Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => New Fishkeepers => Topic started by: Cinders on July 10, 2013, 10:32:37 PM
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This is something I have been wondering about. I won't be using it for my tank, but would like to know if it is ok to use as an alternative to tap water. Perhaps someone could advise me on this please. Just curious.
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First thoughts would be that there are two problems. First, ensuring that you have a method of collection that will not contaminate the rain water; Second, rain water is, I think, water of zero hardness. This would make it more akin to RO water than tap water and Third, atmospheric pollution would probably cause you grief too... First thoughts would be that there are three problems...
"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"
Personally, I would run a mile!
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Since there is no chlorine I would think that micro organisms would grow in it very quickly in the collection tank. I would treat it before use until it's as good your tap water which would kind of defeat the purpose.
Now, what about spring water straight out of a bottle? At least you would get to chose your pH, hardness, etc.. just by looking at the label. Might turn out expensive though...
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Thank you both for your replies, Steve I do have a water butt that is filled with rainwater that runs off my shed roof, but I don't think I would want to use it. I agree that it would be too soft for most of the fish, and would hold lots of organisms that would need too much treating, but it was a subject that came up in conversation, and I knew I could get a sensible answer on here. Thank you. I just thought (wrongly) that there would be more good bacteria in it as it hadn't been chlorinated etc. that might have been useful.
Etienne you are right spring water from bottles would be far too expensive wouldn't it. But thanks, it has solved a query anyhow.
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When getting my corys yesterday in MA. I mentioned my nitrates ( 40ppm out of tap) and was asked if I had considered using RO water. Not knowing anything about this, would it be an option?
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Yes. But.
Let me explain; I apologise if you know some of this stuff but some of the others might not. RO water is tap water that is forced through a special type of physical filter; a bit like one of those micropore water-proof jackets. This filter has "holes" that allow water molecules through but not nitrates and phosphates and carbonates and all the other dissolved solids that are normally present in tap water. The result is almost like pure distilled water. It is quite wasteful; it requires 2-4 litres of tapwater to make 1 litre of RO water,. Not a good idea if you are on a metered supply. You can make the stuff yourself using an RO filter or buy it as required from your lfs.
Now, this stuff is pretty useless outside of a chemistry lab because you've removed all the useful stuff. It would kill your fish in a heartbeat. You have to add back the dissolved salts you have removed, it's called remineralisation. It can be a very effective way of handling problem water because you get to choose which salts you replace and how much of each.
For your nitrates problem, mixing RO water and normal water fifty-fifty would give you water with half the nitrates, it would also have halve the hardness. This wouldn't be a problem for me, I have hard water, but you may not. In fact this is about the only sensible way of softening hardwater.
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Thanks Steve, he did say about the re mineralisation bit, I do have very hard water (17 german degrees) but like I say,my tap water is 40 ppm so i'm never going to get lower than that.
You mention a 50/50 split. Is this worth a try in future water changes?
The last thing I want to do is harm the fish but am aware my panda corys prefer low nitrates
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If you want to try using an RO/water mix, I suggest you take it slowly. A sudden change to a 50:50 mix at one water change might be too much change for the fish, unless it was a really small water change. The way to do it would be either a series of small frequent water changes using the 50:50 mix or your usual water change regime using say 10:90 RO: tap the first time, then increase the proportion of RO at each water change till you get to 50:50. This might be very much on the over cautious side, but I prefer to do things slowly rather than risk harming my fish.
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I will keep that in mind if I go down that route Sue, I am only considering it because of the pandas preferring low nitrates. All apart from that is fine so far
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Sorry to mislead you... The 50:50 split thing was an example only. I didn't mean to suggest you leap straight in! Good catch Sue!
If I were you, I would consider another type of fish. There are, quite literally, hundreds of different corydoras or similar fish, and most of them are not hyper-sensitive to nitrates.
Once you start down the RO route, you are pretty much committed and it will involve a lot of extra legwork and expense for every water change.
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I already have them in my tank now Steve, I got them because of their small size as don't not really got the space for anything that's going to grow bigger
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I do the RO thing in my 55litre tank. 2:1 Tap:RO It brings the hardness down to 11o from 16.5o, but as it's only a small tank I only use 3 litres of RO a week and costs me £1.40 for 10litres, so I'm OK with that. I wouldn't do it for a larger tank, though. It brings the Nitrite in the tap water (25ppm) into the orange on the test kit and the plants bring it down even further.
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Well mine is a 90ltr ( manufacturer) 81ltr by the volume calculator so wouldn't be over expensive but I will see how they go as I am, hopefully will be ok
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On RO water - I'm not sure how many aquarium shops offer this, but my local charges for the containers (which you can keep) but provides RO water free.
When I do a large water change I have to buy containers I don't want to keep, but then they let you return them for in-store credit which I use to get things I was planning on getting from them anyway.
A lot of local tapwater is much too harsh for any fish, so maybe this kind of offer isn't available in softer water areas. It makes sense for them as they get loyal clients, some of whom would have abandoned fishkeeping, or not started, without that service.
I'm planning on mixing in more tapwater later (currently and all RO tank with additives), but I'll still need 10 - 20 litres a week from them. I get it fortnightly so fewer trips.