Hello From Hampshire

Hello all. After a long break I’ve returned to fishkeeping. Am now a grumpy old woman who needs glasses. Last time I kept fish was in the 1990s and things have changed a bit. I used to have a four foot tank with Dennerle CO2 and all mod cons. This time round it’s still a planted tank but doing very well without the CO2 so far. Ten Serpae tetras, eleven black neons and eight Corydoras sterbai. I remember seeing C sterbai in the shops in the 1990s, at a price I wasn’t going to pay, now they are cheap as chips. All spawning like mad, I feel the need for another tank so I can raise some fry, the husband is not convinced but I’ll wear him down 😉
It’s a very hard tapwater area here, so collect rainwater and have lots of water butts in the garden. Does anyone else use rainwater?

Welcome back to fishkeeping and to the forum and thanks for updating us on your tank. Many of us like looking at photos of others' tanks, to feel as though they are our 'surrogate tanks' (especially those of us who would love a larger / an additional tank but can't have such), so feel free to go ahead and post photos of yours if you can. 

I have very soft water and so don't use rainwater.

Hi Fishwife and welcome to the forum. I also live in Hampshire so I know what the waters like. I use a 50/50 mix of RO/Tapwater for my Tetras etc.

Welcome fishwife 

Living in nearby Berkshire I know all to well about the water hardness. I’m fairly new here myself but it’s great here!

I personally wouldn’t use rainwater unless you can keep it locked and sealed from  contamination. My step dad has a fully operational RO system which seems to work well.