Horrible town water!!!

[bettacove]

So my town switched water supply a few months ago, and now I have not been able to raise a single spawn. I've only been able to get 0-5 fish out of each spawn. They all die at about 1 week, and there doesn't seem to be a thing i can do about it. I have tryed everything, and i've talked to just about everyone and nobody seems to know, there just happy their not me. And at this point I thought it was something I was doing, even though i've been doing the same thing i've always done.

Anyway, i'am going CRAZY AHHHHHHH!!! Everything was fine before but now this! You have no idea how frustrating this is!

Then we had a guy from the water company over last week and I told him about my problems. He said he wasn't suprised, our town now has the worst water around. He said its probly not even safe to drink it

So thats just great! I'am a fish breeder who can't use my water! Yippy.... So now i'am going to be spawning in spring water. Spring water...even the name sounds expensive....SIGH......Oh well, my only other option is to move to another town.

Anyway, just thought I'd complain to everyone, see if anybody else has this problem.
ashley

 

[justDIY]

hmm

maybe that's why my mollies have stopped spawning

water here according to my TDS meter has 2x as much junk as it does at my folks across town

soon as the water guy gets back from vacation, I'm gonna start asking him WTF is in my water that reverse osmosis cannot remove

 

[fishfreek]

Gordon whats your TDS after RO? Is it still like 20 or 30?

Beta cove you might want to look at a RO unit as an investment. Over a few months it shoudl pay for itself vs buying water. You can probably do with a small 20-50GPD unit.

 

[tkos]

Or else most grocery stores have setups so you can buy 5 gallons or so for under a buck. At least they do around here. You just take in a container, plunk in some coins and fill it up. I used to do that as the drinking water where I used to live wasn't the greatest.

 

[justDIY]

tds going in is 500+ (varies from about 520 to 570) - last reading was 560

tds after the 3 stage prefilter was 551

tds after the RO membrane was 42

tds after the DI membrane was 2

 

[bettacove]

How much do RO units cost?

ashley

 

[fishfreek]

You can find a small one for probably under or close to $100. Larger ones will run more but you wont need much more than probably a 3 stage 25gpd unit. This would basicly make 1 gal of clean water per hour.

 

[shawmutt]

I am convinced my city water is poison for my fish, and I go to Walmart every week for new water. It costs 33 cents a gallon. The TDS, according to the little checklist on the side, is 6. However, I only have a 30 gallon tank, and change only about 5 gallons every week. I swear, what is going on with water these days?

Since I live in an apartment and am pushing my luck with one huge water spill, I can't get an RO unit.

 

[Dino]

One of the things that is causing a lot of folks problems is a new compound being added to reduce rust in older iron pipes.
It is a zinc/phosporus compound.
I will post the exact name once I have a chance to look it up in my notes from an Atlanta aquarium club meeting.

Many, many people all over are having problems with this being added to city water supplies.

RO seems to be the only recourse aside from finding another water supply.

Best,
dino

 

[Leaf]

If it's a zinc compound, then maybe...

There was an article in the Nov-2003 issue of Fresh Water and Marine Aquarium (FAMA) entitled, "Help! My Plumbing is Killing My Fish!" where zinc or a zinc compound was making spawning difficult for the author.

The author came up with a clever way of removing the zinc with a makeshift "refugium" using 4 inch plastic pipes, plastic disposable cups from local grocery store and Chinese Evergreen plants (scientific name: Aglaonema)

Complete link, photos and online viewing directions can be found here:

http://www.famamagazine.com/e/env/0...k=/issues/2003/nov2003/f-cp-nov-112003-1.html

HTH

 

[fish_doc]

Do you use any water conditioners? Your old place may have used chlorine that does evaporate where your new place may use chloramine that does not evaporate.

 

[bettacove]

Yes I use Prime by Seachem, and my water does have chloramine.

I'am definatly going to look into getting an RO. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good place to get one?

thanks!
ashley