Using RO/DI waste water in freshwater aquarium?

[Drfu]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

also remember Calgary has very hard water to start with, get a water report for your area and see what kinds of chemicles/elements are in it, take that number and tripple it and decide if you want that in your tank. remember thoes meters you are thinking of won't tell you what makes up the TDS only what the final number is.
also there are several water quality reports from lakes that might have the type of fish you have you can look at to compare. I find people do everything they can to get the perfect water quality for there salt water thanks but then just use tap water and not worry about it with there fresh water tanks, water quality is just as important for one as the other.

Steve

Here is what i found about Calgary water:

Basic Water Chemistry (< or < means not detected)
Colour
TCU b
<2
<15 e
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Hardness as CaCO3
mg/L
140-245
500 mg/L e
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
pH
pH
6.8-8.2
6.5-8.5 e
Influenced by the dissolved minerals in the water and water treatment
Temperature
°C
1.3-19.4
<15 °C e
Surface-water temperature
Total dissolved solids
mg/L
177-294
<500 e
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Turbidity
NTU c
<0.05-0.16
1.0 g
Suspended particles in solution
Inorganic Substances
Aluminum
mg/L
0.0189-0.2889
0.1 f
Plant treatment
Arsenic
mg/L
<0.0005-0.0005
0.01
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Barium mg/L 0.0306-0.0833 1.0 Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Cadmium
mg/L
<0.0005
0.005
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Calcium
mg/L
35-69
No limit
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Free Chlorine residual
mg/L
0.75-1.36
>0.2
Plant treatment
Chromium
mg/L
<0.0005-0.0021
0.05
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Copper
mg/L
<0.0005-0.0017
<1.0 e
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Fluoridek
mg/L
<0.06-0.28
1.5
Naturally occurring plus plant treatment
Iron
mg/L
<0.050
<0.3 e
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Lead
mg/L
<0.0005

0.01
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Magnesium
mg/L
10-19
No limit
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Manganese mg/L <0.0005-0.0143 <0.05 Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Mercury
mg/L
<0.00005
0.001
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Nickel
mg/L
<0.0005-0.0017
No limit
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Nitrate as Nitrogen mg/L 0.042-0.183 10 Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Nitrite as Nitrogen mg/L <0.0044-0.0080 1.0 Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Potassium
mg/L
0.35-1.54
No limit
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Sodium
mg/L
1.4-14.4
<200 e
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Sulfate mg/L 36-124 <500 e Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Zinc
mg/L
<0.0030-0.0123
<5.0 e
Erosion of natural deposits in watershed
Microbiological Organisms (<1 means not detected)
E. coli
MPN/100 mL d
<1
0
Domestic animals, wildlife and human waste
Total Coliform
MPN/100 mL d
<1
0
Soil, domestic animals, and wildlife

TREATED WATER IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Water Quality Parameter
Units
Drinking Water
Limit a
Major Source
Volatile Organic Substances
Total Trihalomethanes h
mg/L
0.0262
0.1
By-product of chlorination
Microbiological Organisms
E. coli i
MPN/100 ml d
Absent
0
Domestic animals, wildlife, and human waste
Total coliforms i
MPN/100 ml d
Absent
0
Soil, domestic animals, and wildlife


Really have no clue if thats bad or good? Your advice is to use RO/DI water in the tank, not waste water, others say use waste & only one person says don't do it. I guess i will have to make my own decision, but based on everything i have read so far i see not too many issues with using rodi as long as i have some supplements if in fact my tank will not ofer them naturally. I do have a combo of sand/gravel for substrate, two pieces of driftwood, lots of plants and two large filters

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Drfu

Really have no clue if thats bad or good? Your advice is to use RO/DI water in the tank, not waste water, others say use waste & only one person says don't do it. I guess i will have to make my own decision, but based on everything i have read so far i see not too many issues with using rodi as long as i have some supplements if in fact my tank will not ofer them naturally. I do have a combo of sand/gravel for substrate, two pieces of driftwood, lots of plants and two large filters

ya reading them is always fun eh., what I am setting up here is one of thoes big chemical bladders in the aluminum frames. they hold about 2000L of liquid, so I am going to put my reject into that for watering plants and the garden. My dad uses about 6 of them in Alberta to colect rainwater, but rain is one thing we don't have to much of here

Steve