Rain Water

[Scar_UK]

Hi, I have access to lots of rain water, all nice and clean, can I use it along with tap water for my tropical fish tank?
Regards Stuart

 

[waterdrop]

Totally depends on your water chemistry situation. Dissolved mineral salts (hardness measures) are a very important consideration for fish (and for the filter bacteria for that matter) and you need to take that into consideration along with pH and other factors, like chemical clarity and particulate content. Sometimes rainwater is simply too acid, given air pollution in some geographic locations, or picks up undesirable substances in the collection system. But sometimes its great and might even be the perfect combo to counter some tap water parameter that you are trying to change.

I'd recommend that you acquire and become familiar with a GH/KH liquid test kit, along with your liquid-reagent based master test kit, which should include a pH kit. If all this sounds more complicated than the idea that inspired your question then probably you should first post up your tap water test results, rain water test results, tank water test results and fishkeeping goals and discuss these with the members first before deciding whether it would be a benefit or detriment to mix in your particular rainwater with your particular tap water.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Truck]

just remeber if you live in a city, your rain could contain sulphur dioxide

 

[Scar_UK]

Thanks to both Waterdrop and Truckasauras obviously there is a lot more in rainwater than I first thought, I will take your advice and test them both,then post the results.

kind regards
Stuart