Rain water to do water changes?

IMAGINEER · 03/02/2007, 09:04 PM

My buddy a college student uses a 30 gal container to catch rain water to do his water changes . He said its the most natural water . Which I agee , but there are impurities from the pollution in the air . Does anyone else do this ? add salt mix etc....

I guess on a tight budget this would be the way to go....

lakwriter · 03/02/2007, 09:07 PM

I have heard of people doing this, but they also tested it regularly. I would be hesitant to use it because of pollution. RO water's pretty cheap...

WaterKeeper · 03/02/2007, 09:16 PM

Ask your buddy if he has ever heard of acid rain, Bet the pH of that pure rain water is low, around 5.2 or lower, right after a storm. The oceans are vast and can neutralize the acid content but one's tank will see the effects. Get an RO/DI.

silverarrow27 · 03/02/2007, 10:02 PM

Wouldn't the salt mix raise the PH when mixing? Isn't Rodi water's ph also low to begin with?

Pistonkev · 03/02/2007, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WaterKeeper
Ask your buddy if he has ever heard of acid rain, Bet the pH of that pure rain water is low, around 5.2 or lower, right after a storm. The oceans are vast and can neutralize the acid content but one's tank will see the effects. Get an RO/DI.

lmao

acdraindrps · 03/02/2007, 10:19 PM

simply put, a bad idea. especially if you live near the city.

Use R/O

WaterKeeper · 03/03/2007, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by silverarrow27
Wouldn't the salt mix raise the PH when mixing? Isn't Rodi water's ph also low to begin with?

Just giving a mean look to RO/DI can change its pH.

RO/DI has no buffering capacity so it absorbs carbon dioxide and the pH falls. Rain water is a different story entirely. It too starts out pretty pure but on its journey through the atmosphere it not only picks up CO₂ but SO₂ and NO₂ as well. True, the salt mix will cancel out the pH drop in most cases but you still have dissolved substances that you really don't want in your tank.

wizzbane15 · 03/03/2007, 08:56 AM

R/O water- no buffers, no anything.

It's not the acid nature of rain that will be a problem, that can be fixed with a decent marine or reef buffer. The alkali's in the rain water can't be removed effectively. Also, rain water will usually pick up very faint traces of SO2 which equals insta-dead in LOTS of marine animals.

Use copper to kill the bugs. Use SO2 to kill everything, including the bugs.

wizzbane15 · 03/03/2007, 08:58 AM

tap water with some dechlorinator is probably better than rain water anyhting these days.

IMAGINEER · 03/03/2007, 10:10 AM

I think all points that were made are great .

I dont disagree with any of you , but I think wel are gonna do more testing into this. It seem like a cool idea for DIY on a budget.

We all know RO is the way to go , but lets give it a benefit

If the first set of rain were to wash the pollutants out of the air and lets say that we have a full day of rain, I think at the end if the day the water will be more pure ? Am I wrong

WaterKeeper · 03/03/2007, 10:20 AM

That would depend on where you live. I have a power plant about a half mile from me so I would be somewhat fearful of rainwater even after an all day rain. If you are in a rural area I would imagine the rain water quality would be much higher late in the storm. Of course, setting up a collection bucket in the middle of a raging thunder storm might make the RO/DI seem like a safer idea for me and the fish.

03/02/2007, 09:04 PM	#1
IMAGINEER Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: ORLANDO/CHARLOTTE Posts: 190	Rain water to do water changes? My buddy a college student uses a 30 gal container to catch rain water to do his water changes . He said its the most natural water . Which I agee , but there are impurities from the pollution in the air . Does anyone else do this ? add salt mix etc.... I guess on a tight budget this would be the way to go....

03/02/2007, 09:07 PM	#2
lakwriter Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 562	I have heard of people doing this, but they also tested it regularly. I would be hesitant to use it because of pollution. RO water's pretty cheap... __________________ And this, too, shall pass... 29 g FOWLR 37# LR, 35# LS 2 green chromis 2 ocellaris clowns a very social peppermint shrimp and various snails and hermits

03/02/2007, 09:16 PM	#3
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Ask your buddy if he has ever heard of acid rain, Bet the pH of that pure rain water is low, around 5.2 or lower, right after a storm. The oceans are vast and can neutralize the acid content but one's tank will see the effects. Get an RO/DI. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

03/02/2007, 10:02 PM	#4
silverarrow27 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Banning, CA Posts: 543	Wouldn't the salt mix raise the PH when mixing? Isn't Rodi water's ph also low to begin with? __________________ 57 Gallon reef tank Current Tank Info: None

03/03/2007, 08:56 AM	#8
wizzbane15 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chicago SW suburb Posts: 283	R/O water- no buffers, no anything. It's not the acid nature of rain that will be a problem, that can be fixed with a decent marine or reef buffer. The alkali's in the rain water can't be removed effectively. Also, rain water will usually pick up very faint traces of SO2 which equals insta-dead in LOTS of marine animals. Use copper to kill the bugs. Use SO2 to kill everything, including the bugs. __________________ ...ancient Chinese Proverb: keeping big fishtank is not hobby, but addiction. 125gal AG, dual overflows; ReefKeeper Elite Controlled [currently have 7 modules on-line] Custom built 48" x 16" x 16 Current Tank Info: 125g mixed reef

03/02/2007, 10:19 PM	#6
acdraindrps Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: buffalo, ny Posts: 2,275	simply put, a bad idea. especially if you live near the city. Use R/O

03/03/2007, 08:58 AM	#9
wizzbane15 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chicago SW suburb Posts: 283	tap water with some dechlorinator is probably better than rain water anyhting these days. __________________ ...ancient Chinese Proverb: keeping big fishtank is not hobby, but addiction. 125gal AG, dual overflows; ReefKeeper Elite Controlled [currently have 7 modules on-line] Custom built 48" x 16" x 16 Current Tank Info: 125g mixed reef

03/03/2007, 10:10 AM	#10
IMAGINEER Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: ORLANDO/CHARLOTTE Posts: 190	I think all points that were made are great . I dont disagree with any of you , but I think wel are gonna do more testing into this. It seem like a cool idea for DIY on a budget. We all know RO is the way to go , but lets give it a benefit If the first set of rain were to wash the pollutants out of the air and lets say that we have a full day of rain, I think at the end if the day the water will be more pure ? Am I wrong __________________ LORD OF THE EEL !!

03/03/2007, 10:20 AM	#11
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	That would depend on where you live. I have a power plant about a half mile from me so I would be somewhat fearful of rainwater even after an all day rain. If you are in a rural area I would imagine the rain water quality would be much higher late in the storm. Of course, setting up a collection bucket in the middle of a raging thunder storm might make the RO/DI seem like a safer idea for me and the fish. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29