Bilbo Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Would like some thoughts on a water change system I started to make. Its kind of a reverse sump idea for fresh water. In the attic I have a Dehumidifier that produces around 10 Ltrs of water per day. I want to feed that water into an 18" tank with filtration equipment, peat and a heater. It will have an overflow from that to the 150Ltr tank and of course an overflow from that tank to waste. Its approximately 8% water change daily. From that what have I forgotten? Why will it/wont it work? Tank has Discus, Ram's, some Tetras and a few other fish that like soft water and will shortly be having a DIY CO2 unit fitted for plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Bilbo, is the water that comes from this, at any time in touch with zinc,(galvanising), or copper? Any oxidising metal contacts? If so, it will not be suitable for a fish tank. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 copper should soften the water up, ha ha haaa! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 someone told me once it was tainted with aluminium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midas Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 It probably has been condensed on a metal surface (ie inside the dehumidifier). I would say aluminium is the most likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Well it was a good idea. Actually maybe it wasnt. Thanks guys. Could have made a total balls up on that one, pleased I asked now I got the idea from http://www.floridadriftwood.com/water_changer.htm .Maybe they have modified the unit by painting or plastic dipping?? or maybe they dont care about the alloy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 I don't think aluminum is toxic. Except some suspected links with alzheimers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Surely what you get off the radiator can't be that bad. If you accept tap water (sans chlorine) then the metal content off the radiator is going to be far lower than that (albeit different metals). Similarly for rain-water off a galvanised roof. The surface area and length of time the water is in contact with the radiator doesn't amount to much by comparison. I will add the caveat that my experience with dehumidifiers was some time ago, but they are a great source of a steady stream of water at volumes that should suit a fish tank just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 So thats a yes or a no. Or maybe a try and see what happens? I have been using Dehumid water for ages but never stopped to think what the elements were made of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 Bilbo, I like your try and see attitude. Could be a fairly drasic one tho. Let's know how things go, "Might not happen straight away, but it will happen" Change the "will" to "may" Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Bilbo, if you've already used the water for the tanks then you have probably already done everything you're going to do to the fish. I say go for it (the paranoid person would only hook it to one tank at first though). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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