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How do you get all your water?

  • #21
I've often thought about doing that, but I'm not certain, because of my metal gutters... I thought about testing the resulting quality with a TDS meter, but was then worried about the presence of ions that aren't detected by the meter... I might try this if it works for you... Do you test the water quality before use, or have you just found that your plants are doing fine with the water?

It rains alot here in NY! I too collect rainwater out of my aluminum gutters. I channel it right into some round garbage bins. Went to the homebrew store and bought a screw in spigot. I save my empty gallon jugs from distilled water purchases and fill them up. Nothing in the room seems to mind it all! Saves me more money for neps. :)
 
  • #22
RO unit.

I use about 20 gallons a week so it's the most practical way for me. Wish my tap was under 50ppm.. watering straight from the hose would be so much easier than refilling jugs.
 
  • #23
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(Video is from last Summer..July 2010)

Scot
 
  • #24
Up until last year, I used distilled and I usually kept about 4 gallons on hand. Then I found out that a store near me sold distilled water in 2.5 gallon jugs. I bought 2 at first and then went up to 4. I discovered that I can go about a week on 2.5 gallons. 10 gallons per month.
I switched to rain water in August using the four 2.5 gallon jugs from before and haven't paid a dime for water since. I'll likely have to buy distilled in June and July, because of greater evaporation but that's not too bad for a years worth of watering. My plants are all in two huge communal trays that get new water each week after they (the trays, not the pots) dry out.

I'm harvesting rain water right now as a matter of fact.
 
  • #26
We have the better climate for H/L neps and basically everything can be grown outside.

Idk what part of Socal you live but I live down by Palm Springs where it gets 110 in the summer and is really really windy(to the point where I am always having to bring in my flavas for fear of the pitchers snapping) a lot of the time. A lot of plants cannot actually survive outside in the direct sun that they need cause of the intense conditions :p

But as I said before, a lot of your ideas and machines use rainwater when it hardly rains at all here :(
Guess I'll have to use jugs until I am able to move somewhere more forgiving with rain. :(

So jealous of you guys :p
 
  • #27
I was told that I could use water collected in my dehumidifier to water my plants.
I haven't tried my TDS meter on dehumidifier water yet but will give it a go when I start using it again,anyone else tried taking a reading?
Oh by the way,don't use water collected in a dehumidifier if you burn scented candles,spray any form of airfreshener or purfumes as this will kill your plants!
Clean air = clean water.
 
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