Re: [Killietalk] Killietalk Digest, Vol 30, Issue 152

[BizEcology at aol_com]

Hey, Lee,

Maybe it's the small amount of sulfuric acid in your rain water from all the 
coal-fired power plants west of PA.  If the acid content (which could help 
soften the egg membrane) is important, then you should be able to put a small 
amount of peat extract ("blackwater tonic") in your RO water and get the same 
results.

From: LeeH920226 at aol_com
Subject: [Killietalk] Another puzzle
To: killietalk at aka_org

I have used rain water for 35 years to hatch annual eggs after incubation in 
peat. More recently I have also used Reverse Osmosis water when rain water is 
scarce. My impression without any controlled experiments to back me up, is 
that I get better hatches in rain water. I know they are different, but I 
don't 
know how. They are both less than 20 ppm on a conductivity based TDS meter. 
Could it be that the slight amount of leaf extract from the rain gutters is 
important? After a really good rain the rain water is colorless and that 
seems to 
work just as well as the slightly tinted water when there is a short rain. i 
always discard the first several buckets collected to get rid of any 
contaminants from the roof,
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