Is rainwater safe?

[Leaf]

Hi,

Does anyone use rainwater for water changes? Is there any nasties in it apart from heavy metals I should be concerned with?
Im using it as my tap water is liquid rock. What Ive found weird is it has a ph7.6 but a general hardness of 2 and a carbonate hardness of only about 3. Have i mucked up the tests somehow, I dont get how the ph is that high!! Or is that possible. Am i misunderstanding something re: water chemistry?

Also whats the best / cheapest / most eco friendly way of softning water? Is peat any good.

Hope someone can help

 

[canarsie11]

I would like to know the answer to this also!

 

[Teelie]

I wouldn't think so but then it does rain in the wild, but that's much more diluted water than what you'd find in a tank, plus the water in ponds, lakes and rivers, etc is better self sustaining and filtered.

 

[kitties1]

it honestly depends on where you live. if you ae in a city area then i wouldn;t trust the rain water. it will be filled with just as many if not more polluntants. rural areas maybe not so much. you could get the water sample tested, and see. i don;t know if acid rain is still a concern these days. but i think you are better off treating tap water or purchasing ro water from your lfs.

 

[Teelie]

Acid rain is still a concern and it doesn't matter too much where you live as pollutants travel in the air and aren't limited to just cities. There'll still be some pollutants no matter where in the world you go to. Cities do tend to get more pollutants from whatever accumulates in the air from the rain drops but I don't know how much more.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

I've used it before and I've never had any problems with it, but if you want to treat then do what makes you feel safe.

 

[Leaf]

Thanks for your help . I think i might have to use it.... i live about as in the country as you can get in South East England, but not only is my tap water really hard but its nitrate levels where massive. I like the RO water from the lfs idea....which is an option as my tank is small and transporting it shouldnt be to much of a hassle. going there now....thanks again