rain water

[corymaniac]

Good afternoon,

I'm curious: does anybody else use (partial) rainwater for their water changes?
If yes: Do you life in an urban or rural area? Do you give any kind of treatment to the rainwater prior to usage? if you use pure rainwater, how do you keep ph stable?

I'm using half rain water half tap in my Corydoras panda tanks. The tap water has gh 12, kh 10 and ph 7,5. After mixing it with rain water I end up with gh 7, KH 6, ph 7.
I live in a rural area and collect the rainwater from our roof into 2 300 L tubs. if possible I try to avoid collection during the first 30 or so minutes of a rainfall or when its raining only slightly.
After a water change I mix rain water from the collecting tubs with fresh tap water, add some water treatment powder (I think it contains zeolite and montmorillonite) and let it warm up and age until the next water change which is normally between one and five days.

I would very much appreciate to read your experience with rain water or why you don't use any etc.
Cheers,
Lisa

[syno321]

Mixing tap water with rain water should provide enough stability to your water. I do filter my rainwater with activated carbon before using it for water changes for reasons that I think you're aware of.

[synolover]

I live in the suburbs and use rainwater in my tanks. I don't treat it, and haven't noticed any negative effects from that. I don't use only rainwater in any tanks, though.

[corymaniac]

Hello,

Mixing tap water with rain water should provide enough stability to your water.

Yes, I assumed that kh 7 would be more than sufficient as a buffer. I know there are some people using pure rainwater for their Corydoras and wondered how they kept their ph stable

I do filter my rainwater with activated carbon before using it for water changes for reasons that I think you're aware of.

I did the same thing when I first used rain water but found it kind of impractical. May I ask how you do that?

[Jobro]

I use pure rainwater. Live in rural area. No carbon filtration or anything. kh is around 1. seems to be enoughto keep the ph between 5.5 and 7.

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Same for me, 100% rain-water. I live in a rural area just east of Bath in the UK, and our rain-water naturally has some carbonate buffering.

Have a look at "using rainwater" (viewtopic.php?f=4&t=37711).

cheers Darrel

[MChambers]

I use rainwater, and I live in Washington DC (urban area). I don’t treat it. I usually mix it with at least 25% tap water.

[syno321]

[quote=corymaniac post_id=308016 time=1507479059 user_id=33716]think you're aware of.[/quote]
I did the same thing when I first used rain water but found it kind of impractical. May I ask how you do that?
[/quote]
With a H.O.T. Magnum filter. It is hang-on-the-side power filter that can be used with a fluted filter cartridge for polishing water, or with a chamber that you can use whatever media you want ie; zeolite, carbon, etc.

[corymaniac]

Hi everyone,

With a H.O.T. Magnum filter. It is hang-on-the-side power filter that can be used with a fluted filter cartridge for polishing water, or with a chamber that you can use whatever media you want ie; zeolite, carbon, etc.

Thank you, I 'll see if i can get something similar.

I usually mix it with at least 25% tap water.

Once my Corys are showing spawning behavior (but not before the end of winter) I might switch to 75% rain water as well or even to pure rain water with an occasional bit of tap to ensure some carbonate buffering.
Thanks everyone, i am very glad that nobody seems to have had any problems with the use of rain water.

Cheers,
Lisa