rain water for tanks

[chishnfips]

I was told that rain water was really good for fish tanks as the water has not been through any sort of stream to be affected by substances such as peat or limestone. The water you would get would be 100% pure.

But I started thinking and thought that the rain water would have chemicals in it from polution.
what does anyone else think.

 

[WILDER]

If you store it outside i no you have to be careful as it can contain parasites, that's all i really no about rain water.

 

[SirMinion]

Depends on where you live and which way the wins is blowing.

Most rain collected in or downwind from cities (even thousands of miles) will be full of pollutants and is also likely to have a very low pH. It will also be very very soft.

Water conditioners & carbon filters should remove these pollutants, and you can buffer the pH and increase the hardness with the use of additives, but once you've done all that, you might as well use tapwater.