supasi Posted May 10, 2009 Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 A bizzare request. Just want to see what other are using to collect rainwater. I want some ideas for my set up. Pics would be great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted May 10, 2009 Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 Mine probably wont help. Our spouting is leaking, so I have a big 50L bucket under the drip. I empty it when it gets full into the 200L drum. When the drum gets full, I do a big water change. The dripping is annoying as hell, but it's far away from my room so I'm happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwiplymouth Posted May 10, 2009 Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 This is one of my two being delivered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted May 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 This is one of my two being delivered Im assuming that is for house supply? I am more looking at collection methods for fishkeeping purposes Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Im assuming that is for house supply? I am more looking at collection methods for fishkeeping purposes Cheers And he's going to be filling his tanks straight from the house tap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 This is one of my two being delivered Nice house! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Nice house! :lol: Funny, i was thinking just the same thing :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwiplymouth Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Thanks guy's, We fell in love with it as soon as we saw it and just had to have it. It already had 30,000 litres of rain water storage tanks but I added another 50,000 litres of capacity because of the number kids and fish tanks that we have. Having the rain water is great but it does have it's draw backs, mainly it's low mineral content and lack of buffering capability both of which we have to compensate for but is relatively easy to do without chemicals and expensive lfs products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaffen Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Thread hijack alert!!! :bounce: Could you please go into detail? I'm about to get an RO unit and was about to start scouring the web for just this info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted May 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Thread hijack alert!!! :bounce: Could you please go into detail? I'm about to get an RO unit and was about to start scouring the web for just this info! To be honest you would prob have more responces if you start a new thread. As people browsing will not see your post unless they read mine. In other words, naff off and get your own thread jokes Actually its something Id be interested in knowing. I believe using a small amount of shell grit will help buffer the water, correct me if Im wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwiplymouth Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Thread hijack alert!!! :bounce: Could you please go into detail? I'm about to get an RO unit and was about to start scouring the web for just this info! Ok, So this is what I do and it works well for me. Having said that, I'm sure that others may disagree or have other solutions. As for buffering (and also adding minerals as a beneficial side effect). I try to make sure that each tank has some substrate or rock feature with a good calcium/limestone content. I have found that the amount buffering that i get from this alone is not enough when i factor in weekly 20% water changes so i also add shells or shell grit to each tank or sump or canister filter to help take up the slack. My PH still never gets over 7.2 but i no longer have the wild swings that i used to get. To help with the mineral deficiency I use a trace element mix that I get at a really good price from HaNs. Just a sprinkle every water change. I'm sure that its not the perfect solution for the perfectionists out there but my water parameters are now way more stable, my fish are happier and it all cost next to nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Ok, So this is what I do and it works well for me. Having said that, I'm sure that others may disagree or have other solutions. As for buffering (and also adding minerals as a beneficial side effect). I try to make sure that each tank has some substrate or rock feature with a good calcium/limestone content. I have found that the amount buffering that i get from this alone is not enough when i factor in weekly 20% water changes so i also add shells or shell grit to each tank or sump or canister filter to help take up the slack. My PH still never gets over 7.2 but i no longer have the wild swings that i used to get. To help with the mineral deficiency I use a trace element mix that I get at a really good price from HaNs. Just a sprinkle every water change. I'm sure that its not the perfect solution for the perfectionists out there but my water parameters are now way more stable, my fish are happier and it all cost next to nothing. I use large doses of a water additive known as ignorance is bliss... I haven't tested any of my water in years. I probably should... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 do you rely on your fish telling you when the water needs changing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaffen Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 In other words, naff off and get your own thread jokes Actually its something Id be interested in knowing. I believe using a small amount of shell grit will help buffer the water, correct me if Im wrong. In a feeble attempt to un-hijack the thread (supasi scares me!), is rainwater collected off the roof of a suburban house OK for tropical aquarium use? I was cleaning the gutter the other day, and it got me wondering about micro flora and fauna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 do you rely on your fish telling you when the water needs changing? Why would I need use a test kit to tell me a week has passed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Why would I need use a test kit to tell me a week has passed? That made me laugh out loud. I use water collected from my gutter, and we haven't cleaned the gutter in years. My fish are alive, water is a bit low pH (6.5-6.7) but otherwise its all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaffen Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 I guess it was a dumb question, considering people live off roof-collected tank water. But man, the gunk in my gutter looked nasty . Oh well, it's a moot point cos I'm going RO :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 I guess it was a dumb question, considering people live off roof-collected tank water. But man, the gunk in my gutter looked nasty . Oh well, it's a moot point cos I'm going RO :bounce: Ignorance is bliss. Never forget that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Bliss is getting your self another forgetting about the other one? Isnt it? Anyway if you are going to be buffering with grit some "purists" might also suggest that you need to "react" that grit with air or co2 to stop the build up of "slime" on the surface of the grit and slow/stop its release of minerals etc. Or you could just take Iras advice Navarre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaffen Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Damn it, now I've got that song stuck in my head One of the things that attracted me to this forum when I was starting out was the lack of purists. Some of the U.S forums were waaaaay over the top. Things like "If you clean the outside of your tank" (and god forbid if you call it a tank instead of an aquarium) " with glass cleaner, the 12 molecules of ammonia that make it into the tank will kill all your fish" Listen to Ira, what are you crazy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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