Re: Water conditions - Newcastle Australia

Elaine T <eetmail-aquaria@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in
news:Q1p5e.795$RQ7.627@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 

> 
> Rainwater has it's own pitfalls since it brings fine particles and 
> pollution down with it.  You will also have to purchase buffers to
> make the rainwater suitable for your fish as rainwater is extremely
> soft and has no buffering capacity.
> 
> Oz thought he lost fish from rainwater bringing down jet fuel.  In
> parts of the US, rain contains sulfuric acid from coal emissions.  I
> noticed that sometimes my fish were stressed after a half
> rainwater/half tapwater water change so I think that even my strategy
> of waiting until a storm is partway through to start collecting may
> not be good enough. Like Oz, I'm fairly close to an air****t and a
> major freeway as well. 
> 
> HTH, and again I'm sorry about your fish.
> 

I wouldn't think rainwater coming off a roof would be that great either.  
I've been told in the past to let the water "age" a bit if you can smell 
clorine straight from the tap.  See if the local bakery sells the buckets 
their filling comes in.  I've picked several of them in the past.  These 
are the same buckets as paint buckets, but have never had paint in them.

The declorinator in the fish store works pretty well too, at least here in

Las Vegas.

Another effective way is to buy distilled water at the grocery store.  But

even buying the store brand can get expensive with a large tank.  

Carl