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Water for Freshwater Aquariums Anonymous
Im getting a larger tank for my fish, 20gal+, but I don't feel like going to the grocery store and walking out with a shopping cart full of water jugs every week for water changes.

Is there any other way around this? Is it safe to use water from, say, our garden hose outside?
Or any other easier ways?
>> Anonymous
there are some decent fishtank grade water filters you can use to unfuck tap water
>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
I just use a python siphon and add water conditioner to the water that comes out.
>> Anonymous
Can't you just, ya know, use dechlorination products? AquaSafe, Stress Coat, ...ummm there are tons of other brands out there.

When I do a water change I siphon out 1/3 of the tank water, put fresh water in a pail, add AquaSafe to a pail, and dump the water into the tank.
>> Anonymous
OP here, so I can use any kind of water basically, even tap, as long as I use I guess a chlorine filter or at least some chemical buffers/cleaners/PH balancers and the like correct?

Thanks for the suggestions btw.
>> Anonymous
>>152254
Yeah, but I think you're worrying too much. What kind of fish do you have? I have four tanks and all I ever do is just add dechlorinator to my tap water; I've never needed to fuss with the buffers or anything. If you had discus or something I can see where it might matter, but your average fish get used to most pH levels as long as it's not in the extremes.
>> Anonymous
>>152259
Well currently I have two fish in seperate tanks, a 4" Rocket Gar and 6" Pacu. Yeah I might've been a little over worried but these aren't goldfish.
>> Anonymous
Test the water your fish are in now (or get it tested by a fish place, Petsmarts for instance will do it for free) and compare it to your tap water. A lot of fish will already be used to local water even if it isn't the optimum pH/hardness/alkalinity/etc. that's recommended, as>>152259mentioned.

Also, I've heard that depending on what kind of water you buy from the grocery store, it isn't always great for your fish. Something about distilled water not having good electrolytes and stuff, but a) I don't know if it's true and b) I don't know if that's what you're buying. Something to look into, perhaps.
>> Anonymous
>>152323
Alright I'll check that out. As for the distilled water, that's exactly what I've been using this whole time, by the gallon and I've had it tested before whereas my local fish store said the water was fine other than the PH, (had some problems back then with the Pacu but I managed to clean out and replace the water as well as do a little redecorating in the tank.).

Anyways, thanks for your help I'll definately try and see what I can do.
>> Anonymous
does it bother you guys i jaCk off too much??
>> Bitter Anon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
>>152338
As long as it's your own penis, no, I don't think it bothers anyone.
>> Anonymous
Basically, if you don't use distilled or heavily-filtered water, you're going to have problems eventually like mold, snails especially, etc. Good news is that grocery store water is hella cheap (and, you only need to replace about 10% of the water every 2 weeks to a month, which for you is 2 gallons). Also, you could go get your own reverse osmosis/deionizer filter system (RO/DI) from your neighborhood Lowe's for like $100, then deal with changing the deionizer cartridge & RO filter every so often. Lots of people hook it up under a kitchen sink and just turn it on on demand for fishtanks.

Some independent (not PetSMART or Petco) pet stores/aquarium stores will actually sell RO/DI freshwater or saltwater, this is good if you can get it. For regular changes, you'll probably want to just go buy a filter system though.

Or don't, last time I had a freshwater tank was in highschool. I used to keep a clean milk jug, fill it up with tapwater, and add a couple drops of dechlorinator and call it good. My fish died eventually, might want to consider that.
>> Anonymous
>>152338
OP here, fuck you for finding my thread steven.

>>152519
Alright, well I guess even though it'd be a pain in the ass, it'd be better for the fish to go ahead and get a fuck ton of jugs of distilled just to start off and then from there every week or 2 just get a couple gallons to change. I guess I'll just stick with that seeing as its the safer route, not to mention its only 80-90c a gallon.