How you storage your water?

Jiray4 · 2025-07-23T04:18:42-0600

Outdoor grower here. I’ve got a 20-gallon bucket where I store my tap water to let the chlorine evaporate before using it for my plants. I don’t mix any nutrients in it. just plain water sitting there. When needed, I fill another reservoir with water and add the necessary nutrients for the day.

My question is: is it okay to keep storing water like this (several weeks) and just keep topping off the bucket with more tap water as needed? Are there any issues I should be aware of with doing it this way?

MickFoster · 2025-07-23T04:51:53-0600

I never let my water sit out.........I use it straight out of the tap. Been doing it for decades without issue.

Jylhavuori · 2025-07-23T05:03:17-0600

With tapwater...aerate it. But like said, quite useless to store it IMO

7CardBud · 2025-07-23T05:10:30-0600

I collect rain and store it in a used IBC and food grade barrels.

hostagecs · 2025-07-23T08:34:44-0600

MickFoster said:
I never let my water sit out.........I use it straight out of the tap. Been doing it for decades without issue.

depends on the area but if i did this all my plants would die

hostagecs · 2025-07-23T08:36:31-0600

Jiray4 said:
Outdoor grower here. I’ve got a 20-gallon bucket where I store my tap water to let the chlorine evaporate before using it for my plants. I don’t mix any nutrients in it. just plain water sitting there. When needed, I fill another reservoir with water and add the necessary nutrients for the day.

My question is: is it okay to keep storing water like this (several weeks) and just keep topping off the bucket with more tap water as needed? Are there any issues I should be aware of with doing it this way?

depending on your local water if you do this without ever emptying the storage unit, you will get scale over time at the bottom and possibly other sediment, normally i empty my 55 gallon trash can i use for off gasing once ever 2-3 months

MickFoster · 2025-07-23T08:47:52-0600

hostagecs said:
depends on the area but if i did this all my plants would die

Has that happened........do you know that for fact?
Do you drink your tap water?

hostagecs · 2025-07-23T08:50:12-0600

MickFoster said:
Has that happened........do you know that for fact?
Do you drink your tap water?

yes i know for a fact it will happen because of what is put in my local tap water, and no no one drinks out tap unfiltered. this isn't some rocket science

Jiray4 · 2025-07-23T12:01:58-0600

MickFoster said:
I never let my water sit out.........I use it straight out of the tap. Been doing it for decades without issue.

you grow organics or mineral?

Jiray4 · 2025-07-23T12:07:40-0600

hostagecs said:
depending on your local water if you do this without ever emptying the storage unit, you will get scale over time at the bottom and possibly other sediment, normally i empty my 55 gallon trash can i use for off gasing once ever 2-3 months

Yeah, I use a trash can too. Right now I’ve only got five seedlings, so I don’t need a lot of water. I just don’t want to go through the hassle of filling up a jar and letting it sit overnight every time I need to water. So instead, I add about 5 to 10 gallons to the trash can and just let it sit there until I need it.

MickFoster · 2025-07-23T12:07:59-0600

Jiray4 said:
you grow organics or mineral?

Coco with GH nutes.

MickFoster · 2025-07-23T13:02:02-0600

hostagecs said:
yes i know for a fact it will happen because of what is put in my local tap water, and no no one drinks out tap unfiltered. this isn't some rocket science

Never heard of an herbicide coming out of the tap.

mandocat · 2025-07-23T14:46:37-0600

MickFoster said:
Never heard of an herbicide coming out of the tap.

Ever heard of chlorine? https://www.gardenmyths.com/chlorine-chloramine-plants/

MickFoster · 2025-07-23T14:52:11-0600

mandocat said:
Ever heard of chlorine? https://www.gardenmyths.com/chlorine-chloramine-plants/

Chlorine is not an herbicide. The OP claims his tap water kills plants. If that were the case, you would be able to get Round up from the tap and there would be no vegetation in his area. I know different areas have different amounts of nasties in the city water.......fortunately I can feed my plants with mine with no issues. I don't leave it out. I pour it in a bucket and add nutes and feed my plants........daily.

"Contrary to popular concerns, neither chlorine nor chloramine from municipal tap water is a concern for plants, provided the World Health Organization Recommendation of less than 5 ppm, is followed. A few types of plants may be harmed if the level is above 2 ppm."

A direct quote from the article you posted.

Unga Bunga · 2025-07-23T15:49:27-0600

I think Hostagecs lives in a desert or near desert area in California . His water may be extremely alkaline . That'll do it if so . Or if it gets a lot of farm run off who knows what's in it .

hostagecs · 2025-07-23T16:28:04-0600

MickFoster said:
Never heard of an herbicide coming out of the tap.

where did i say herbicides?

hostagecs · 2025-07-23T16:38:13-0600

also chlorine does effect plants and its a super easy test, you spray tap water ontop of your weed plants with chlorine, most will burn. chloramine and chlorine also kills algae which i use in my water loop and both kill bacteria both good and bad kinds. but this is not all of what im filtering out

Thundercat · 2025-07-23T21:20:45-0600

Municipal water supplies generally aren’t going to have enough chlorine to cause any issue. Especially since chlorine is actually a tertiary element use by plants for healthy growth.

The key is what else is in the water not the chlorine. I had water at one place I grew that was over 300ppm from the tap and it was very hard to get plants to grow well with. As soon as I switched my water source to a cleaner option it solved all my problems. I’ve also spent over 10 years at one point growing with tap water and having zero issues with it at a different locations.

hostagecs · 2025-07-23T21:35:57-0600

Thundercat said:
Municipal water supplies generally aren’t going to have enough chlorine to cause any issue. Especially since chlorine is actually a tertiary element use by plants for healthy growth.

The key is what else is in the water not the chlorine. I had water at one place I grew that was over 300ppm from the tap and it was very hard to get plants to grow well with. As soon as I switched my water source to a cleaner option it solved all my problems. I’ve also spent over 10 years at one point growing with tap water and having zero issues with it at a different locations.

the area im in fluctuates a lot, some days the chlorine is strong enough to burn your eyes from the tap, same days its the more stable chlorimine, i treat my algae reactor with biochar filter in a cheese cloth sock so i don't have die off if i miss any burn off because of the ammonia added to the algae tank, im not saying everyone has to do this, i just know what happens if i don't treat my tap water, it will kill the soil and or the plants, wheat, corn, some beans, cucumbers, all burn with high chlorine contents if sprayed from above. I grow alot of companion plants with my outdoor grows because pests will often go to them before my weed and if i catch it i can stop the spread.

mandocat · 2025-07-24T07:28:08-0600

MickFoster said:
Chlorine is not an herbicide. The OP claims his tap water kills plants. If that were the case, you would be able to get Round up from the tap and there would be no vegetation in his area. I know different areas have different amounts of nasties in the city water.......fortunately I can feed my plants with mine with no issues. I don't leave it out. I pour it in a bucket and add nutes and feed my plants........daily.

"Contrary to popular concerns, neither chlorine nor chloramine from municipal tap water is a concern for plants, provided the World Health Organization Recommendation of less than 5 ppm, is followed. A few types of plants may be harmed if the level is above 2 ppm."

A direct quote from the article you posted.

MY point is chlorine can be an herbicide, dosage makes the toxicity. I don't see how the Round up comment necessarily follows from that.

How you storage your water?

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