Q's regarding rain water

[CHINABOY1021]

Where can i buy R/O water? or is it not possible if i dont do it myself.

A question about collecting rain water, I'm living in a new house with new rain drains on the roof, but how can i collect safe rain water to use in my tank. thanks!

oh yea, can fish survive in soft water? lower the better? or certain requirement. thanks

[ChilDawg]

Here's the deal. Your LFS, should they have SW tanks, likely carries RO water. Also, many grocery stores carry them in taps which they have labeled RO/DI. You can bring your own jugs (usually) and only get charged for the H2O, or you can buy a jug from them.

I buy distilled H2O for my tank by the bottle at a drug store. It's $1 (US) per gallon, but it's worth it to me.

[Z Man]

Check you supermarkets or best yet a health store. You can tell it's RO water because you have to fill the 1-gallon jugs yourself. It's quite a large machine. Some charge less if you bring the same jug back for refills. I see them in many stores here in the Buffalo area. That's what I did before I purchased my RO unit.

[ChilDawg]

Part Deux: What sort of fish are we talking?

Know that no fish can live in pure RO water, but some need water processed to that level and then reconstituted (just a little bit), but some can live in plain hard water.

[wetmanNY]

Your local Home Depot-type warehouse store will carry the modern covered rainbarrels, with the spigot, and the by-pass that lets the first flush of rainwater pour away before filling the barrel and other neat modern features.

Some cities will reimburse you part of the cost.



My apartment building has a flat tar roof: no way Hosea!

[thom336]

Originally posted by CHINABOY1021
oh yea, can fish survive in soft water? lower the better? or certain requirement. thanks

Every fish has different requirements, and like Matt said, no fish can live in pure RO, you have to have a part Ro, part tapwater mix. It all depends on your type of fish...some prefer hard water, some soft, some like to 'sit on the bench' in the middle, or so to speak. Each fish has its own individual requirements.

Oh, and you should be able to buy RO water from most good fish stores.

[CHINABOY1021]

to keep water to exact fish requirements, must i have KH AND GH test kits?

I'm getting PH for sure. i think it is not a must to get cycling test kits because i know i will not have nitrate outbreak with 1fish:5plants every 2 weeks.