Water Question

[RobGN]

A buddy came over this evening and we started talking about fish after
he saw my tank. He asked me a question that I had never really put any
thought, and don't have an answer to either, other than to say that,
"It's not done that way." Here is his question: "Instead of going
through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
ask you, why don't we use this water?

RobGN.

[Charles]

On 15 Dec 2005 21:30:56 -0800, "RobGN" >
wrote:

>A buddy came over this evening and we started talking about fish after
>he saw my tank. He asked me a question that I had never really put any
>thought, and don't have an answer to either, other than to say that,
>"It's not done that way." Here is his question: "Instead of going
>through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
>and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
>water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
>ask you, why don't we use this water?
>
>RobGN.


Convinence. I have a whole faucet full of water available in my home
already, store bought water costs more and has to be hauled home. The
dechlor is the only thing I do to my water, and I do that by squirting
what I think is the appropriate ammount into the tank when I begin to
fill it.

[Koi-lo]

"RobGN" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>A buddy came over this evening and we started talking about fish after
> he saw my tank. He asked me a question that I had never really put any
> thought, and don't have an answer to either, other than to say that,
> "It's not done that way." Here is his question: "Instead of going
> through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
> and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
> water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
> ask you, why don't we use this water?
==============================
Who wants to haul water home from the store at $.90 a gallon when they have
water right in their homes? I have 7 tanks set up, two of them being 55g
each. You do the math........
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Empty]

On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 21:30:56 -0800, RobGN wrote:

> procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I ask you, why don't
> we use this water?

I used to buy water for changes at the stoor for my 2.5G nanoreef (I
needed distilled) and even THAT was a PITA. A $5 bottle of prime(this is
the small expensive one) will treat 1,000 gallons of water, and it comes
with a hose so I don't have to lug it around.

~Empty

[Fishman]

240 gal tank
20% water changes every 2 weeks
90 cents a gallon

Hobbies are expected to be expensive, but that kind of an expense is
unnecessary.

Fishman

"RobGN" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> A buddy came over this evening and we started talking about fish after
> he saw my tank. He asked me a question that I had never really put any
> thought, and don't have an answer to either, other than to say that,
> "It's not done that way." Here is his question: "Instead of going
> through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
> and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
> water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
> ask you, why don't we use this water?
>
> RobGN.
>

[Eric]

On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 23:30:56 -0600, RobGN wrote
(in article . com>):

> A buddy came over this evening and we started talking about fish after
> he saw my tank. He asked me a question that I had never really put any
> thought, and don't have an answer to either, other than to say that,
> "It's not done that way." Here is his question: "Instead of going
> through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
> and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
> water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
> ask you, why don't we use this water?

If you have more than a ten gallon tank it will cost you a lot of money.
That's the most obvious reason.

-E

[Jürgen Exner]

RobGN wrote:
> Instead of going
> through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
> and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
> water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
> ask you, why don't we use this water?

Did you ever compare the price of tap water with bottled water?
Besides, who wants to haul crates and crates of bottled water?

jue

[jim]

"RobGN" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>A buddy came over this evening and we started talking about fish after
> he saw my tank. He asked me a question that I had never really put any
> thought, and don't have an answer to either, other than to say that,
> "It's not done that way." Here is his question: "Instead of going
> through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
> and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
> water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
> ask you, why don't we use this water?
>
> RobGN.
>

In addition to the cost, your tap is a single source of water with
consistent parameters. Who knows if two batches of spring water are even
from the same spring. Different purchases of water may have radically
different hardness (GH, KH) and pH.

[David C. Stone]

In article >, jim
> wrote:

> "RobGN" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> >A buddy came over this evening and we started talking about fish after
> > he saw my tank. He asked me a question that I had never really put any
> > thought, and don't have an answer to either, other than to say that,
> > "It's not done that way." Here is his question: "Instead of going
> > through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
> > and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
> > water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
> > ask you, why don't we use this water?
> >
> > RobGN.
> >
>
> In addition to the cost, your tap is a single source of water with
> consistent parameters. Who knows if two batches of spring water are even
> from the same spring.

Even if they are, there can be variations between batches, depending on
season, rainfall, etc.

Different purchases of water may have radically
> different hardness (GH, KH) and pH.

They do, if you're talking different brands. There are variations
within the same brand too.

I know, because I've had students analysing different brands of bottled
water for the last three years (along with tap and fish tank water.)

[fish lover]

125 g tank, 40% water change twice per week. That's about 100 g per
weel. At $.90 per g, that's about $90 of water per week! $4700 per
year!

Have you ever tryng to carry more than 20 G of water? It may break
your back.

I guess for small tank, it may be OK. YOu still have to test the water
each time since you may have different water parms each time, even for
the same brand. Also, spring water may not be the proper ph level you
want. You still have to adjust the ph level anyway. The only thing you
may be able to skip is decholrination.. Consider what you just paid
for, I don't think it is workable for most people with bigger tanks.
>A buddy came over this evening and we started talking about fish after
>he saw my tank. He asked me a question that I had never really put any
>thought, and don't have an answer to either, other than to say that,
>"It's not done that way." Here is his question: "Instead of going
>through all the trouble of dechlorinating, pH testing, conditionning,
>and preparing water prior to filling an initial tank, and for each
>water change procedure, why not use store-bought spring water?" So I
>ask you, why don't we use this water?
>
>RobGN.

[[email protected]]

Hi Robin,
Aside from the obvious expense of using store bought water, there are some
other considerations. The lady at my local aquarium store told me a few
more things to consider. If you use the water from your own tap, there
will be a very consistant chemistry to the water supply for public water
systems. Great care is taken by professionals to ensure that your water
has the same or very close levels of hardness, buffering, ph and other
variables. Bottled water may also be consistant, but be certain you buy
the same brand all the time. There is a wide variation from brand to
brand. And spring water is significantly different from distilled water.
Distilled water lacks and and all traces of minerals and ionic particles.
I was told that these are needed by the "bio bugs" that act as a filter.
So using pure distilled water is counterproductive. Some of these trace
elements are also useful to your fish.
I went through a health phase a while back, and considered using only
distilled water. I asked my doctor about it for human use. He told me that
he would definately recomend against it. Humans need the trace elements
found in tap water, that is why the water filtration operators leave some
of that stuff in there. In fact, they actually supplement the water with
trace elements in some areas of the country where certain elements are
lacking in the natural water supply.
Do a bit of research on this topic, and you'll find a LOT of information
aroung the internet. I've only scratched the surface myself, so I can't
give you the exact data and scientific explanation for all of it. I do know
that I am going to stick with my local tap water and dechlor. It's working
so far, and I don't plan to fix what "aint broke"

--
With all due respect
Kevin

[[email protected]]

Thank you "Kevin" for your original and insightful material. It was
very helpful to me.

PEACE

LaChupacabre

[A Man]

I would use about 10 gallons per week. At $.90 per gallon, that's $9 per
week, or $36 per month. For $36 per month I can have satellite tv, and I'd
rather have sat. TV.

BTW, a bottle of dechlor costs less than $3 and I have had mine for 6 months.
I believe it is still 2/3 full. So it is good for at least another 6 months
if I don't get more tanks and don't do more water changes than currently.

--
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