Dealing with hard tapwater with high nitrates

[MacZ]

In the amounts I make and the timeframe I just let it sit on the counter overnight. If you want to keep the botanicals in longer, aerate. If you just want to safe some extract for another day, strain the botanicals out and put it in the fridge.

 

[ARK93]

I'm a rain-water user (and <"have been for some time">)

I've been thinking about my rainwater plans today and hoped to pick your brain a bit.

I'm hoping to set up a few large water butts to harvest water for my tanks. If I have a large quantity like that stored going into the summer is it necessary to keep it aerated? I was hoping I could simply fill a container a few days before a water change and aerate it for 48 hours or so. I would of course ensure no organic waste collects in the water butts to prevent the water being fouled.

I'm eager to store as much rainwater as possible to avoid the buying of unnecessary RO. I'll also have an extra couple of water butts for garden use that I could draw on as needed.

Cheers!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

......... I'm hoping to set up a few large water butts to harvest water for my tanks. If I have a large quantity like that stored going into the summer is it necessary to keep it aerated? I was hoping I could simply fill a container a few days before a water change and aerate it for 48 hours or so. I would of course ensure no organic waste collects in the water butts to prevent the water being fouled.......

No, you don't need to keep it aerated. I use Daphnia as an indication of water quality, basically swimming Daphnia in the Butt water = safe to use.

......I would of course ensure no organic waste collects in the water butts to prevent the water being fouled.

I'm eager to store as much rainwater as possible to avoid the buying of unnecessary RO. I'll also have an extra couple of water butts for garden use that I could draw on as needed.

Cheers!

You can always daisy chain two butts together, that ensure that the one furthest from the down-pipe (which you draw the water from) doesn't have any lichen, moss, bird crap etc in it. It also means you don't lose all you water when you clean them out.

cheers Darrel

 

[ARK93]

No, you don't need to keep it aerated. I use Daphnia as an indication of water quality, basically swimming Daphnia in the Butt water = safe to use.

I wouldn't have expected to see Daphnia in the water butt! I always thought they occurred in pretty algae rich water in full sun, mosquito larvae seemed more likely. I guess Dapnia are good free food though! Do you have photos of your rain water collection setup? I seem to remember you sharing one before but that could have been someone else.

You can always daisy chain two butts together, that ensure that the one furthest from the down-pipe (which you draw the water from) doesn't have any lichen, moss, bird crap etc in it. It also means you don't lose all you water when you clean them out.

I'll probably have three daisy chained together near the house for use in my tanks and another three behind the garage. Unfortunately my garage roof appears to be coated with some sort of tar type material so I wouldn't want to use the runoff in a fish tank until I replace the roof, but I do intend to use it for gardening.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I wouldn't have expected to see Daphnia in the water butt!

Yes, you never get very many of them they way you would in more nutrient rich water. I wondered how they get into the butts, but I've found that they produce very drought resistant eggs called <"ephippia">.

Do you have photos of your rain water collection setup? I seem to remember you sharing one before but that could have been someone else.

<"I do">.

cheers Darrel