What Water To Use?

[si walker]

So the only way to have constant parameters is to use RO water and remineralize it, after a visit to Green Aqua their tanks are at another level than showrooms that use tap water

I recon that taking home a tank from green aqua would be like having your garden re-turfed. Looks great for a month or two and then turns into the crap you had before. Saying that i would really like to go!
Thanks!

 

[Zeus.]

I recon that taking home a tank from green aqua would be like having your garden re-turfed. Looks great for a month or two and then turns into the crap you had before. Saying that i would really like to go!
Thanks!

Well worth a visit and does a good city break at the same time

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

@dw1305 do you treat or process the rainwater with anything, e.g. to kill parasites or similar that may have 'come along for the ride', or do you just dump it in and it's all good?

I collect rainwater from a large shed with a rubber roof. I clean out the 210L water butt every now and then to keep it fairly clean. The lid on the butt is sealed to stop bugs getting in. I also clean the gutter that feeds it from time to time and there’s also a coarse sponge at the top of the downpipe to keep large bits of debris out.
I have a variety of plastic containers for storing the water ranging from 5L up to 25L. I “filter” the water through kitchen roll a couple of times to try and keep any of the larger bugs out. Stored water is kept in a dark place to prevent algae growing.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

@dw1305 do you treat or process the rainwater with anything, e.g. to kill parasites or similar that may have 'come along for the ride', or do you just dump it in and it's all good?

I use the Daphnia bioassay, basically as long as the water butt has swimming Daphnia, the water is good.

You are very unlikely to get any fish parasites, but you could potentially get Flatworms (Planaria).

Cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

..... you used a mix of Rain and Tap Water, would that have to be precisely mixed each week on a water change. Could it effect the tank if it fluctuated, like in the summer when it never ever ever rains!!?

I don't precisely mix it, I used to use a conductivity datum range, but now I just use the size and colour of the Red Ramshorn snail shells. If they are all small and very pale I add a dash of tap.

Would Rain Water have a lower PH, which is said to be more of an ideal condition for growing plants, lets say compared to Surrey where i live?

<"Our rainwater still has some carbonate buffering">, so the pH is still over pH 7, but the hardness and alkalinity is reduced to ~ 3 dGH and ~3 dKH from about 17 / 18 for both parameters.

Cheers Darrel

 

[MichaelJ]

Our rainwater still has some carbonate buffering

Darrel, a little off topic but coincidently I took a sample of our rain water earlier - runoff from our roof. I was quite astounded:

TDS 6 ppm (EC 12 uS/cm) I should probably consider collecting rain water during spring and summer ... perhaps ship and sell it overseas ... with some fancy name

... currently I get about 2-3 ppm (4-6 uS/cm) out of my RODI system (last time I made water).

Cheers,
Michael

 

[dw1305]

Darrel, a little off topic but coincidently I took a sample of our rain water earlier - runoff from our roof. I was quite astounded:

View attachment 219754

TDS 6 ppm (EC 12 uS/cm) I should probably consider collecting rain water during spring and summer ... perhaps ship and sell it overseas ... with some fancy name

Those are the sorts of values a lot of people get.

My "problem" is that it is all limestone where I live and dust from ploughing and quarrying ends up on all surfaces.

Cheers Darrel

 

[Kaliilo]

In response to your question about mixing water, I asked this many times a while back - on the advice of the forum I mix two of my tanks. One is as Darrel said, its spotless water (essentially RO but cheaper) with literally a splash of tap and the other tank is more like 70/30 RO/tap. I dont measure exactly, I just slosh the approx amounts of each into a bucket and try and make sure its pretty much the same ish amounts each time. My fish and plants are fine. I think its major swings in chemistry that are the issue so if I suddenly changed to 70% tap and 30% RO my fish would be very unhappy but im not gonna stress over whether my RO is EXACTLY 70%.
I always use water conditioner though as my water is liquid rock.

 

[Andy Pierce]

So the only way to have constant parameters is to use RO water and remineralize it, after a visit to Green Aqua their tanks are at another level than showrooms that use tap water

Really? Have you seen the @Aquarium Gardens showroom? They use tapwater and I'm super impressed with their tanks. (disclosure: I haven't visited Green Aqua)

 

[Zeus.]

Really? Have you seen the @Aquarium Gardens showroom? They use tapwater and I'm super impressed with their tanks. (disclosure: I haven't visited Green Aqua)

Yes seen both in a short time frame , UKAPS had an event at Aquarium Gardens. Aquarium Gardens is very good but Green Aqua was at another level IMO the main difference was all Green Aquas tanks get remineralized RO water. When I was at Aquarium Gardens they was having the same issue that myself @Tim Harrison have with Hygrophila pinnatifida - it fails to thrive in our tanks- yet in members tanks with soft water it can easily take over.

I use to spend hours a week looking after my tank Olympus is Calling so you do tend to be good at seeing minor issues/faults, my tank was on par with Aquarium Gardens tanks but Green Aqua and chatting with others who use soft water made me decide that RO reminerilsed /soft water would be on my list for my next tank.

 

[si walker]

In response to your question about mixing water, I asked this many times a while back - on the advice of the forum I mix two of my tanks. One is as Darrel said, its spotless water (essentially RO but cheaper) with literally a splash of tap and the other tank is more like 70/30 RO/tap. I dont measure exactly, I just slosh the approx amounts of each into a bucket and try and make sure its pretty much the same ish amounts each time. My fish and plants are fine. I think its major swings in chemistry that are the issue so if I suddenly changed to 70% tap and 30% RO my fish would be very unhappy but im not gonna stress over whether my RO is EXACTLY 70%.
I always use water conditioner though as my water is liquid rock.

Thats interesting. I have one of those Spotless water places near me.
Because it is essentially pure water?? do you not have to add anything to it or is that the job of the tap water? Are you basically diluting tap water if you see what i mean?
What is the main reason for using Spotless Water and Tap, rather than straight Full Fat Tap?

Cheers.
Si

 

[Kaliilo]

Thats interesting. I have one of those Spotless water places near me.
Because it is essentially pure water?? do you not have to add anything to it or is that the job of the tap water? Are you basically diluting tap water if you see what i mean?
What is the main reason for using Spotless Water and Tap, rather than straight Full Fat Tap?

Cheers.
Si

Because I live in Hertfordshire, my general hardness is around 18 so yes essentially I'm diluting it. I add the tap water so I don't have to add anything to my soft water. TDS of spotless water is 0 so I add tap and it's sitting at around 6degrees of hardness (in the smallest tank).
I fill up a 25l canister every couple.of weeks. Costs me £1.17 per 25l

 

[si walker]

Because I live in Hertfordshire, my general hardness is around 18 so yes essentially I'm diluting it. I add the tap water so I don't have to add anything to my soft water. TDS of spotless water is 0 so I add tap and it's sitting at around 6degrees of hardness (in the smallest tank).
I fill up a 25l canister every couple.of weeks. Costs me £1.17 per 25l

did you mean to type 18? Im confused, surely the ph isn't that high?? Thats gravel isn't it!!
okay so maybe there isnt too much advantage for me to dilute mine if i am around 7ph.

all the fun!

 

[hypnogogia]

did you mean to type 18? Im confused, surely the ph isn't that high??

His general hardness is 18…

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

It rained so heavily some time ago that the gutter on my shed was overflowing. Not wishing to miss an opportunity I collected some of the overflow directly. When I checked the TDS I got a reading of 2 or 3!