Re: [Killietalk] Rain water vs. tap water

[Charles Harrison <charles at inkmkr_com>]

> All this talk about water quality made me think to ask y'all (Yes I'm in the
> south!) a question. 
>
> I started building a pond this summer.  When I put tap water in it, it turns
> to pea soup in about 4 days.  (Tap comes from the Tennessee River via the
> local water treatment plant.  It is pretty soft, but I don't know any
> numbers.)  When I let it fill with rain water it stays clear for weeks.  I
> figure that the theoretically "distilled water" coming from the sky has no
> (or less) nutrients than the river water.

	A part of your mucking up comes from the sodium in the tap 
water. Sodium compounds are more soluble in general than those of 
Calcium in the soil, etc. This helps to bring more nutrients into the 
water, most notably Phosphates. If you have soil in your pond, Sodium 
helps to keep the particulates in suspension (Ref. adding Gypsum to 
soil to break up the clay and make things stay put).

But is the aquarium structure where you can remove the particulates, 
the sodium can be a partner.

The Very Best Water you can have is the Water you have MOST OF. You 
will tend to change water more often when you don't have to go make 
it or wish it would rain to produce it.

Stick with your tap water, take out the Chlorine and plan on changing 
as much of your water as often as you can.

Charles H

> My question is: Which water should I use in my killi and other tanks?  (I
>
> Thanks!
> John Hladky
> Huntsville, AL

--

Charles H. Harrison, Ph. D.
AtLasta Specialty Ink, Inc.
4600 South Square Dr.
High Ridge, MO 63049
(636) 677-5353
Fax (636) 677-3813
http://www.InkForYourPrinter.com

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