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Using Brita Filter for aquarium

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37K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  Ron_E  
#1 ·
Since my tank is cycling and I got no fish to look at so I was bored and did some water testing with the brita filter I use to filter my tap water for drinking. I found that it has no effect on ammonia in my tap water (0.5PPM from tap), but does lower my pH alot, my tap water pH is probably above 9 (city water report 9.4 average), the water drop all the way down to the mid 7 ph after just a quick run through the filter. The brita pitcher also stated that it filters heavy metals, chlorine taste and order. My question is, can I use the brita filter to lower my pH along with prime before I put in my aquarium? Are there any other pros/cons for using the brita filter?

Again, thanks in advance for any advice.
 
#4 ·
I believe there's some confusion here on the Brita Filters. Brita makes different products, the most common being the pitcher type where you fill the top part of the filter, water trickles through the water cartridge(which to me looks like activated carbon), and into the pitcher for drinking. The filter cartridge filters out some contaminates, but nothing near that of a RODI system.
 
#5 ·
You can but expensive. Your TDS should be 0, with 0 GH, and more importantly, 0 kH and no minerals.
If you want to use it in your tank you will need to remineralize it.
Most Brita filters sold are basic carbon filters to improve test and remove organics. Britt does sell RO systems but I don't believe that is about.

If it is a basic filter system it is OK to use. However if it is a RO system remineralize the water with a sulfate GH booster such as Sachem Equilibrium or nilocg GH booster.
 
#7 ·
Brita "pitcher" filters reduce copper, mercury, zinc, chlorine, cadmium, lead, asbestos, and benzene, as per their User Guide. Most of that stuff should not be in your tap to begin with. I cannot find any claims to lower pH.
If you home has copper pipes you will have copper in your water. My tap water has 0.06ppm of copper in it. Some older homes actually have Lead pipes. Water utilities are required to add stuff to the water to limit corrosion of pipes. A few years ago flint Michigan decided to stop adding corrosion inhibiters to the water to save money. Lead pipes started to corrode and people got sick. Eventually people found out and some people in the water utility convicted . Flint is now replacing lead pipes with Copper. They hope to be finished in a couple of years. Orthophosphate is frequently added to water to inhibit corrosion of pipes.

Chlorine is commonly used to kill bacteria in water. There is a 99% chance chlorine is in the northern california water you drink.

Abestos is a type of rock found in nature. Some Well water is sometimes rich in asbestos and or, arsenic and some heavy metals .

Zinc is a plant nutrient and is typically found in small amount in streams and rivers. Cadmium Mercury can also come from rocks or pollution. Benzene is present in gasoline. Small spills from cars and motor boats can often result in very small amounts in drinking water.

Water utilities do what they can to minimize these contaminates so that the water is safe to drink. But problems can and do occur from time to time and sometimes the contaminate levels go up. Water utilities often test their water to catch and correct problems before you know about them. Some small community water utilities only provide suitable for hygiene, cleaning and gardening and recommend that you do not drink it.

I don't know why his PH dropped so much. We simply don't know enough about the filter and what was in the water to determine that