Are You Using Rainwater?

[arnspa]

We have a 1300 gallon tub, MasterSpa H2X Crosstrainer2. The last two water changes, I've pumped about half the water from our rain barrels, through a sock filter.

Generally, we are saving water for our fruit trees. We get 15" from Oct-May, and zero May-Oct. Because our Time of Use billing for electric (PG&E California) is more expensive April 1 - Nov 1, we make our semi-annual water change late March, and early November. Heating 1300 gals is not cheap. (Yes, we also have solar electric -- it's California)

In November we have the first rain of October on hand and expect more, and in March we have full barrels and can expect a little more in April.

My experience is that in one day or two added chems bring the water up to par, as easily or better than with tap water.

My suggestions: Don't pump from the bottom of the barrel, keep the inlet hose a foot higher. Do use a filter on the end to the tub. Be patient, it may fill slower than from your garden hose. (That's why I've used on half rainwater!)

Any comments on rainwater chemistry welcome! You may want to check the Ph BEFORE you use any rainwater -- WE are not in Ohio anymore.

Link to rain barrel photo:

http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID..._NAME=snapfish/

[pkillur]

We have a 1300 gallon tub, MasterSpa H2X Crosstrainer2. The last two water changes, I've pumped about half the water from our rain barrels, through a sock filter.

Generally, we are saving water for our fruit trees. We get 15" from Oct-May, and zero May-Oct. Because our Time of Use billing for electric (PG&E California) is more expensive April 1 - Nov 1, we make our semi-annual water change late March, and early November. Heating 1300 gals is not cheap. (Yes, we also have solar electric -- it's California)

In November we have the first rain of October on hand and expect more, and in March we have full barrels and can expect a little more in April.

My experience is that in one day or two added chems bring the water up to par, as easily or better than with tap water.

My suggestions: Don't pump from the bottom of the barrel, keep the inlet hose a foot higher. Do use a filter on the end to the tub. Be patient, it may fill slower than from your garden hose. (That's why I've used on half rainwater!)

Any comments on rainwater chemistry welcome! You may want to check the Ph BEFORE you use any rainwater -- WE are not in Ohio anymore.

Link to rain barrel photo:

http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID..._NAME=snapfish/

Holy smokes, I hope you got those barrels used! When I priced out barrels here in CO they were like $150-$200 per barrel in that size that you've got there. You're also at a nice higher elevation for your area, so I suspect (since I used to live in the bay) that you've got a significantly higher quality of water than I would get at my house here (which is slightly at the top of a depresssion in the plains at the foot of the rockies in Parker CO). Have you tested it at all for total PPM? I would think you might get a ton of TDS from your roof. Fine for root, not so sure I'd want to use it in a spa. Especially because I have asphalt shingles...

[arnspa]

pk, The barrels you see here (60 gal w/ screw tops) I paid $20 ea delivered. We have 32 of these. The same are now going locally for $40 you haul. Others with just bung holes on top I can get for as cheap as $10-20. We have 22 of these. You might check craigslist for sources.

As you can see in the photo, there are two downspouts on this side of the house, serving two barrels, the others are connected with hoses, all fill together. From these I pump to other barrels with closed tops.

I just went at to check the ppms. My rain barrels read 7-8 ppm. My tap water is 99 ppm, my recently filled spa is 148 ppm (half rain water/half tap plus some chems).

I suggest you test your roof water for ppm. I would think you were getting clean rain in Parker. After it sets awhile it may be quite low. But we do have tile roofs, not asphalt.

Note, we do NOT put the used spa water on plants. It goes down the drain. In 6 mos, it may be up to 1400 ppm with accumulation of added chems.

[Dnepr Dave]

Potable water is scarce where I live, I have a reverse osmosis desalinator, taking suction from the Puget Sound, for my potable water needs. The desalinator puts out 100 ppm drinking water, one gallon a minute into a buried 1200 gallon poly cistern tank. A shallow well pump and pressure tank supplies the house. I run the desalinator every third day to keep the tank topped up.

I have all my downspouts tied together into a collection box. From the collection box, one 4" line goes into another buried 1200 gallon poly cistern tank. There is also a 4" line that comes off of the collection box for overflow run off.

I have another shallow well pump that takes suction from the cistern and through a water pressure tank, supplies a non-potable water system for drip gardening, washing the car, flushing toilets, filling the spa, etc. In August and September, the rainwater tank gets pretty low, but I haven't had it go dry yet.

When filling the spa, I filter the water through a G.E. whole house water filter. The filter cartridge is good for 3 or 4 fill before I have to replace it. My house roof is also tile and my porch roof is steel.

Dave

[arnspa]

WOW, Dave, that is really impressive! Prompts me to wonder whether I might desalinate my spa water for the yard rather than dump it. I had just guessed it wasn't practical.

But I'm also wondering why rain water doesn't supply all your needs thereabouts. Seattle gets about 36" rain annually. You must be close by. On our roofs, house and garage, that would be over 40,000 gals. We get about 40% of that in Menlo Park, and we're toying with the idea of a large cistern that might handle all our needs (and give away the rain barrels).

[Dnepr Dave]

The health dept. won't allow the use of rain water for drinking water. I can understand that, there are birds and squirrels pooping on the roof all the time!

I bought a desalinator made for a yacht, it cost the same as a small spa, it is designed to process 35,000 ppm seawater. A smaller desalinator made to process brackish water Is about 1/4 the cost of a seawater desalinator, but I think even that is too much to process spa water two or three times a year. I dump my spa water when I change it out.

Dave