As long as you use hose that is designed for drinking water usage, you should be safe. Garden hose and others that are specifically labeled drinking-safe should be avoided. For my water changes, I use a diy hose and connectors from python. I love it.
Arghh DONT USE THE HOSE!
- Thread starter Ash
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Yesterday, after reading this thread, I went to the LFS and got a sink adaptor for my Python. I had the same thing happen to me, but in reverse (if that makes any sense). I have been doing water changes with the hose for a year now, but winter is making the ground water really cold. Didn't want to put my guys into thermal shock, so I decided to start doing water changes with the sink water. I did a good sized water change, around 40%, because of some driftwood I added a month ago leaving some color in the water. I got the water temp to around 80, dechlored, and sat down to watch Oprah (screw you for judging me!). I walk by an hour later and see my big bala shark swimming on his back. Within minutes he was dead. The carnage didn't stop there. I checked my ammonia levels pre water change- 0. After discovering the dead bala- 8.0!?! How in God's name did this happen? I drove my fat arse up to PetCo and grabbed a bottle of AmQuel Plus. 48 hours later my ammonia is back to 0, but not before 2 good sized Tin Foil Barbs passed on. I was completely flabergasted as to how this happened........... that is until I looked in side my 4 HOBs. The filter media was SPARKLING CLEAN. I asked my wife if she had anything to do with this, too which she replied "Yeah, it started to stink a little, so I washed it out in the sink." G'oh! I spent the next 2 hours teaching my lovely wifey about bacteria colonies and filter media and why she shouldn't touch my tank without asking me first. It's partly my fault for not taking the time to teach her, but I lay most of the blame at her feet. That's what marriage is all about, right? RIGHT?!?
Ash said:So today I cleaned out my 30gallon African tank and decided a new system and easy way to clean it and make it nice so I re did my tank and cleaned it out it was great everyone was fine about 4 hours later All my Africans are dead except for 2 and my eel. I normally use my house water b/c its levels are perfect for my Africans... well my dad is a plumber and has everything like the sinks and showers hooked to the hose water, it is al the same water. So I asked my dad if I use the hose instead of filling buckets from the sink would it be the same water, he told me it was b/c he has it all hooked to the same system. So I used the hose water and now all my fish except for two are dead. I had 5 total in the tank, I lost my breeding pair (Johanni and Auratus) and my blue zebra
My poor fish!
Now I am gong to go mourn the death of my africans
hose water doesnt taste good either
I have filled my tanks many times from a hose with no problems, but I may have to reconsider that method.
some hoses arent rated for safe use as potable water or drinking water. hoses for motor homes and things like that are made out of different materials so their safe. this might not be ur prob but just lettin ya know
might be the hose it's self... remember how we were always told not to drink from the hose. Well that is because their is antifungal agent in most hoses. This most likely is what killed your lovely fish ash... I always try to tell people not to use the hose... now hooking a python to the hose and let it run out for a second can work...
and I meant to the facet and remove the hose, not hook straight to the hose
and I meant to the facet and remove the hose, not hook straight to the hose
Sorry for your loss. Makes me think twice about using my hose. Although I have used it for 4 of my 7 tanks.
Ash,
Know how you feel. I lost a whole tank full of fish earlier this year. It wasnt due to the hose but it still hurts. Sorry for your loss, beb.
Some folks are now going over to the RV/restaurant hoses which are white and usually labeled for potable/ice machine/foodservice use. Supposedly ACE hardware has them. I'm moving over to white hose soon.
I usually tell folks to check out restaurant supply houses for off the wall aquarium stuff because almost all the hardware and plasticware there is food safe. And cheap. Almost any food service hardware that has an NSF symbol on it is basically a blessing from god that it is really food safe.
Right now on Aquaria Central (sister site) there is a debate going on about hoses:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123093
Know how you feel. I lost a whole tank full of fish earlier this year. It wasnt due to the hose but it still hurts. Sorry for your loss, beb.
Some folks are now going over to the RV/restaurant hoses which are white and usually labeled for potable/ice machine/foodservice use. Supposedly ACE hardware has them. I'm moving over to white hose soon.
I usually tell folks to check out restaurant supply houses for off the wall aquarium stuff because almost all the hardware and plasticware there is food safe. And cheap. Almost any food service hardware that has an NSF symbol on it is basically a blessing from god that it is really food safe.
Right now on Aquaria Central (sister site) there is a debate going on about hoses:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123093
oh god no! im on well water that im sure is 10000000000000000000000000000% safe ash, do you think i could try? im not filling up a 220 in my basement by hand (no running water)
