What type of water?

[FrankSlapperinni]

I think it more depends on the source than the fact it is well water. I've tasted well water that's so nasty and bitter I'd rather drink salt water.

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Well maybe you haven't been drinking from the right wells.
Anyways, I guess that would put me down for tap water (untreated). Even though I voted for other.

 

[lady_tanksalot]

treated tap water, thought about buying an ro system but worked out way too expensive

 

[inflexion]

treated tap water for now but if i move to marine i might go RO water

still need to get a house so thats a long way off yet

 

[andywg]

right now what i'm thinking is who votes jus tap water

Me, for one!

Been using nothing but tapwater, untreated, for donkey's years and ain't had a problem yet.

I always let it stand for 24hrs before using it. 24 hours is more than sufficient for any Chlorine to evaporate.

What else does the dechlorinator do that would make it worth using? How does it work, by forming other chemicals that are chlorine based and water soluble? Are the resulting solutes good for the fish (or better than just evaporating it off into the atmosphere)?

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De-Chlor also removes chloramine; a chemical bad, just like chlorine, for the fish (and the bacteria on filters). Chloramine does not dissipate into the air like chlorine, no matter how long you leave it standing, and is being used more and more frequently.

Hence, I use de-chlored water.

 

[Teelie]

Well maybe you haven't been drinking from the right wells.

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That's my point, not all wells are "created equal."

Chloramine does not dissipate into the air like chlorine, no matter how long you leave it standing, and is being used more and more frequently.

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Actually it does, after a week and usually with the aid of sunlight. Still, a week is a long time to wait on it to dissipate.

Without the use of chlorine and chloramines, our water would be far, far more dangerous to drink than it is now. Ideally everyone should use a filter to remove chlorine/ramine but ingesting it in the small amounts most people do isn't as dangerous as drinking untreated water.

 

[IMCL85]

I live in city so tap water is my only obtion and usually I have to put in conditioner before use.

 

[Tropjunky]

U live in a city and yet u don't have acess to a RO suplier. I live in the middle of nowhere and i can find not one but 2 and this is without effort i'm sure that ur lfs can supply.

Anyways RO is preferd because the chemisty will not change by any noticeable amout.

 

[Teelie]

Still need to add minerals and electrolytes, etc to R/O water to make it "healthy" for fish.

 

[Tropjunky]

yah but it's all controled so that it's more or less perfect for fish even then it's going to be the same if u do it properly

if u keep changing the water chemistry then ur fish are gonna feel it arn't they?

 

[andywg]

Think about a river and the different make up of chemicals in it as it rains, or snow in the mountains melt. They are used to some changing attributes of water (hardness, pH, temperature...).

Now in reef setups then you need to keep everything steady (hence RO water) as in a reef the make up of the water rarely changes, but the vast majority of FW fish can handle the minor changes in tap water.

And I for one don't like the expense of setting up a system to remove everything and then replacing some of it back. Not to mention the horrendous wastage of water from RO. What is it now? 3 gallons waste for 1 gallon good? Anyone on a water meter is going to have trouble finding their water bill has gone up 4 fold just so they don't use de-chlor.

 

[memnon]

i just use treated tap water

 

[Tropjunky]

Think about a river and the different make up of chemicals in it as it rains, or snow in the mountains melt. They are used to some changing attributes of water (hardness, pH, temperature...).

Now in reef setups then you need to keep everything steady (hence RO water) as in a reef the make up of the water rarely changes, but the vast majority of FW fish can handle the minor changes in tap water.

And I for one don't like the expense of setting up a system to remove everything and then replacing some of it back. Not to mention the horrendous wastage of water from RO. What is it now? 3 gallons waste for 1 gallon good? Anyone on a water meter is going to have trouble finding their water bill has gone up 4 fold just so they don't use de-chlor.

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I'm on a water meter and so I don't make RO water myself it cost too much but I do buy it and I've woked out that it's actually Cheaper to use RO than use tap so most of my water is RO and cos I buy so much of it I'm getting discounts on it.

I live in a place that is sourrounded by farms and that means that my water is contaminated with phosphates and fertalisers and other things that are bad for fish and me.

 

[Briarmoor]

I always let it stand for 24hrs before using it. 24 hours is more than sufficient for any Chlorine to evaporate.

What else does the dechlorinator do that would make it worth using? How does it work, by forming other chemicals that are chlorine based and water soluble? Are the resulting solutes good for the fish (or better than just evaporating it off into the atmosphere)?

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[/quote]

I suppose that might be okay if your water company only uses chlorine, but if they use something less likely to evaporate quickly, such as chloramine, then it is good to treat it. Also, if your water supply has heavy metals in it, some treatments help dissolve them and make them safer. At least that is what the bottle says.

My mom just lets her tap water sit for days in jugs and it seems to work for her, but I get fresh water from the tap at the same temp as my tank, so treatment is necessary.

Pam in TN

 

[jarcher1390]

i use tap water because it is easy to get i would treat it if i had some thing to treat it with

 

[Tropjunky]

What do you mean "would treat it if i had some thing to treat it with " can't you get a 50p bottle of dechlorinator?