Can i use rainwater for water changes in either of my tanks? We have 2 huge water butts outside i could use for water changes.
Thanks
Carl.
Thanks
Carl.
Can i use rain
- Thread starter Carl D
- Start date
the one that posted his pond of stingray.. he uses rain water. but where i'm living.. So. Cal. i don't think so. don't know other states though. 
It all depends on the rain water quality, It is naturally filtered, but rain usually has a higher pH then the water in lakes.
Get a sample in a bucket or something, leave it out in the rain and test it.
Do you have any ponds or something in your area? smaller bodies of water?
you could check those to see what if any effects it has on the fish.
Get a sample in a bucket or something, leave it out in the rain and test it.
Do you have any ponds or something in your area? smaller bodies of water?
you could check those to see what if any effects it has on the fish.
Rainwater is actually the equivalent of using distilled water. In fact, it is distilled water.
Theoretically it is pure, in fact too pure. It is commonly accepted that fish need some essential minerals in the water. Rainwater lacks these minerals.
In addition to that, as this pure distilled rainwater falls, it picks up all kinds of crap including but not limited to dirt and toxic chemicals. It is one of the primary reasons our ecosystem produces rain... to clean the air.
In my opinion it is impossible to know what the rainwater picked up on its way down. It might be ok one day and next week it could kill your rish, depending on which way the wind is blowing.
Water is cheap enough in most parts of North-America that I wouldn't take the chance... and if you do, trace elements should be added back into the water with a product like R/O Right or a similar product.
Also, rain water is very soft and will lower the ph (again depending on what it's picked up along the way) in most cases.
Good luck.
Theoretically it is pure, in fact too pure. It is commonly accepted that fish need some essential minerals in the water. Rainwater lacks these minerals.
In addition to that, as this pure distilled rainwater falls, it picks up all kinds of crap including but not limited to dirt and toxic chemicals. It is one of the primary reasons our ecosystem produces rain... to clean the air.
In my opinion it is impossible to know what the rainwater picked up on its way down. It might be ok one day and next week it could kill your rish, depending on which way the wind is blowing.
Water is cheap enough in most parts of North-America that I wouldn't take the chance... and if you do, trace elements should be added back into the water with a product like R/O Right or a similar product.
Also, rain water is very soft and will lower the ph (again depending on what it's picked up along the way) in most cases.
Good luck.
i would use a barrel with a spigot at the bottom, and put a rack in the barrel, and put small mesh over the rack, then fill above the rack with sand, cover that with a good layer of gravel, and wait till it rains
this is in fact the best way to clean water, i think... can think of anything else that remove nearly every thing from the water, this is why under water aquifers are so clean, and you can drink from a spring
this is in fact the best way to clean water, i think... can think of anything else that remove nearly every thing from the water, this is why under water aquifers are so clean, and you can drink from a spring