Filtering Rain Water - Organic Hydro - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

Young Pumpkin · 12-20-2009, 01:15 AM

Oh my tap water sucks big time. So I want to go with rainwater when I can but as I gradually go to DWC I would like to ask what are the better ways of filtering rain water. I certainly don't want anything thats alive (microbes, algae, what have you) getting in the buckets. Visible particles can be filtered easy enuff I'm just wondering if I should worry about what I can't see (?) and the best way to remove it. Or would just a coffee filter or cloth be OK? I don't get to concerned with it in the soil less mix (after PH adj.) as I get a good "dry out" on the soil less. Perhaps I am overly concerned. In summer tho I do get a bit of a green tint if I don't get to it quickly.

I have just now tried my first mix of 1:1 tap water and rain so I'll see how that goes and so far so good. I haven't had any root problems so far with tap water and hope I don't with rain water. At least in the winter time with freezing temps and ice I don't believe anything is alive in the collection container outside. I also keep an air pump and stone going constantly in the rain water I have inside. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanx

Citizen024 · 12-27-2009, 12:16 PM

To kill everything in it a UV filter would work really well. A drop per gallon of bleach would do it (though thats not so good for microlife). Let it sit for a day or two to let it release as much of the chlorine out of it as you can. Another option is to add peroxide. You could also add a root treatment like Zone from Dutch Masters- that wipes out mircolife completely. Or some sort of bacterial treatment to gobble up anything. I would not mix these, just choose one.

For the record: many things survive cold just fine and go dormant. Thats why they use cold in bio labs. Bacteria or mold spores do just fine in cold.

To filter out small things a sediment/charcoal filter would work (but you would need a pump to pressure it up through it). Look at Hydrologic's filters.

Young Pumpkin · 12-27-2009, 07:27 PM

Thanx, that helps a lot. I've been thinking of a UV filter my self. Thanx again. YP

And now I see I may have posted to the wrong group, might have been better in the general hydro group or the growers forum, my apologies to all.....YP

rrog · 12-31-2009, 08:38 PM

Beneficial microlife will insulate you from bad microbes quite efficiently. It is a myth that there is a grow with no bacteria. Even NASA cleanrooms have airborne bacteria.

Since they're here, I figure keep the good ones around to fend off the bad ones. Like having a bunch of guard dogs around.

memyselfandi · 01-28-2010, 12:01 PM

The problem is that rain water fall from the sky (daaaaaa) and drag all sort of nasty stuff along, but if you leave the container open you will get the same nasty stuff.

I recomend some Beneficial Bacteria and HUGE AMOUNTS of air in the water and before that get a good filter (carbon active and sediments)

12-20-2009, 01:15 AM	#1
Young Pumpkin Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: The Electric Church, Front Pew Posts: 262	Filtering Rain Water Oh my tap water sucks big time. So I want to go with rainwater when I can but as I gradually go to DWC I would like to ask what are the better ways of filtering rain water. I certainly don't want anything thats alive (microbes, algae, what have you) getting in the buckets. Visible particles can be filtered easy enuff I'm just wondering if I should worry about what I can't see (?) and the best way to remove it. Or would just a coffee filter or cloth be OK? I don't get to concerned with it in the soil less mix (after PH adj.) as I get a good "dry out" on the soil less. Perhaps I am overly concerned. In summer tho I do get a bit of a green tint if I don't get to it quickly. I have just now tried my first mix of 1:1 tap water and rain so I'll see how that goes and so far so good. I haven't had any root problems so far with tap water and hope I don't with rain water. At least in the winter time with freezing temps and ice I don't believe anything is alive in the collection container outside. I also keep an air pump and stone going constantly in the rain water I have inside. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanx
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12-27-2009, 12:16 PM	#2
Citizen024 Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 304	To kill everything in it a UV filter would work really well. A drop per gallon of bleach would do it (though thats not so good for microlife). Let it sit for a day or two to let it release as much of the chlorine out of it as you can. Another option is to add peroxide. You could also add a root treatment like Zone from Dutch Masters- that wipes out mircolife completely. Or some sort of bacterial treatment to gobble up anything. I would not mix these, just choose one. For the record: many things survive cold just fine and go dormant. Thats why they use cold in bio labs. Bacteria or mold spores do just fine in cold. To filter out small things a sediment/charcoal filter would work (but you would need a pump to pressure it up through it). Look at Hydrologic's filters. __________________ Deep Chunk x NorCal Afgoo- Coco w/Pura Vida
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12-27-2009, 07:27 PM	#3
Young Pumpkin Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: The Electric Church, Front Pew Posts: 262	Thanx, that helps a lot. I've been thinking of a UV filter my self. Thanx again. YP And now I see I may have posted to the wrong group, might have been better in the general hydro group or the growers forum, my apologies to all.....YP Last edited by Young Pumpkin; 12-28-2009 at 05:25 AM.. Reason: Maybe wrong forum???
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12-31-2009, 08:38 PM	#4
rrog Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,978	Beneficial microlife will insulate you from bad microbes quite efficiently. It is a myth that there is a grow with no bacteria. Even NASA cleanrooms have airborne bacteria. Since they're here, I figure keep the good ones around to fend off the bad ones. Like having a bunch of guard dogs around. __________________ __________________ OVERGROW with SOIL Fully Medical MJ Compliant
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01-28-2010, 12:01 PM	#5
memyselfandi New Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 24	The problem is that rain water fall from the sky (daaaaaa) and drag all sort of nasty stuff along, but if you leave the container open you will get the same nasty stuff. I recomend some Beneficial Bacteria and HUGE AMOUNTS of air in the water and before that get a good filter (carbon active and sediments)
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