Is it worth me getting a water butt?

[AmyKieran]

Hi just was thinking of this today, would it be useful for me to get a water butt for my outside garden to collect rainwater and use in my rift lake cichlid tank? I know it’s not going to save a huge amount of money and effort but ide like to know opinions on this

Thanks

 

[Essjay]

First ask yourself - will there be enough rain that there's ALWAYS enough water? Is there any airborne pollution, and this includes things like crop spraying? Is the roof made from anything which could harm fish, or have anything on it which could harm fish (eg copious bird droppings)?

Rainwater is softer than most tap water, so you'd need to make sure you added enough minerals to it.

 

[connorlindeman]

whats a water butt?

 

[AmyKieran]

First ask yourself - will there be enough rain that there's ALWAYS enough water? Is there any airborne pollution, and this includes things like crop spraying? Is the roof made from anything which could harm fish, or have anything on it which could harm fish (eg copious bird droppings)?

Rainwater is softer than most tap water, so you'd need to make sure you added enough minerals to it.

Well no, it rains a lot in the uk but not constantly.

I’m not sure to find out about airborne pollution

I live no where near any farms for crop spraying, I occasionally get a smell of manure.

I wouldn’t be getting water from the roof through a gutter, just opening the top and letting water drop in

My water hardness from the company is 4 German degrees, is rainwater softer than this?

 

[Essjay]

@connorlindeman
It's a container for collecting rainwater. It's plumbed in to the drain taking water from the roof. You probably use a different term for them

Wickes Water Butt Kit - 210L | Wickes.co.uk

Wickes Water Butt Kit - 210L

www.wickes.co.uk

Theoretically rainwater has a GH of zero.
Just having an open topped container won't collect enough rain. You need a large collection area like a roof. And once you start using rainwater using something else when it runs out causes the tank water chemistry to change.

 

[connorlindeman]

@connorlindeman
It's a container for collecting rainwater. It's plumbed in to the drain taking water from the roof. You probably use a different term for them

Wickes Water Butt Kit - 210L | Wickes.co.uk

Wickes Water Butt Kit - 210L

www.wickes.co.uk

Theoretically rainwater has a GH of zero.
Just having an open topped container won't collect enough rain. You need a large collection area like a roof. And once you start using rainwater using something else when it runs out causes the tank water chemistry to change.

In america "butt" means something else lol

 

[connorlindeman]

We would call that a rainwater tank or rain barrel

 

[AmyKieran]

whats a water butt?

Basically a big container that you put in the garden to collect water

 

[AmyKieran]

@connorlindeman
It's a container for collecting rainwater. It's plumbed in to the drain taking water from the roof. You probably use a different term for them

Wickes Water Butt Kit - 210L | Wickes.co.uk

Wickes Water Butt Kit - 210L

www.wickes.co.uk

Theoretically rainwater has a GH of zero.
Just having an open topped container won't collect enough rain. You need a large collection area like a roof. And once you start using rainwater using something else when it runs out causes the tank water chemistry to change.

Ahh okay maybe I’ll stay away from the water butt, thanks anyway

 

[Slaphppy7]

Runoff tank

 

[AmyKieran]

@connorlindeman
It's a container for collecting rainwater. It's plumbed in to the drain taking water from the roof. You probably use a different term for them

Wickes Water Butt Kit - 210L | Wickes.co.uk

Wickes Water Butt Kit - 210L

www.wickes.co.uk

Theoretically rainwater has a GH of zero.
Just having an open topped container won't collect enough rain. You need a large collection area like a roof. And once you start using rainwater using something else when it runs out causes the tank water chemistry to change.

Well now thinking, I use Malawi buffer and rift lake salt to change my water chemistry anyway, but I’m assuming that ide then be opening a can of worms trying to figure out the exact amount each time to put in to keep it stable?

 

[Essjay]

Your tap water will have varying amounts of different chemicals in it, rainwater should have none (except carbon dioxide and perhaps pollution absorbed as it falls). Even soft tap water has things dissolved in it. Swapping from tap to rain water means those few things are missing, then when there's not enough rainwater and tap water is used, those few things are then added to the tank again. A sort of yoyoing effect.

 

[AmyKieran]

Your tap water will have varying amounts of different chemicals in it, rainwater should have none (except carbon dioxide and perhaps pollution absorbed as it falls). Even soft tap water has things dissolved in it. Swapping from tap to rain water means those few things are missing, then when there's not enough rainwater and tap water is used, those few things are then added to the tank again. A sort of yoyoing effect.

Ahh okay thanks, maybe still stay away from rain water then lol

 

[Slaphppy7]

Ahh okay thanks, maybe still stay away from rain water then lol

Always best to not fix what ain't broken

 

[AmyKieran]

Always best to not fix what ain't broken

Yes I know I know haha just sitting bored thinking of random things I don’t need lol