# Fouride in Tap Water?



## Iliveinazoo (10 Jun 2008)

Is anybody worried about the plans to add fouride to our tap water?

Will it harm the plants and fish in anyway?  Will the LFS be rubbing his hands together waiting for this to happen because everyone will be forced to buy RO water?

Unfortunately I have to buy RO water anyway because the nitrate in my tap water is 50ppm but I was hoping that when I upgrade my house in the future I could revert back to using tap water in my tanks.


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## milla (10 Jun 2008)

No need to worry about nitrates in your tap water for a planted tank.   Plants will use them up in short order.  lots of us use neat tap water with out any issues, in fact we tend to add nitrates to the tank on a regular basis.


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## Egmel (10 Jun 2008)

milla said:
			
		

> No need to worry about nitrates in your tap water for a planted tank.   Plants will use them up in short order.  lots of us use neat tap water with out any issues, in fact we tend to add nitrates to the tank on a regular basis.



With 50ppm you wouldn't need to dose nitrates that's for sure!

You may find that you could do 50-50 tap water RO changes (giving about 25ppm nitrate).  I'm not sure at what point the nitrates start to upset the fish/shrimps but once you know this you can work out your maximum ratios for water changes, save yourself some money on ferts at least!


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## Iliveinazoo (10 Jun 2008)

I'm a slight imposter when it comes to this forum because I don't have too many plants, I was told when setting up the tank that i should only use plastic plants because live plants would die in my brackish water.  

I have been inspired by what I have seen on this forum and I am in the process of changing one of my tanks to a planted tank ( I have since found out that a number of species can survive in brackish water).  I have added a interpet substrate underneath sand and I currently have an Anubias Barterri and a java moss covered coconut shell with a number of plants on order.

Maybe when all of the plants arrive then I could start using tap water again and refrain from dosing nitrate but if the dentists get their way and add flouride then I wonder what effect that it may have?


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## Egmel (10 Jun 2008)

Sorry, we did slightly go off topic there!

As for the flouride, don't they already do this in some areas anyway.  I know it used to be in my local water about 20 years ago (don't know when they stopped) and I thought that Birmingham did it still.


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## Egmel (10 Jun 2008)

http://www.uk-water-filters.co.uk/fluor ... as_uk.html

Voila, it appears that my parents home was one of the 'natural' fluoride areas.


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## Iliveinazoo (10 Jun 2008)

Wow, it turns out that I was brought up in an artificially fluoridated area - NE12. I now live in Southampton and the debate (for and against) is raging between dentists and pressure groups - it's the hottest topic at the moment since the football teams demise, even that liberal MP Chris Huhme has stuck his oar in and called for a local referendum!

That said - I don't know anybody back in Newcastle (NE12) who has an aquarium.  Maybe they don't keep aquariums because the flouride kills all the fish!


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## Egmel (10 Jun 2008)

We kept goldies with no problems!

I had a friend who had a tropical tank but I don't know if it was RO water or not.  I'll ask her next time I catch up with her.

But there is surely someone on here who lives in a fluoride region and can tell us either way.


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## Luketendo (10 Jun 2008)

Surely we would know already if there was a problem because a few areas of the country already have this added.


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## Iliveinazoo (10 Jun 2008)

Luketendo - Good point, well put.


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## Luketendo (11 Jun 2008)

Iliveinazoo said:
			
		

> Luketendo - Good point, well put.



Thanks, I thought the same thing when I heard about it on the news, but also it's only in a trace amount or something. I'd be surprised if it was going to be a problem.


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