# Tap safe or not



## simon Coram (9 Sep 2017)

Ive always used it in the past, just ran out so got me thinking should i use or not.
When i do a water change i use a 50% ro mix and tap water in a 25 ltr container, heating the water with a spare heater and run an air stone in it normally for 24 hours before i use it.


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## splatteredbrainz (9 Sep 2017)

I've found it makes my life easier to just not use it. I get spring water delivery. Also rain water can be collected but be careful of bird waste contamination

Sent from my SM-G730V using Tapatalk


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## ian_m (10 Sep 2017)

Yes (in UK) you should always always always use some form of dechlorinator. You must even use (or test) dechlorinator with RO water as well. There have been many complete tank wipeouts recorded here using both RO water and tap water and NOT using dechlorinator. One guy lost £700 worth of fish due to chloramine.

If chlorine is being used in tap water then aerating for a couple of hours will remove it. If however chloramine is being used, either because you are in a chloramine dosing area (often smaller water plants in UK) or there is an emergency chloramine injection (say after a burst water main) then a proper dechlorinator must be used, as chloramine is unaffected by aeration.

For RO water you must again dechlorinate (or test for chlorine and ammonia) as worn out pre-filters (or too faster flow) will let chlorine and chloramine (as chlorine and ammonia) through. If your pre-filter is exhausted or running too fast, chlorine will pass straight through into the RO output, as well as damaging the membrane. With chloramine if your pre-filter is exhausted, not a Chlor-guard type (that break chloramine down to ammonia and chlorine) or is running too fast, the chlorine and ammonia will pass straight through to the RO water. Normally it is the ammonia, as the chlorine generally will get absorbed by the prefilter and/or react with the membrane, leaving the ammonia. So you either always dechlorinate your RO water before use or store/age before use to allow chlorine/ammonia to degas. I first came aware of this when a local fish shop was showing me their equipment (oh arh missus) and they tested their stored RO water before using and/or selling to customers.


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## Keith GH (10 Sep 2017)

Simon

I have a very bad Chlorine problem with my water supply the main reason its a very large holiday resort and because of that it can vary all the time over the year.   Because of another concern I was strongly advised to collect my tap water from my Instantaneous Hot Water system and store it for one week in 15-20lt water containers.    This removed any nasty in the water and the Chlorine evaporated.   At the water change I would heat the water containers in the laundry tough.   Once I started that never a problem, it even killed the White Spot which was a big problem in the colder months.

Keith


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## ceg4048 (11 Sep 2017)

simon Coram said:


> Ive always used it in the past, just ran out so got me thinking should i use or not.
> When i do a water change i use a 50% ro mix and tap water in a 25 ltr container, heating the water with a spare heater and run an air stone in it normally for 24 hours before i use it.


Hi,
    I just use a length of rubber hose from the nearest faucet and run the tap water straight to the tank and dump in some dechlorinator as Ian mentions. Collecting rain water, or storing/conditioning water with airstones is just too tedious and takes a lot of the fun out of keeping aquariums. If I were breeding or involved in some specialty then it would be a different story, but for general fishkeeping/plantkeeping tap water and adding dechlor is fine.

Cheers,


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## xim (12 Sep 2017)

Keith GH said:


> Simon
> 
> I have a very bad Chlorine problem with my water supply the main reason its a very large holiday resort and because of that it can vary all the time over the year.   Because of another concern I was strongly advised to collect my tap water from my Instantaneous Hot Water system and store it for one week in 15-20lt water containers.    This removed any nasty in the water and the Chlorine evaporated.   At the water change I would heat the water containers in the laundry tough.   Once I started that never a problem, it even killed the White Spot which was a big problem in the colder months.
> 
> Keith



I used to do that because of the same reason (varied chlorine level). Now I use a chlorine test kit (OTO type, not the DPD) with dechlorinators and haven't got a bad surprise ever since.

PS. I specifically use the OTO type because it's fast, simple, cheap, and no "bleaching out" effect. Some might warn the OTO can be expired. But I always use it up before that. I also use it to test both treated and untreated tap to check.


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## simon Coram (12 Sep 2017)

Thanks for all the replies.
I just picked up another bottle when i got some ro water. 
Ill stick to what I've been doing, its works.


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