each side of the house...and then added a third outside his shed out back. We save our gallon tea jugs (about 40 of them! :faint: ) and keep them filled and stocked :)
We have way too much time here with no rain so we like having a backup. When they run out, it's time to use the RO water and pray for rain :D

I use "regular" water for the "regular" plants but the chids only get rain water.

I really doubt that dehumidifier condensate is so contaminated that it would be unusuable. One might also argue that A/C condensate is loaded with pollen, spores and the like from the outdoor air, and what about the rainwater collected imediately after it starts raining? You KNOW there's all sorts of crud settled on that!

In reality, all of those sources are acceptable, and have been used for years.

On the other hand, you can take all of the guesswork out of it and for a small investment, get an RO system.

I use a 4 filter RO unit and then add pure water ferts and a couple of drops of KLN. I would love to collect rain water but I've been afraid of the tannins from the MULTITUDE of oak trees on my property...I'd wind up with "oak tree tea"...YUCK!

Just add some milk and sugar and it should be good:lol:

Why isn't rainwater sitting in a 40 gallon open trash can or barrel, gathered from an open roof also contaminated with god-knows what. I think the use of rainwater is vastly overblown and not very scientific except that it lacks minerals for the stones and soil that ground water (read city water) runs over. Also, in certain parts of the country it is extremely acidic (heard of acid-rain!)
Condensate from air conditioners and humidifiers should be even better than rainwater except for minimal dissolved oxygen, if cleanliness is maintained.
Fortunately in my city the total dissolved solids is within safe range, they don't use chloramines and it is oxygenated in the processing as well as in my faucet end aerator.It is also about in the middle of hardness.
Nick

I use the water from my dehumidifier in my basement. It's as pure as rain water to me! My chids love it. :dunno:

I have a creek runing along the house, would it be safe to use the creek-water on my phals?
Would it be like rain-water?

I would definitely discourage creek water. First, you don't know the contents (mineral) unless you perform an expensive analysis; Second, there are all kinds of living critters in a creek some might not be too kind to orchids.
I think you would do better with tap water, or distilled water purchased at the market, than creek water.
Nick

Thanks for answer, then I'll keep my orchids away from the creek-water... alltough I must say that this water come from the mountains, and I'd have no trouble drinking it... The only thing I can think of, is MAYBE small,small bugs in there.

Loved your blog ,but those mountains look so cold I had to make myself a cup of soup just to warm up.:lol:

Oh no, they aren't always cold.... :) The lake you see, sometimes you can take a bath in it, in the summertime that is... :D We also have a cabbin there, and I plan to be there alot this summer... Take my horses with me, taking long rides far away into the mountains, and maybe do a little fishing also. Our sheeps are in these mountains in the summer, and provides them with the most valuable food of the whole year.
But you are right, it looks cold and rigid there... ;) But trust me, it's not alway like this. I'll post some more pictures from these mountains later in the summer, and then you'll se... ;)

That sounds wonderful, what I woud'nt give to be able to move about like that.

Rain water is good but it can be work as you accumulate orchids. The osmosis systems is the thing.