Bit Out Of My Depth

[Majjie]

Us relative newbies shouldn't try to answer questions from other newbies

I was trying to help answer a question on the livebearer forum about platys dying - I know what it's like and two years on I've no longer got the problem.

I would post a link - but don't know how.

The things I don't know are:

1. would using Poland Spring water instead of tap water be a good idea?
http/www.polandspring.com/KnowH2O/OurSources.aspx

2. Do Whisper filters not have any biological filtration?

 

[TammyLiz]

Us relative newbies shouldn't try to answer questions from other newbies

I was trying to help answer a question on the livebearer forum about platys dying - I know what it's like and two years on I've no longer got the problem.

I would post a link - but don't know how.

The things I don't know are:

1. would using Poland Spring water instead of tap water be a good idea?
http/www.polandspring.com/KnowH2O/OurSources.aspx

2. Do Whisper filters not have any biological filtration?

Hi Majjie,

IMO, the best thing to do when you don't know the answer to someone's questions, is to leave it alone and hope someone else answers. Keeping everything in one thread instead of cross posting keeps the forum easier to read and more helpful to everyone.

But to help you out anyway, I went over there and read the post to see if I could provide any useful answers. Here is the link. To link, you can just cut and paste the URL
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=148713

 

[Majjie]

Thanks TammyLiz

I do normally let other people answer the questions (I'm just picking up know how from the answers )- but platymommy didn't seem to be getting anywhere

I'll be more careful in the future


Edit: I'd still be interested in what people think of that water, tho'

 

[k.o.d]

Mineral water will have little or no chlorine or chloramines, and will be fine for water changes, but ig your are intending changing a few gallons at a time it would be hellish expensive.
A filter such as a nitragon or a deioniser will be cheaper dependent on how hard/contaminated your tapwater is
A CBR/HMA type filter is much the better bet if you have a fair few gallons to change.

I dont know what a whisper filter is so I cannot comment

Steve

 

[TammyLiz]

I have not had good luck with spring water in planted tanks. I have had entire tanks of hornwort defoliate when I did a water change with spring water. What a mess! I assumed it was not adequate in nutrients since hornwort is a very 'hungry' plant and sucks up a lot of nutrients, so would be the first to show signs of depletion. I would venture to say it probably depends on the brand of spring water, though. IMO, even though my tap is terrible (ammonia is present and there is almost no buffering capacity so pH is unstable), I still have decided it is the best thing to use, especially in my planted tanks.

 

[Lynden]

Well about the Whisper filter, all filters that have water running through them or touching them in any way will have biological filtration.

However, the level of it will be insignifigant unless you keep sponges, the flossy bags supplied, or other media in the filter.

Clean Whisper filters VERY regularly or it will shut down for no reason and require you to reach into the impeller housing and kickstart it manually.

-Lynden

 

[Majjie]

Thanks everyone.

My tap water is fine for platys and guppies, although it does have quite high levels of nitrate sometimes - but I'm a bit obsessed with water at the moment because I'm experimenting with large (bucket) scale peat filtration for the softer water lovers, even though I know that lots of people say use your tap water anyway.

That's why I was interested in the analysis of that spring water. Proper link (now I know how )

http/www.polandspring.com/KnowH2O/OurSources.aspx

I was actually surprised at how low in minerals it was - so I think TammyLiz is right