top off

[tamanning]

I'm probably opening a can of worms but, I use rain water to top off my reef. Most of you guys are rodi and oh rodi just in case. I figure if it's good enough for the ocean it's good enough for my tank. Does anyone else use rain water?

 

[Zach B]

If it is collected off a regular roof using asphalt shingles, it can contain some pretty nasty stuff. Other wise I’m not sure, if collected in a clean manner it may be ok???

 

[Zach B]

It would be interesting to see the tds of the rain water. I’m not sure what it would contain either, could be pollutants, etc

 

[tamanning]

If it is collected off a regular roof using asphalt shingles, it can contain some pretty nasty stuff. Other wise I’m not sure, if collected in a clean manner it may be ok???

no shingles involved no paint no oily or greasy substances or at least none floating on top. I have a white food grade 55 gallon drum in the shade most of the day and has a black plastic top to keep critters out of it. I do most of my own testing but from time to time I take sample to top shelf and Living reef Orlando for confirmation.

 

[fachatga]

I can’t really answer intelligently but my first reaction is that a rainstorm in the ocean is less than a single drop in a fish tank and some nastiness in rainwater could effect a tank while the ocean wouldn’t even notice.

 

[tamanning]

It would be interesting to see the tds of the rain water. I’m not sure what it would contain either, could be pollutants, etc

I have total dissolved solids meter and my rain water tests better than the drinking water. last test was .02

 

[moreef]

Interesting, but my thoughts would be dilution is solution to pollution. We can’t compare our tiny boxes of water to the oceans.

 

[tamanning]

I can’t really answer intelligently but my first reaction is that a rainstorm in the ocean is less than a single drop in a fish tank and some nastiness in rainwater could effect a tank while the ocean wouldn’t even notice.

Interesting. I never really thought of it that way. But by the time you figure in run off river flow and the like a lot of nasty stuff ends up in the ocean and yet it somehow deals with it.

 

[tamanning]

Interesting, but my thoughts would be dilution is solution to pollution. We can’t compare our tiny boxes of water to the oceans.

no we can't but I thought our whole idea was to emulate the ocean as closely as possible.

 

[Acros]

That is interesting. Some people here use treated tap water, so your water might be better than that.

I don’t think we can emulate the ocean in a glass box no matter how hard we try. We don’t have nearly the same biodiversity as the ocean, in a reef tank.

 

[tamanning]

That is interesting. Some people here use treated tap water, so your water might be better than that.

I don’t think we can emulate the ocean in a glass box no matter how hard we try. We don’t have nearly the same biodiversity as the ocean, in a reef tank.

Never perfect but, I am always looking for that better way. Rain water at least here and the way I'm collecting it works for me and my tank. Like I say it tests better than the tap even after a filter but I drink from the filter my tank gets better water than my family does!

 

[Gtinnel]

I'd be afraid of the rain water taking in some pollution from the air as it falls. I agree with others that it is impossible to apply rules of how the ocean works to our tanks because we have such a tiny volumes of water.