smoothvirus
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- Mar 31, 2006
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OK so I'm still doing research on my planned 75G Blue Ram tank.
I've noticed some of the people keeping these fish sucessfully are using distilled water, or RO water, typically they mix it 50/50 with treated tap water. Apparently they get nice soft water from doing this.
Right now I'm planning on getting a big trashcan and using it to age my water for a few days before putting it in the tank. I'll toss some peat moss in a nylon or something and aerate it for a couple of days.
Was also thinking about getting a RO filter and mixing the filtered water 50/50 with tap water. As for distilled water, it costs $1.12 a gallon - forget that option!
But last night I hit on an idea, I live in an old house with no central air, we have to use window units to keep the bedrooms cool in the summer. Typically we only run them at night and turn them off when we're not home. They have little drains that drip the condensate water out the back and into the lawn.
So I think... aha! Condensate water should be more or less the same as distilled water! I put a couple of big buckets in the yard, catch the water, and I'll have free distilled water all summer! Not good enough to drink mind you, but good enough for a fish tank. I'll mix it 50/50 with tap water and age it in the big trashcan.
Did some searches on this idea but I didn't find any discussions here about it. I can see four possible problems though:
1. Metal contamination: I think lots of window A/C units use copper piping internally. Could contaminate the water with dissolved metals. Not sure about this one.
2. Consistency: Can't gaurantee that I'll be able to capture enough water. To make it work I'd have to get 5 or 10 gallons per week. Might not be able to do that unless it's real humid outside (of course by July in Washington DC it'll be VERY humid).
3. Bacteria/Mould: Nasty stuff grows like crazy in evaporation pans. Might start growing in the bucket. I'll have to clean the bucket when it's empty.
4. Legionella: Can't make the fish sick but can make humans very sick. Risk seems to be very low though - window A/C units are too small to grow it - I've checked on that before. Legionella needs really warm water to grow, like around 110F, and the water in the buckets would be around the same as the ambient temprature outside, not hot enough. Even then, I'd probably have to drink the water to get sick, and I don't plan on drinking it.
thoughts?
I've noticed some of the people keeping these fish sucessfully are using distilled water, or RO water, typically they mix it 50/50 with treated tap water. Apparently they get nice soft water from doing this.
Right now I'm planning on getting a big trashcan and using it to age my water for a few days before putting it in the tank. I'll toss some peat moss in a nylon or something and aerate it for a couple of days.
Was also thinking about getting a RO filter and mixing the filtered water 50/50 with tap water. As for distilled water, it costs $1.12 a gallon - forget that option!
But last night I hit on an idea, I live in an old house with no central air, we have to use window units to keep the bedrooms cool in the summer. Typically we only run them at night and turn them off when we're not home. They have little drains that drip the condensate water out the back and into the lawn.
So I think... aha! Condensate water should be more or less the same as distilled water! I put a couple of big buckets in the yard, catch the water, and I'll have free distilled water all summer! Not good enough to drink mind you, but good enough for a fish tank. I'll mix it 50/50 with tap water and age it in the big trashcan.
Did some searches on this idea but I didn't find any discussions here about it. I can see four possible problems though:
1. Metal contamination: I think lots of window A/C units use copper piping internally. Could contaminate the water with dissolved metals. Not sure about this one.
2. Consistency: Can't gaurantee that I'll be able to capture enough water. To make it work I'd have to get 5 or 10 gallons per week. Might not be able to do that unless it's real humid outside (of course by July in Washington DC it'll be VERY humid).
3. Bacteria/Mould: Nasty stuff grows like crazy in evaporation pans. Might start growing in the bucket. I'll have to clean the bucket when it's empty.
4. Legionella: Can't make the fish sick but can make humans very sick. Risk seems to be very low though - window A/C units are too small to grow it - I've checked on that before. Legionella needs really warm water to grow, like around 110F, and the water in the buckets would be around the same as the ambient temprature outside, not hot enough. Even then, I'd probably have to drink the water to get sick, and I don't plan on drinking it.
thoughts?