# Experiment time!!!!!! Opinions please



## Snappyarcher (Aug 6, 2011)

I am setting up a water butt of 100 litres in the back garden to see if i can improve upon the water i put into my trop and fresh water tanks.... this is because we have crappy water from the tap which is full of nitrates and the possibility of RO water filter is nill for now.

SO my question is this: What can i expect to find form the rain water ? or from water that has been left to stand for a week?

Any opinions or ideas welcome!

Thanks Bill


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Is rain water clean water


----------



## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

Reefing Madness said:


> Is rain water clean water


The same question posed on Yahoo! answers: Is rainwater clean??? 

The science behind rain and snow is that water vapor collects on *particulates* in the clouds to become large enough to become rain drops. These raindrops can contain sulfuric acid, nitric acid, dirt and other pollutants. Rain water is potable to a degree, but drinking from fresh lakes and streams is a better alternative as the nitrogen cycle and other natural purifiers make the water cleaner.

A visual:


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

I've never collected rainwater for a tank, but I have tested the rain in my area. From time to time I've found traces of ammonia in it. . . really very sad and disturbing, but something to keep an eye out for. I have a plant bucket out on my back porch over the summertime, and I have found my fair share of mosquito larvae and damselfly nymphs, a fine mesh screen solved that problem right up. Over the course of a WEEK, I didn't have any problems with algal growth, and the plants did very well outside in the sunshine, but after a month or so things started to get slimy in there, so you'll probably want to periodically scrub out and sun-dry the tub.

You know I'm REALLY excited to see how all this works out! Hope you find the information you need to keep your fish safe, and that everything works out how you hope! Good luck, and (of course) please keep us posted!


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Fill it with live plants to purify first?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Olympia said:


> Fill it with live plants to purify first?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 Theres one of those cool ideas.


----------



## Snappyarcher (Aug 6, 2011)

Olympia said:


> Fill it with live plants to purify first?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


The problem with doing that is that there would need to be light which means floaters..... therefore the tank needs to be open and impurities can get in and we are back to square one.


----------



## Snappyarcher (Aug 6, 2011)

Reefing Madness said:


> Theres one of those cool ideas.


Read the original post Reefing.... the oppotunity for RO is nil at the moment.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Snappyarcher said:


> The problem with doing that is that there would need to be light which means floaters..... therefore the tank needs to be open and impurities can get in and we are back to square one.


 No, not entirely, as the plants need these things to thrive, and they should at that. Why no light? Light means floaters?


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Snappyarcher said:


> Read the original post Reefing.... the oppotunity for RO is nil at the moment.


 ?? The Plants clean the water. ?? No need for RO.


----------



## Snappyarcher (Aug 6, 2011)

Reefing Madness said:


> No, not entirely, as the plants need these things to thrive, and they should at that. Why no light? Light means floaters?


The floaters would eb the only plants that would get light in a water butt which is made of green plastic.... any plant in the rest of the water column would not get much light at all.


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Reefing Madness said:


> Theres one of those cool ideas.


LOL! I agree! 

Snappy has high levels of toxins in his tap water, so the original idea (though I'm not sure why he didn't put in the OP?) _WAS_ to have floating plants or stem plants floating in the water in order to attempt to remove the impurities that would be found in the tap OR rainwater, or both, as will probably end up being the case, as the bucket will be outside.

So I think this thread was to figure out what issues might arise from using the rain water that can and will get into the bucket along with the tap water. . .

Snapz, I'm confused as to what the questions on this topic are now. . . 

If you've decided that rainwater is not going to be pure enough to risk putting in your tank, we're back at square one, and I _REALLY_ wish you had a basement to keep the thing indoors and use a light. Perhaps you could keep it in an area - like under the shade of a porch - where it will still get enough lighting to keep the plants healthy, but be protected from much rainwater getting in? My bucket is on my back porch, and the plants thrive, though it is in the shade most of the day.

Using a fine mesh screen will keep the buggies out and let enough light in, but won't do anything for any impurities that the plants can't take care of that might be present in the rain . . . Have you looked into trying to find any local environmental groups? I don't know about there, but around here there _ARE_ people who actually test the rainwater regularly for toxins etc., and keep reports on the health of the local ecosystem. . . something maybe that you could look into? Oftentimes in my area, these groups can be found through the water supply company (they are often hired by the government) and/or through local colleges.

More research is needed for sure, but I'm_ STILL_ really excited about this experiment! So glad you're going to try it. I'd have done it myself, but I'm lucky enough to have nearly perfect water in my tap. Too bad everyone can't be so lucky!


----------



## Snappyarcher (Aug 6, 2011)

Reefing Madness said:


> ?? The Plants clean the water. ?? No need for RO.


Ah ok sorry i misunderstood.... ok so given that floating plants would only occupy the upper , maybe 1/3 of the water column.... and the rest of the column would be in darkness, would the floating plants make that much of a tangible difference?


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

GREAT question! I have no idea!!!

My instinct tells me no because as long as the PLANTS have the sunlight to do their job, it doesn't matter if the water is in light or darkness - or how deep it is.

But you're right, that_ IS_ a deep bucket. The roots_ will _grow long, but not _THAT_ long. Hmmm. . . will they be able to clean beneath their own reach? I don't think I've ever read anything that would give me an idea of exactly how the plants 'eat' that could answer this question for you.

Can't hurt to give the old girl a stir every couple of days, though!!! We still aren't sure how long it'll take the plants to 'clean' that much water anyway. I can't wait for the results of this experiment!


----------



## Snappyarcher (Aug 6, 2011)

Chesherca said:


> GREAT question! I have no idea!!!
> 
> My instinct tells me no because as long as the PLANTS have the sunlight to do their job, it doesn't matter if the water is in light or darkness - or how deep it is.
> 
> ...


The shame of it is that i cnat put a bubbler in to airate the water and stir it up a bit so the water gets circulated more and cleaned more!


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Yeah, I was thinking about that. You_ NEEEEEEEED_ a basement, man!!!


----------



## Talon (Sep 3, 2011)

Snappyarcher said:


> The shame of it is that i cnat put a bubbler in to airate the water and stir it up a bit so the water gets circulated more and cleaned more!


hey i just read the whole two pages of articles about ur question for using rain water and plants in a long deep bucket to purify the water. why cant u have an air stone? small air pump, and a exstention cord should do the trick. Or for that matter why can't u get a small powerhead for the bucket to really move water along. i keep a spare one for when i need to make new salt water for my tank at home?


----------



## beaslbob (Oct 17, 2012)

Snappyarcher said:


> I am setting up a water butt of 100 litres in the back garden to see if i can improve upon the water i put into my trop and fresh water tanks.... this is because we have crappy water from the tap which is full of nitrates and the possibility of RO water filter is nill for now.
> 
> SO my question is this: What can i expect to find form the rain water ? or from water that has been left to stand for a week?
> 
> ...


 
FWIW nitrates should be no problem.

In a fw tank stocked with fast growing plants or a marine system with either an algae turf scrubber or refugium full of macro algaes, both should have unmeasurable nitrates and phosphates plus any jump in ammonia will be consumed before the nitrates as well. So any bumps in the night don't cause dangerous parameter spikes.

So any nitrates or phosphates in your tap water are simply not important. Definately not important enough to start collecting rain water for instance.

my .02


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

beaslbob said:


> FWIW nitrates should be no problem.
> 
> In a fw tank stocked with fast growing plants or a marine system with either an algae turf scrubber or refugium full of macro algaes, both should have unmeasurable nitrates and phosphates plus any jump in ammonia will be consumed before the nitrates as well. So any bumps in the night don't cause dangerous parameter spikes.
> 
> ...


This aint your day Bob. 
I am not Susan, watch your macro algae here dude.


----------

