Rain water health

[Dollythehun]

It will be nice if we could stay on topic here.

I catch rainwater in my rain barrel. The sediment falls to the bottom. However, yesterday I noticed that my rain water is yellowish. We have a fairly flat roof, a rubber roof. I'm sure there's a bird poop up there, I know there's leaf debris. And God knows what else, maybe road to dust.

So my question is while rainwater is good, what's in the rainwater? One of our members taught me to filter it through a coffee filter, with a gold coffee filter underneath that. So there's no debris in it. But I got to wondering what else might be in there? Thoughts on this topic? Bleach?

One might suppose that in the wild all of the above mentioned things are present.

[Subrosa]

My container hosts a thriving population of Ceriodaphnia, a tiny crustacean normally found in ponds. They showed up several years ago while I was still at my old house, probably brought in as eggs on birds. When I drained it to move some eggs must have survived, because as soon as the container filled up at the new place they were back.

[camille1585]

The yellowish color could be from pollution, either picked up by the rain or stuff that settled on your roof. It could also be tanins from decomposing leaves, but I'm guessing this is a recent thing.

Whatever is in the air and settles on the roof is going to end up in your rain barrel. That can be pollution from cars, drifting pesticides, chemicals leaching from the roof, dust, pollen, along with what you already mention.

Some advise to disconnect the rain collector for the first hour or so of rainfall after a prolonged dry period (as in several weeks of dryness, not just a couple days). This is to avoid collecting the water which full of the nasty stuff that accumulated on your roof.

[Dollythehun]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

My container hosts a thriving population of Ceriodaphnia, a tiny crustacean normally found in ponds. They showed up several years ago while I was still at my old house, probably brought in as eggs on birds. When I drained it to move some eggs must have survived, because as soon as the container filled up at the new place they were back.

Harmful to orchids?

---------- Post added at 12:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 PM ----------

I thought of that Camille. Because we have had a very dry month. And I noticed the water is much cleaner when we get regular rains.

So what thoughts do you have on how to purify that water? A tablespoon of bleach?

[DirtyCoconuts]

i only use a mechanical filter at the mouth of the barrel and that is to keep from harboring mosquitos.

I placed the spigots on my barrels about 4-6 inches above the bottom on the advice of a buddy who said the detritus will settle and that will keep it from being poured out.

I don't add any treatment to keep the water clean but i did choose the area of my roof that don't get much leaf litter to try to minimize it.

I have always assumed that whatever gets in there just becomes part of the natural watering/feeding but i can say i have never noticed any change in color or clarity either.


is there a university nearby that does water analysis?

[Dollythehun]

I think Camille is onto something. I'll move the diverter hose when we get a good rain, then out it back when the roof washes off. It's been a very dry August, less than an inch, I notice when it's dry the water color is worse. I could check into sending it someplace but, it would be different every time, I would think.

Otherwise, DC, I follow your protocol. Outflow allows debris to settle, screen on top to trap leaves etc. AndI have another odd ball question for another post...

[DirtyCoconuts]

if the diverter is that easy then that is a home run solution.

one more thing to add to the plant care routine. he he he

here's a thought too..if it has been dry for a spell, rather than wait for the first rain and miss all that catch, switch the diverter and use a hose to clear the roof? perhaps overkill and certainly a poor use of hose water but another option

[Dollythehun]

We weren't able to find a diverter that I liked. The one we found is a hose type. It would be difficult to hose off the roof. But those are good thoughts.

[Ray]

Natural stuff wouldn’t bother me near as much as captured pollutants from cars and factories.

Are you in a rural or urban locale?

[Dollythehun]

Country, but we live on a busy county road. We have lots of trees, which shed on our roof ( and keep our nearly flat roof cool.)