creek water

bob1962

AC Members
Sep 3, 2005
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Woodstock NY
Has any one ever used water from a creek or a lake to set up a new aquarium? I have considered using it if I get a new aquarium. Seems the water could be perfectly balanced? Would just need a little filtration and you could put the fish in imediatley. Let me know your thoughts or experiences on this.
 
Kasakato said:
It would probably be filled with garbage and toxic chemicals from run offs. Look at what people put on their lawn, and wash their car with.

Well, the creek is self cleaning, besides it is in the catskills, not in the intercity, runs off a resivoir. I will do a nitrate test on it when I get a chance.
 
Nope. The beneficial bacteria that allow aquariums to function are, by and large, not free swimming in the water column. This is why moving water from an established tank to a new one has little if any effect. The water from a creek increases the potential for disease or parasites to be imported, and without knowing the full story of the water upstream, potential contaminants (heavy metals, salinity, etc). There's no such thing as 'balanced' water. Waters will vary in terms of chemical composition, ranigng from high to low pH, KH, and GH--may be appropriate for your choice of fish, may not work, but the same can be said of tapwater. At least with tapwater you know that you aren't importing giardea to your home.
 
OrionGirl said:
Nope. The beneficial bacteria that allow aquariums to function are, by and large, not free swimming in the water column.

Ok makes sense, but did any one ever try it?
 
Yes, actually...My boss and a number of coworkers tried it for a native species tank they were setting up. It didn't work--they used 100% water from the creek they netted the fish from. Within 2 days, a 180 gallon tank, with 5 4-6 inch fish had ammonia levels of about 5-6 ppm. None of the fish survived.
 
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