# Using rain water



## ShawnMcc (Apr 16, 2007)

Now if I want to use rain water in my aquarium what should I do to treat the water before I put it in. Anything or just the usual water treatment chemical.


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

If you are collecting it as direct run off off a clean source you don;t need to treat it all. I have collected rain water this way in clean 5 gallon buckets and used it and did not treat with dechlor as it should have no chlorine. If you are getting it off a roof or other "unclean" surface I would be leary to use it at all because it could collect pesticides and other unhealthy residue.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

If you live near the industrial areas, rainwater is not the best water you can used. It is likely to have been contaminated by pollutants.


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## leifthebunny (Mar 13, 2007)

Lupin said:


> If you live near the industrial areas, rainwater is not the best water you can used. It is likely to have been contaminated by pollutants.


Or in southern California


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## mHeinitz57 (Jun 9, 2007)

yup, I just moved here from San Diego and LA and there is no way I would use rain water, lol.


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## Trishfish (Feb 18, 2007)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't rain water very soft and acid?


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Trishfish said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't rain water very soft and acid?


It is.


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

Mine here runs about a pH of 6.8-7 and soft isn't the word for it. As long as I don't set my buckets out the first night there is nothing in it. I did test the first rainfall after a lng dry spell and I will never use water like that again. pH was 5.8 and was almost a milky blue for some reason. After 3 hours or so of good heavy rain it changed back to normal and was crystal clear.


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