Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ian101 on May 21, 2010, 02:05:39 pm
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The Mrs went and bought an aquarium ... just wondering does anyone know can I use purified water in it ??
not exactly a window cleaning topic but any experianced aquarium keepers on here ???
I be a dead man if all the fish died ;D
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not saltwater just normal tropical
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i bought some goldfish the other week and the shop wouldnt sell me any fish even after i told them i had a di, said the water needs a week to settle,
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See here www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=100596.0
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If you dont know what you are doing keeping fish why contemplate buying any. Chances are it'll die if you dont have any previous knowledge.
Start reading internet fish-keeping forums, dont ask window cleaners how to keep fish man.
Would you ask someone who owned a fish-shop how to change a cars gear-box?
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Right I have a 120litre tropical tank.
you can harm your fish with 100% Pure water as they need minerals.
1 week to let the water settle?
that is completely inaccurate, you need to cycle the tank first.
this can take between 4 and 8 weeks to do.
What you are actually doing is getting the right bacteria breeding in the water.
you need ammonia to start the cycle, this can be fish food etc.
once you have ammonia (this is poisonous to fish) you need to get rid of this, This is where the bacteria comes into it, you need Nitrosomonas to turn Ammonia into Nitrites and then a bacteria called Nitrobacter to turn the nitrites into Nitrates.
this is called the Nitrogen Cycle.
plus depending on what fish you want will determnine what PH your tank should be, 100% pure water will have a PH of 5 which is soft and acidic, ideal for oscars etc. now tap water is usually 7-7.5 which is ideal for most tropical fish.
Going back to the cycle you can buy the 2 types of bacteria, I use Tetra safe start and I just throw the whole lot into the tank (100ml Bottle)
Also when you use tap water you will need aqua safe to isaolate the chloromines and chlorines which are harmful to fish
I use 60% pure to 40% tap water this way the fish gets the minerals.
Matt
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I see you already have the fish in the tank.
right you need to buy some safe start right away this will kick start the cycle. also use 60% RO to 40% tap water that has been dechlorinated with aqua safe.
then you need to buy a liquid water test kit.
API Freshwater master kits are the best around and cost around £15 of ebay.
you need to check the water daily, and may even have to do 10% water changes daily until the tank is cycled.
Matt
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flush the fish down the toilet .sell the tank . no problems .
only joking guys thats what our neighbours were going to do .we now have 5 goldfish n 1 tank for nowt
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Going back to the cycle you can buy the 2 types of bacteria, I use Tetra safe start and I just throw the whole lot into the tank (100ml Bottle)
Matt
Its funny how these companies make money for just about nothing. The best way to start a tank cycling is to urinate in it. Your only supplying a food source for bacteria to start their growth and colonise a tank, which is all that you are getting when you buy this stuff from companies like API. If you dont like the thought of urine just use vinegar instead, or coca-cola (not diet coke).
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I managed to cycle my tank in only 4 days with safe start and a little gunk from a mature filter media.
API test kits are rated as one of the best test kits on the market.
I have a problem when I got back from portugal, I am one tuxedo platy and one clown loach down, looked in the filter not in there, looked under all the rocks and bark and no sign, not even any signs on bones etc, as I thought the other 2 clown loach may of eaten them. :-\ :-\
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API have their finger in a few too many retail magazines Matt, we all know how money talks, ask Ionics ;)
The most reliable test kits on the market are without a doubt Salifert.
API and all those other cheap brands aren't worth the cardboard the boxes are made from.
I wouldnt trust the result of any of those test kits, that might explain your fish deaths. Inaccurate results.
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I havent had any inaccurate results lol
why would the test kit be the cause of 2 fish disappearing?
the recommended retail price for the API kits is £29.99 thats for the small master kit.
my water parameters have been consistant and I have 3 different test kits.
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I havent had any inaccurate results lol
why would the test kit be the cause of 2 fish disappearing?
the recommended retail price for the API kits is £29.99 thats for the small master kit.
my water parameters have been consistant and I have 3 different test kits.
Matt my dad owns an aquatics shop if you even need any answers to questions ;)
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Ian I have been keeping tropical fish for years mate lol
;D ;D ;D
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Ian I have been keeping tropical fish for years mate lol
;D ;D ;D
oh sorry, you looked like a train spotter to me :P
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I havent had any inaccurate results lol
why would the test kit be the cause of 2 fish disappearing?
the recommended retail price for the API kits is £29.99 thats for the small master kit.
my water parameters have been consistant and I have 3 different test kits.
Because if the test kits are giving inaccurate results you quite possibly have water that isnt as suitable as it should be.
API are notoriously over-priced and inaccurate.
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The guy in my local chippy changes your oil and filter. ;D
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Listen to MB window cleaning.
I don't use any pure water tho. I just mature my tap water - \leave it to stand for a while so the chlorine comes out.
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plus depending on what fish you want will determnine what PH your tank should be, 100% pure water will have a PH of 5 which is soft and acidic, ideal for oscars etc. now tap water is usually 7-7.5 which is ideal for most tropical fish.
Matt
That is just utterly, totally wrong in every aspect. Pure water's pH is 7 by definition. If you have pure water with nothing dissolved in it, what is making its pH anything but 7? It's impossible.
Unfortunately, in my mind that renders the rest of your advice suspect.
PW.
Pure water is soft water, the softer the water the more acidic it becomes. FACT!
This is why pure water corrodes van floors quicker than normal tap water.
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According to some on here it corrodes metal faster because it 'absorbs' better than normal water.
Make your mind up fellas ;D
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Right I have a 120litre tropical tank.
you can harm your fish with 100% Pure water as they need minerals.
1 week to let the water settle?
that is completely inaccurate, you need to cycle the tank first.
this can take between 4 and 8 weeks to do.
What you are actually doing is getting the right bacteria breeding in the water.
you need ammonia to start the cycle, this can be fish food etc.
once you have ammonia (this is poisonous to fish) you need to get rid of this, This is where the bacteria comes into it, you need Nitrosomonas to turn Ammonia into Nitrites and then a bacteria called Nitrobacter to turn the nitrites into Nitrates.
this is called the Nitrogen Cycle.
plus depending on what fish you want will determnine what PH your tank should be, 100% pure water will have a PH of 5 which is soft and acidic, ideal for oscars etc. now tap water is usually 7-7.5 which is ideal for most tropical fish.
Going back to the cycle you can buy the 2 types of bacteria, I use Tetra safe start and I just throw the whole lot into the tank (100ml Bottle)
Also when you use tap water you will need aqua safe to isaolate the chloromines and chlorines which are harmful to fish
I use 60% pure to 40% tap water this way the fish gets the minerals.
Matt
I think that Matt should have said RO water rather than Pure Water
Pure Water does have a pH of 7
But RO water has a pH of 5
please look at the following link www.h20heals.com/images/pH_Color_Chart_Large.jpg
Hope this clarifies the pH levels for everyone!
Susan
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http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.h20heals.com/images/pH_Color_Chart_Large.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.h20heals.com/pH-Scale-N-Your-Body.html&usg=__WnAGQYxNVStLYfak6D5xqqXgavU=&h=1950&w=750&sz=482&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=ElOXxnwiBPD8RM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=58&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dph%2Bscale%2Bchart%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26tbs%3Disch:1
Sorry guys that link didn't seem to work!
This one should!
Susan
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pH is determined by hydrogen ions, and as we pass the water through a DI vessel we lose those ions thus making the waters pH 5 which is more acidic.
And yes I should of said RO water instead of pure water.
Matt
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If you dont know what you are doing keeping fish why contemplate buying any. Chances are it'll die if you dont have any previous knowledge.
Start reading internet fish-keeping forums, dont ask window cleaners how to keep fish man.
Would you ask someone who owned a fish-shop how to change a cars gear-box?
You will find out if you stick around long enough on here that the guys are a font of all knowledge and also most helpful !
I got banned off all the fisk keeping forums for asking questions about window cleaning.
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You reckon?
Well, its a shame no-one else has suggessted you should revise your chosen hobby in a responsible manner (that doesnt include asking window cleaners) as you are looking after animals, I therefore suggest you havent been given anything like the kind of advise you need to hear. Go back to your fishkeeping forums and ask again, if not for your sake but the fish.
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The fish are all good ... Only asked about the purified water cos I was doing a partial water change and thought maybe ro water may be better than tap water with treatment chemicals ... Was only wanting to know in case I could have made their environment better .... Don't make me out to be someone who don't care for animals when u don't even know me .... Lazy poster by not using a fish forum fair enough but not a numpty who don't care for animals in my care ... Used old fashioned thing called a book to find answer