Humidifier water (was Re: KillieTalk Digest V4 #413)

[Wright Huntley <jwwiii at pacbell_net>]

Joe Weber wrote:

In response to George's:

>> After the last discussion about dehumidifier water I decided to check
>> ours out. We have two units that run on and off in our basement which
>> keeps the basement quite dry. The water checked out with a ph of 6.0 and
>> using a hanna meter the TDS was 20. 

The pH is quite normal for pure water that has reached equilibrium with 
atmospheric CO2 (making weak carbonic acid).

The 20 ppm tds is puzzling. I would test some real DI or distilled water 
to see how close to zero it reads. You are dumping lots of room air 
through the system, so it will inevitably pick up some stuff. Do you have 
a BS hatchery going in the same room? That can add salt dust to the 
atmosphere, I suspect.


>> The coils on both of my units appear
>> to be aluminum. I don't think this would be harmful to the fish and
>> seems like a good way to get water that is close to RO water although it
>> appears to be more acid. By combining it with tap water should reduce
>> the acidity to what ever is desired. Any comments are appreciated.

Even a tiny bit of tap water will push the pH right up to tap levels. You 
may need more than that for adequate osmotic-pressure relief and for 
enough buffering to keep things stable. Tds between 50 and 125 seems ideal 
for most softer-water fishes, as long as all of it is not Ca and Mg salts. 
The low pH isn't inherently harmful. I have lost track of how many fish I 
bred at below pH=5, but many folks are still terrified of the infamous "pH 
Crash.". It is usually accompanied by so much fish crap that they die from 
the pollution. The pH probably has very little to do with it. :-)

It's a logic error that goes under the Latin name of "Post hoc, ergo 
propter hoc." Meaning, "After this, therefore because of this."

>> George
> 
> 
> George, I used dehumidifier water for about 5 years on the elegans 
> group, A. elberti Foumbam (sp?)and A. maculatum. The various elegans 
> species were into their 4th generation or more.  The last two species 
> were in their 3rd and 2nd generations respectively.
> 
> The coils on my unit also appear to be aluminum.  There seems to be no 
> adverse effect when using this water, although I do only use it about 
> 50-50 with my hard tap water.
> 
> Joe Weber
> 
> 



-- 
Wright Huntley -- 209 521-0557 -- 731 Loletta Ave, Modesto CA 95351

"The main political divide of our time is between those who trust
   the state and those who do not." -- Alberto Mingardi

                  http://www.sfbaka.net/


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