Re: [APD] Microwaving water for water changes a bad thing?

["Rachel Sandage" <rachelsor at hotmail_com>]

David Noal wrote,

I've read in more than one place that heavy metals can be found in
greater quantity in water that's been in the hot water tank over  the
tap water used to fill it. This might be only an issue for salt-water
reef tanks, I really don't know for sure.

Which brought up two questions in my mind. 

First, I use Aq. Pharm.'s tap water conditioner, which as I understand it is nothing more than 
sodium thiosulfate. It does nothing about the ammonia part of chloramine, but our water treatment plant uses chlorine only, so that's not a problem for me. But it also says, "detoxifies heavy metals". If it does this, then it seems to me that the heavy metal problem is not a problem.

Second, where do these heavy metals come from? Cold water comes into the water heater, so as it heats up it is able to hold more "things" in solution. Is it leaching heavy metals from the lining of the water heater? Or is this a holdover from the days when lead was used in pipes and things? I find it hard to believe that water heaters which leach heavy metals are able to be sold, but then, I can be too trusting.

Well, I've always wondered. FWIW I use tapwater straight from the faucet, set to the correct temperature, and dumped into the tank along with a dose of tap water conditioner. I do 75% water changes weekly or every other week in my 10, 29, and 72 gallon tanks, and have only seen a problem once, when the water was about 10 degrres F too cold and took out almost all my cardinal tetras, but no other fish.

rs
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