Rain water for water changes???

• Jun 10, 2013

• #1

Ariel110G

Reefing newb

Here is a pic of a phosphate test I did, from right to left, RO/DI water, my tank water, rain water I collected, & then tap water..
After I did the test on the rain water, I hooked up my NextReef reactor with Seachem MatrixCarbon & Seachem PhosGuard to my water change bucket for 24h just to be safe.
This morning I took it off and backinto my sump, & then I added salt to the rain water.

 

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• Jun 10, 2013

• #2

mariobrothersleeve

squirrel

The only thing id be worried about is the bird shit. On my pond, i destoyed my waterfall because they used it as a bird bath and all the bugs on them..... I am unsure what type of roof your pulling it from, but too id be worried about the asphalt shingles breaking down. Let me know your results! Good luck

 

• Jun 10, 2013

• #3

kylemack87

[Cube]

I wouldn't try it, since it can be contaminated from pollution. It's probably lacking in nutrients as well. Not very smart IMO.

 

• Jun 10, 2013

• #4

Salty B

Reefing newb

kylemack87 said:

I wouldn't try it, since it can be contaminated from pollution. It's probably lacking in nutrients as well. Not very smart IMO.

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+1...think about how many chemicals youre not testing for. If I could condense smog into a glass of juice, I sure as hell wouldnt drink it because its low in phosphates!

 

• Jun 10, 2013

• #5

bjohanson1234

.........

+1 guys. Theoretically, rain water is just distilled water, however, it could pick up a ton of pollution from passing through the air to reach the ground.

 

• Jun 10, 2013

• #6

Ariel110G

Reefing newb

I don’t think it will cause health issues with the fish, my tank is 110G, my water change bucket is about 35 gallons, So it’s not like I’m filling up my tank with rain water, & I did have a reactor hooked to it for 24h with Seachem MatrixCarbon & Seachem PhosGuard .
I think some of us are just over reacting.
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=1354194When I was new to SW I used tap water for the 1st 6 months in the hobby, my fish where healthy, but had hair algae problems, then I got my RO/DI with a the drinking kit for the family and I’m happy I did, after seeing the how nasty the sediment filter looks when changing it, I was like, WOW AND MY FISH WHERE IN THAT!!!

There is a guy I met a block over from me he has a 125 gallon for that past 20 years, not reef but just fish and some live rock he has algae problems but fish are super healthy, and he is using tap water for the past 20 years!!! So some rain water??? I don’t think it will bother my fish.

 

• Jun 10, 2013

• #7

mariobrothersleeve

squirrel

Good luck. So was there a point to even ask a question?

 

• Jun 10, 2013

• #8

kylemack87

[Cube]

:goodnight

 

• Jun 11, 2013

• #9

Ariel110G

Reefing newb

So I didn’t do the water change last light, just didn’t have the time, but after reading all the posts I think I’ll pass on the rain water.

 

• Jun 11, 2013

• #10

FishyReef

Broke Reefer!

Good decision. There is just no telling what random particles and VOCs rain water will pull out of the atmosphere.

 

• Jun 11, 2013

• #11

kylemack87

[Cube]

Ariel110G said:

So I didn’t do the water change last light, just didn’t have the time, but after reading all the posts I think I’ll pass on the rain water.

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:beerchug: