[PeteyPob]

Any negative serious effects on using rain water for water changes? As far as I know we dont have an issue with acid rain o that such.
Shoudl I test pH, and the rest of the params of the water before using?


I dont plan on making it a regular deal. We are getting a good amount of rain and I have my buckets outside collecting mother natures gift

 

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

Im wondering as well???

 

[NewMariner]

Theres nothing wrong with using rainwater, as that is what the fish live in anyway..

However I would be suspect of how you collect it. If you get the runoff from the roof of your house then its running over shingles, which if you have typical asphalt shingles specs of asphalt do come off and get into your tank. I would be very careful as to have very clean buckets and collect rainwater from out in the yard away from trees/houses, anything the rain could runoff and potentially contaminate..

 

[mistergreen]

I might be wrong but rain water is pretty much like distilled water.. No dectable KH & GH. You might have to add some calcium & Mg to your plant's & fish's liking. Good thing is you don't have to worry about chlorine & heavy metals.

Yeah, just watch for runoffs.. And I hear texas is pretty polluted.

 

[tundragirl]

i use rainwater in my shrimp tanks and I started my angel tank with rainwater here(WI) is damn near perfect. My angels came from soft water and so I slowly acclimated them to hard water using varing amounts of rainwater. They are now in my full hard water.
I have been using it since last summer with no ill effects on either the shrimp or angels. Someone in WRAPFK uses it for here CRS-and no problems there either.

 

[crazie.eddie]

I doubt rainwater water would be close to distilled, since it would probably contain acids from the polutants in the area. I would check the water parameters of the rainwater and your tap water to make sure there's no big difference. If there is, then I would add the rain water slowly.

 

[Glouglou]

Used of rainwater...

No Kh, No GH and mostly really acid 6.5 and lower.

avantage of rain water:

Free

Disadvantage:
• You cannot be sure of the amount you will collect
• Can become less than perfect if not collected rapidly
• Some pollutant
• Inconsistant chemistry

 

[boink]

Do not use rainwater. It is true that it is kind of like distlled water. But when it falls from the sky, it will collect any dust, particles or pollutants on the way down

 

[mistergreen]

especially in LA