Using Rain Water in Aquariums?

mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
This thread, in particular MAB's second post,

http://www.capitalcichlids.org/forums/showthread.php?p=70921#post70921

got me to thinking once again about the possibility of using rainwater in one or more of my aquariums. I know that some folks find it very helpful in breeding corys.

Under what conditions is it safe to use rain water? I've seen folks recommend against it if you have asphalt shingles (as I do), due to concern about chemicals leaching. I've been skeptical of the leaching argument, but not so skeptical as to take a chance.

What about rain off of a metal roof, especially copper? Is it likely that you'd get copper in the rainwater?

Do you need to boil it? Is it soft water? What is the typical PH of rainwater?

I've got two rain barrels and would like to use water from them (assuming it ever rains again in the DC area).

Discuss.
 
S

sabbath

Members
I have used rainwater extensively. In fact in the breeding of A. diplotainea and A. barlowi, it was absolutely essential. I used it right off the roof, collected directly via a downspout from the gutter into a plastic drum. I allowed it to settle as there is usually some type of debris, and pumped the top 3/4 of the water into another drum. I then heated and filtered it with carbon for 48 hours before use. I used 100% rainwater in my apisto and other softwater tanks. One word of warning, rainwater is likely to be quite acidic with no buffer, you need to keep an eye on it and make sure the Ph doesn't crash on you. Regular water changes are absolutely essential. I lost some very nice fish to that very occurrence.

Rainwater is really great to get those wild softwater species to spawn, but it does take a bit more work. I prefer it to RO as there is no waste or huge water bill involved in it's use. If it is too acidic you can mix it with some tap or use some trace elements to bring it up.
 
Sonny Disposition

Sonny Disposition

Active Member
I've used rainwater for at least ten years. I've bred cory paleatus, laser green aeneus, albino aeneus, cory sterbai, and brochis splendens in it. I also kept a colony of black banded sunfish going for three generations, as well as a couple of species of Elassoma.

I don't do anything with it, other than collecting it in a fifty gallon tub from my downspout, and letting the leaves and other sediment settle out of it.
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
Thanks to both of you. Sounds like it is worth trying, if one is careful about PH. Think I'll just use it in addition to tap water, and in relatively small percentages at first.
 
Sonny Disposition

Sonny Disposition

Active Member
I never worry about pH. As long as you do periodic water changes, you should be ok. Most soft water fishes can get down to the 5s without much of a problem. I read of one study that found Enneacanthus chaetodon could get down the 3s.

Francine has a large scale rainwater collection system
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
Do you worry about minerals

Sonny Disposition said:
I never worry about pH. As long as you do periodic water changes, you should be ok. Most soft water fishes can get down to the 5s without much of a problem. I read of one study that found Enneacanthus chaetodon could get down the 3s.

Francine has a large scale rainwater collection system
Click to expand...
Do you add anything to the rainwater, like Seachem's Equilibrium or Replenish?
 
Jumbie

Jumbie

Members
I add my rain water strait to the tank without the use of Prime or anything else. I think rain water works great.
 
B

BlondeFishGal

Members
I keep fish outside during the summer in my 'deck ponds' as I call them.
They spawn and color up beautifully....and once I fill the tubs up at the beginning of the summer, pretty much all they get is rainwater unless we get a drought and I have to top off with tap water.

Lots of breeders in my home club use rainwater. Some run it through carbon first, most don't.

Here's a picture of one of my tubs....

tub-pinkflowers.jpg
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Bump on this old thread.

Since I've setup the 150 with two particularly persnickety eartheaters, I am considering at least doing partial water changes with soft water. From a bit of quick research, there is no real good way to effectively soften water other than rainwater or RO/DI (peat and driftwood have limited effectiveness).

I have an RO/DI setup leftover from reefing days, but it is painfully slow. Terrible making water for a 26 gallon reef, but would be ridiculous for a 150.... So, I'm looking to take advantage of rainy days like today. :)

Anyone know a particularly good place to source a clean 50 gallon plastic drum? Anyone have one lying around?

Also, what is typically done to prevent these barrels from becoming mosquito Club-Med?

During the winter (when it's too cold to collect rainwater) or during periods of no rain during the summer, what do folks do for their water supply? Go with RO/DI or perform water changes with tap water? How bad are these swings in harness/pH for the fish?

Anyone have any pictures of their setup?

Thanks in advance.
 
L

ltrepeter2000

Members
Tony said:
Bump on this old thread.

Since I've setup the 150 with two particularly persnickety eartheaters, I am considering at least doing partial water changes with soft water. From a bit of quick research, there is no real good way to effectively soften water other than rainwater or RO/DI (peat and driftwood have limited effectiveness).

I have an RO/DI setup leftover from reefing days, but it is painfully slow. Terrible making water for a 26 gallon reef, but would be ridiculous for a 150.... So, I'm looking to take advantage of rainy days like today. :)

Anyone know a particularly good place to source a clean 50 gallon plastic drum? Anyone have one lying around?

Also, what is typically done to prevent these barrels from becoming mosquito Club-Med?

During the winter (when it's too cold to collect rainwater) or during periods of no rain during the summer, what do folks do for their water supply? Go with RO/DI or perform water changes with tap water? How bad are these swings in harness/pH for the fish?

Anyone have any pictures of their setup?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Tony:
Use insect screen to cover any holes you have, be it where you removed the entire top, or just drilled/cut a large enough hole for the downspout to enter the can. Use zipties to attach the netting to your downspout, use something similar around the rim of the barrel if you are taking the entire top off or if you just cut a hole, I have seem various methods, drill it into the top with exterior screws, staple it with a staple gun, even seen people glue it in place.

Here is a good link for photos:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/04/5-great-rain-barrel-designs.php?page=2
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
Rain barrels

Tony said:
Anyone know a particularly good place to source a clean 50 gallon plastic drum? Anyone have one lying around?

Also, what is typically done to prevent these barrels from becoming mosquito Club-Med?

During the winter (when it's too cold to collect rainwater) or during periods of no rain during the summer, what do folks do for their water supply? Go with RO/DI or perform water changes with tap water? How bad are these swings in harness/pH for the fish?
Click to expand...

I have two rain barrels, both of which I got cheap through special DC programs to reduce runoff into the Bay. You might look for something in your (more civilized) area.

If there are bottling plants in your area, they might have old barrels. My first rain barrel was recycled from a Pepsi bottling plant, or something like that. If you can't find something cheap, some hardware stores have rain barrels for sale, but they won't be cheap.

Not sure what I will do this winter. Think I may have to gradually get my fish used to tap water, through a series of small water changes. I've only got one tank in which I use much rain water. I sometimes use some in the other tanks to encourage cory breeding, but not a large amount.

I agree about the screen, but did find mosquito larva in my rain barrels this summer. I added some mosquito dunk pellets, which are advertised as fish safe. Didn't seem to hurt my fish.
 
B

Buckcich

Members
Tony look up youtube. They have a ton of different set-ups, from 20 gal to 20,000 gal. From collecting rainwater outside, to collecting indoors (specially good for the winter and/or mosquitos concerns) Very good ideas and simple.
 
mscichlid

mscichlid

Founder
If you can, get more than one barrell to daisy chain them together. Uniseals from Aquatic Ecosystems... Connect the barrels at the bottom to take advantage of gravity. Since your ground is higer than your fishroom you've got it made. Use a hose to collect it to a barrell downstairs. One draw will get the siphon started. It's getting cold soon so you'll have to heat it eventually. In the winter I crack the ice and drop in my pump.

I use to use a micron filter in a Magnum 350, but stop doing it years ago. All I do now is put a mesh bag or net on the end of the hose to catch debri and mosquito larve.

In the winter, ( in this house) to soften the tap, I'll use spaghnum moss in a canister filter for a few days. Eventually, the fish are all acclimated to my tap.
 
londonloco

londonloco

Members
BlondeFishGal said:
I keep fish outside during the summer in my 'deck ponds' as I call them.
They spawn and color up beautifully....and once I fill the tubs up at the beginning of the summer, pretty much all they get is rainwater unless we get a drought and I have to top off with tap water.

Lots of breeders in my home club use rainwater. Some run it through carbon first, most don't.

Here's a picture of one of my tubs....

tub-pinkflowers.jpg
Click to expand...

I want one, beautiful!!!!!!
 
dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
I've actually never messed with rainwater...and haven't tried to play with pH or other parameters (other than with driftwood/tannins or limestone/calcium carbonate).

KISS for me :)

As an aside, what happened to BlondeFishGal?

Matt
 
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