Storing rain water for use indoors?

[Greenfingers420UK]

Hello again, How do you go about storing rainwater for indoor use?
Will it keep well? I don't need huge amounts as I only grow a few plants at one time.

Cheers

 

[exploziv]

Filter it through fine mesh then store it in closed containers out of sunlight.

 

[Three Berries]

I save 20 gallons over the winter for when it's too cold for rain. I use to use bleach to disinfect but have gone to H2O2 at 5mL per gallon.

 

[St. Phatty]

I'm experimenting with using 10 foot square pieces of 6 mil tarp to store water. Just tie it up at the corners to the nearest bush, make sure there's no sharp sticks underneath.

I wouldn't worry about the rain being clean enough, unless you live next to an asbestos factory or something.

 

[Stizo]

I think @armedoldhippy is the man to ask on this or check his threads on it. Be nice though, the old hippy is armed.

Beg your pardon. It's @Creeperpark is the man in the know.

Think I should change my handle to shit for brains..

 

[Lotto]

I store in 30 gal. plastic barrels, no lid. Put in an aquarium pump tube or any bubbler works. Any sedimentation settles to the bottom.
I water heavily, so I use on 2 or 3 plants at a time. Do the same with municipal water, always use a bubbler. All water is stored indoors.
Just took down my collection system and stored for the winter. Drainspouts need to run free until spring.

 

[Creeperpark]

You can store the rainwater for a long time as long as it's covered. Don't let it hit the ground catch it in rain barrow. I use 5-gallon buckets with small screw-on lids to store water indoors so the water will stay room temperature. Plants don't like cold rain water so make sure you warm it up before using it. I have used water that was stored for over a year without any problems.

 

[Bio boy]

first check your roof tiles don’t contain leaf as some do or flashing isn’t lead
I got lucky and don’t have lead

so WaterbuT
I have 4 buckets with holes in
1stage at top cotton tee shirt x2 a shirt and a sports tshirt
2stage sand in a 210 micron hash bag aquarium sand though
3stage it runs through an old carbon filter slotted in the bucket

collect end result and feed plants

 

[Greenfingers420UK]

the rainwater is collected from a greenhouse roof so it's as clean as it could be.
thank you all for your replies.
I'm in the UK and grow in a cupboard in a shed so it's pretty cold out there, I use an aquarium heater to keep the water from being too cold, Would you use an air stone in the water or a pump to keep the water moving ?

 

[Creeperpark]

Plants love oxygenated water more than not oxygenated. Sometimes water pH will rise from bubbling the water depending on the water and what's in it. Watch the pH.

One thing to remember using rainwater, it needs to be buffered if synthetic nutrients are used. Cal mag or dolomite lime works well as a buffer.

Organic-amended soils do best with pure rainwater without anything in it. Super soils that need "water only" grow best using pure rainwater only...

 

[Three Berries]

Rainwater is far from pure. I filter it through coffee filters for the humidifiers. But I get two gallons to a filter (~20um) before it clogs up. Not the cleanest collection system but there is always pollen or spores in the air.

If I don't treat it or if I don't treat it good enough there is a orange algae that will eventfully build up in the ultrasonic misters..

 

[Bio boy]

Yes plants love oxygen but airstones cause slime and bad bacteria I posted a study years ago proving fluming more beneficial than airstones and no risk of contam or well low risk as there’s never no risk
more do was released through surface tension than with mass bubbles

 

[St. Phatty]

Rainwater is far from pure. I filter it through coffee filters for the humidifiers. But I get two gallons to a filter (~20um) before it clogs up. Not the cleanest collection system but there is always pollen or spores in the air.

If I don't treat it or if I don't treat it good enough there is a orange algae that will eventfully build up in the ultrasonic misters..

True. It's nature's way of cleaning up the smoke from wildfires.

The Silver Lining - the rain-water may then have traces of Heavy Metals - including Silver !

I used to be of the "Gold is Heavy, it would never be in the Dust" mindset, until about 6 years ago.

I read a scientific article about Mercury in Dust, as a serious human health hazard. I guess in China or places that burn a lot of coal ( stuff with Mercury ), you get Mercury in the Dust, people breathe it, and bad sh-t happens.

 

[Three Berries]

True. It's nature's way of cleaning up the smoke from wildfires.

The Silver Lining - the rain-water may then have traces of Heavy Metals - including Silver !

I used to be of the "Gold is Heavy, it would never be in the Dust" mindset, until about 6 years ago.

I read a scientific article about Mercury in Dust, as a serious human health hazard. I guess in China or places that burn a lot of coal ( stuff with Mercury ), you get Mercury in the Dust, people breathe it, and bad sh-t happens.

Coal use to be how most homes were heated around me when I was a a little kid. Pretty clean fuel after all the treatment anymore. Nat gas came around in the late 60s. I can remember them laying all the new gas lines in town.