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	Can I Use Water From A Rainwater Tank?
dashman Hobbyist Posts: 101 Kudos: 408 Votes: 201 Registered: 26-Oct-2003	Hi, I am putting up a carport soon and plan to collect any rainwater (if the drought ever breaks) from it in a water tank. This water will then be used for watering the garden & for the pets water dishes. Can I also use this water when doing water changes in my fishtanks? If so, Do I need to treat it in any way? Thanks DASHMAN:88) Its better to be hated for who you are... Than loved for who you are not
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
tankie Fish Addict Posts: 857 Kudos: 848 Votes: 230 Registered: 15-Mar-2005	IMO...rain water is acidic coz of pollution in the air...and of course....by the time it reached ur container...it absorbs toxins...most certainly..u need to treat it for whatever chemicals in it.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
sham Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004	It depends how populated of area you are in. Rainwater here is quite safe but if it hasn't rained in awhile the water is going to pick up alot of dirt and so forth. Rain is natures way of cleaning the air. If you are in an area of higher pollution then it might not be safe to use. Also the rainwater I've tested has no kh and only a little gh from various things it's picked up while falling. It's similar to distilled water and you can't use distilled alone in a tank. Last edited by sham at 03-May-2005 00:26
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
greenmonkey51 Fish Master Posts: 1571 Kudos: 1692 Votes: 5 Registered: 28-Jan-2004	Unless you truly need it then I think that its a waste of time and maybe money. You have to think that when the tank is adjusted to certain parameters and there is no rainfall then what are you going to do.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
Georgia Hobbyist Posts: 137 Kudos: 108 Votes: 3 Registered: 18-Feb-2005	Rainwater is devoid of almost all trace elements and minerals. So, it's very soft and acidic. It would work well in place of RO (reverse osmosis) if you were raising Discus or something similar. But, for most tropicals you'd need to add back the traces.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
misty666660 Hobbyist Posts: 68 Kudos: 61 Votes: 1 Registered: 05-Aug-2004	Hi, I have been using rainwater for ages now (i don't have access to town water) and so far things are fine. My water is collected in a cement tank, not plastic, and i believe this changes the chemistry somewhat. I do not add anything to the water whatsoever. I have a south american community tank, and my fish have been breeding lately, so the tank water doesn't seem to be a problem. I would test the hardness however, because if it is not hard enough, you may have some serious ph swings. Good luck, and i hope it rains!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
jasonpisani Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 5553 Kudos: 7215 Votes: 1024 Registered: 24-Feb-2003	If it's 100% clean, rain water is very good for your fish, but i would also treat it, like i do with tap water. It's better to be safe than sorry. http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/ Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970. http://www.maltaaquarist.com
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
Gomer Ultimate Fish Guru Small Fry with BBQ Sauce Posts: 3602 Kudos: 1709 Votes: 106 Registered: 29-Mar-2002	Rainwater is good if you are from the country like me. -- Gomer
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19


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