where do you get your water?

ORECAL

Well-Known Member
you have both? that's wierd......well, to me at least. out by me it's one or the other, the city only supplies a certain area, if your in that area you don't have well water, if your outside it all you have is well water.
 

kronicsmurf

Well-Known Member
I use tap water but i let it sit in a 2 liter bottle for 24 hours to let the bad stuff evaporate. Never had any problems with it. Peace
 

likes2skatebabe

Active Member
ok first most cities have nasty drinking water. for my plants I use water for my fish tank. Just fill up water jugs and set them outside for two days. That declornates it but leaves the nutrients
 

Bigrintxas

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the input guys... I think I will introduce a little bit of tap water from time to time and see how it goes from there.
 

Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
ok first most cities have nasty drinking water. for my plants I use water for my fish tank. Just fill up water jugs and set them outside for two days. That declornates it but leaves the nutrients
How do you know that? Do you know what "most" municipalities start off with and then how it has to be treated to make it potable?

Just askin'. ;)
 

Pookiedough

Well-Known Member
I just use my well water after I send it through the little "supposedly" reverse osmosis filter I bought to refill my aquariums not sure it does much good but it makes me feel better and the catnip seems happy.
 

mrCRC420

Well-Known Member
you should at least PH your water.. well water can be tricky b/c you can get some intense mineral build-up. For example, I have well water, and my shower is basically stained orange from the iron build-up... so... i'd never use that. Distilled vs. Spring - distilled has a more level PH but spring has more beneficial minerals (as oppose to my shitty well-water)
 

purplehaze2

Well-Known Member
I use my refrigerator .they have hepa filters inn them and ,they last forever.I stick a 1/2" tube to the water spout,and then to the bucket. it takes 5 min to fill up my 5 gallon bucket. take a swatt and the buckets full and its free.
 

Pookiedough

Well-Known Member
you should at least PH your water.. well water can be tricky b/c you can get some intense mineral build-up. For example, I have well water, and my shower is basically stained orange from the iron build-up... so... i'd never use that. Distilled vs. Spring - distilled has a more level PH but spring has more beneficial minerals (as oppose to my shitty well-water)
I do to a very minimal point straight out of the tap the water is 7.5,used the test strips for the aquarium to determine that.After it hits the filter it goes to 6.0 to 6.5 depends on the life cycle of the filter.For the tank I need 8.5 so in a totally round about way I do PH test.I don't have the iron problem with my well though,mine is too calcium rich.:-|
 

joebuck

Well-Known Member
We collect rainwater for all of our house needs because to dig a well where we are is expensive and then you get that sulpfur nastiness that no amount of filtering can take away. I know people pay big money in some places to sit in warm spring sulphur water but YUCK.

I just got a Ph meter and am curious to see what my tap water tests at vs. the additional rain barrels that I've got around the garden. The rain we garther off the roof goes into a 10K gallon tank then when we use it, it goes through a couple of micron filters and a UV setup to kill any micro-critters. My plants seem pretty happy so far - I mean it's what they would get if they were grown in the wild, right?

Gotta go test that Ph - now I'm too curious to go back to work.
 

likes2skatebabe

Active Member
TO SEAMAIDEN: I have a few large aquariums in my house and feeder fish tanks. Cities treat their water to kill the germs. They make conditioners in a bottle for plants, fish and reptiles that nutralizes what they put in it. If you let tap water sit out for at least 2 days it nutralizes that. I never treat the water I add to my aquariums or water my plants
 

Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
TO SEAMAIDEN: I have a few large aquariums in my house and feeder fish tanks. Cities treat their water to kill the germs. They make conditioners in a bottle for plants, fish and reptiles that nutralizes what they put in it. If you let tap water sit out for at least 2 days it nutralizes that. I never treat the water I add to my aquariums or water my plants
Yes, thank you. You're quite right! :) I have a good repertoire of knowledge regarding water chemistry, quality, and how municipalities treat their water (depending on its origin). I also used to work the aquatics import/export industry for several years and in a public aquarium. :)

The question first is this -- What is the individual dealing with? If they're dealing with municipal water supply, then they need to determine, accurately, what is being used to treat. If it's simple chlorine (becoming less and less common due to its nature) then it will dissipate into the atmosphere naturally. Of course, sodium thiosulfate will do a right quick job of breaking it down and it can be had from chemistry supply VERY cheaply, in dry concentrated form at that. That is the active ingredient in the products such as Novaqua or Stresscoat that you're talking about.

However, if chloramine is what's being used, then one MUST use sodium thiosulfate in order to break the bond between the chlorine and ammonia that comprises chloramine. Chloramine does what chlorine alone will do, however, it does not break down or dissipate on quickly, which is why it's becoming the preferred method for municipalities (and why one should use an agent to break those bonds).

For aquatics I would also be quite concerned with allowable nitrate levels, although I'm sure freshie planted setups appreciate a boost of nitrate. Some munies allow UP TO 40ppm NO3! :shock: (Anyone familiar with reefkeeping knows how problematic THAT is.)

Best to assume that chloramine is what's being used and act accordingly.
 

quazzy10

Active Member
I use normal tap water aerated for 24 hrs and ph'd after adding nutes, has worked ok for me but i'm no expert as i've only done 2 grows in soil :)
 
Top