high ph in rainwater

[Guest]

Hi everybody,


I've just measured my collected rainwater for ph with one of those bunnings testkit. It told me it was 8.5
How's that possible? I thought it should be somewhere between 5.5 and 6.5?
Its fresh water from last night and its pretty cold if that makes a difference. I never used those testkits before...am i doing it wrong? It says 10ml water and one or two drops of the juice. Double checked it after 10h....and again 8.5. Whats happening here?


Does anyone have an answer for me? I dont want to use tapwater over rainwater


Cheers, Ivan

 

[troutman]

That's odd. Read this and see if it applies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_precipitation

 

[Guest]

That's odd. Read this and see if it applies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_precipitation

It probably really is polluted rain. Damn.. I'll have to lower it myself.

Thanks, troutman

 

[ozzieAI]

i am on rainwater and just checked mine with ph strips and get 5.5 - 6..

strange your test says 1 or 2 drops...that's doubling the active ingredient...do you see any difference between using 1 or 2 drops?

i don't know where you live, do you have heavy industry around the area? i seriously doubt we get heavily polluted rain here...

i am have a concrete tank for my main storage and a plastic collection tank, whats yours?

 

[troutman]

Luckily, pH down isn't that expensive.

 

[roybart]

Luckily, pH down isn't that expensive.

And it works...

 

[Guest]

i am on rainwater and just checked mine with ph strips and get 5.5 - 6..

strange your test says 1 or 2 drops...that's doubling the active ingredient...do you see any difference between using 1 or 2 drops?

i don't know where you live, do you have heavy industry around the area? i seriously doubt we get heavily polluted rain here...

i am have a concrete tank for my main storage and a plastic collection tank, whats yours?

The only difference if you use two drops is intensity of the colour. Makes it a bit easier to check on the chart.

My containers to collect are a plastic bucket, an esky and i found some rainwater in the metal watering can. All three show this high ph.



Ah well, ph down here i come



Thanks for the support everyone

 

[Guest]

strange your test says 1 or 2 drops...that's doubling the active ingredient...do you see any difference between using 1 or 2 drops?

i don't know where you live, do you have heavy industry around the area? i seriously doubt we get heavily polluted rain here...

I find that confusing too. It's silly and i tested both ways because of it.

It could be, that my environment is fucking up the rainwater, which would be really sad. I keep an eye on it and will get the test strips too. To be sure,to be sure

 

[Switcher56]

IMHO, a properly calibrated PH pen is far superior than any test strip.

 

[roybart]

FWIW I have to add 10 ML of pH down to get my pH down from 7.0 to 5.5..
Rainwater starts off at 7.0 but as it absorbs CO2 it get more acid.
If you want to see this, get some distilled water ,measure pH and stir it up a bit you will see it get more acidic as it absorbs CO2
Ph pens make life easy!!!

 

[troutman]

Distilled water does this because it has no buffer.

Filtering water thru soil or peat moss may also bring the pH down.

 

[Guest]

Thanka troutman, i made my mind up and follow your advice. Lower it down with ph down is the way to go.

 

[Three Berries]

The rain water is so pure it is hard to pH. Doesn't take very much to make wide swings.

I have two 55 gal barrels that collects off about 700 sq ft of roof. Use the rain water in the mister humidifiers too.

 

[Cakeboy]

Im at 34S and last time I checked my rainwater with my Hanna ph pen it was 6.0. I thought it would be 7