Can you use tap water that sometimes smells like sulfur

[howdyheidi]

Or if not, what should you use?

We just had all our fish die and are trying to figure out what to do to restart the tank. I posted about it here if you want to check it out: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/all-our-guppies-died-332993.html

One of the considerations of their death is the possibility that our tap water is contaminated with sulfur. It sometimes smells like sulfur (probably from the older hot water heater, cold water doesn't seem to be as affected). Like I said in the other post, I did not notice an odor the day we had the problem and our tank did not ever smell like sulfur.

Should I completely discontinue using this tap water even though we did not have issues for 18months?

If so, where do I get the water? Spring water at the store?

Is there a testing kit that includes sulfur?

Thanks so much!

 

[nightswake]

As a professional plumber i assure you that your hot water heater doesnt add sulfur to your water

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[Mebbid]

As a professional plumber i assure you that your hot water heater doesnt add sulfur to your water

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Bacteria from wells can reside in the hot water heater and sits in there growing and consuming some of the minerals in the water. These bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide. In essence, the hot water heater doesn't add it. But the bacteria growing in there does.

It's entirely possible that the hydrogen sulfide might have caused the fish deaths. It's highly toxic to fish even at miniscule concentrations.

You could try keeping a trash can of the water aging. Run a filter with activated carbon to remove the nasty stuff and keep a heater running on it to make it the same temp as your tank.

 

[howdyheidi]

That is what I read about the bacteria in the water heater. Some people say you can reduce it by turning it up hot for a while, but it eventually comes back. There definitely is a sulfur smell sometimes.

Does anyone know if it is only H2S (hydrogen sulfide) that causes fish death and not other forms of sulfur?

So a carbon filter will remove the H2S? Any idea on how long that takes?

I would figure if I used cold water from the tap and heated that up to the tank temp, it would have the least chance of gettingg the H2S in there, and then add the carbon filter?

Trying to figure out how I would do setup that logistically.



Thanks for the replies.

 

[Mebbid]

That is what I read about the bacteria in the water heater. Some people say you can reduce it by turning it up hot for a while, but it eventually comes back. There definitely is a sulfur smell sometimes.

Yes, it will eventually come back. Many hot water heaters have a limit to how hot they can go as well. It has to be cranked to 160ish to kill the bacteria.

Does anyone know if it is only H2S (hydrogen sulfide) that causes fish death and not other forms of sulfur?

I'm sure other forms of sulfur will do it too, but I can't give a definitive answer.

So a carbon filter will remove the H2S? Any idea on how long that takes?

That would depend on the amount of carbon, flow of the filter, and the amount of water. I would say at least a day but your nose knows best. You can smell it at approximately 1/4 the dose that's toxic to fish.

I would figure if I used cold water from the tap and heated that up to the tank temp, it would have the least chance of gettingg the H2S in there, and then add the carbon filter?

That would work, cold water should be fairly devoid of it as the bacteria are primarily in your hot water heater.

 

[howdyheidi]

Thanks.

Also, I am reading that H2S is pretty volatile, so (even though I do not know how long exactly) aging the water should really allow most of the gas to release.

That is probably what I am going to try. And see about adding the carbon filter.

I still cannot find a water testing kit that seems like it is for home use. You can't send it out to a lab because the H2S is too volatile. Which might be good for my purpose anyhow.

 

[Mebbid]

Thanks.

Also, I am reading that H2S is pretty volatile, so (even though I do not know how long exactly) aging the water should really allow most of the gas to release.

That is probably what I am going to try. And see about adding the carbon filter.

I still cannot find a water testing kit that seems like it is for home use. You can't send it out to a lab because the H2S is too volatile. Which might be good for my purpose anyhow.

Again, if you cant smell it then it's not there. Humans are super sensitive to it's aroma and can be smelled at 0.00047ppm. Approximately 0.002ppm is dangerous to fish.

 

[howdyheidi]

Again, if you cant smell it then it's not there. Humans are super sensitive to it's aroma and can be smelled at 0.00047ppm. Approximately 0.002ppm is dangerous to fish.

Thanks. I have a lot more confidence now in restarting our tank.

 

[nightswake]

Are you on a well? If so you can get many different kinds of filters to get rid of all the nasty that can be in water... and if you are on a well check your toilet tank for blackish green slime thats iron bacteria and could be an issue?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[howdyheidi]

Are you on a well? If so you can get many different kinds of filters to get rid of all the nasty that can be in water... and if you are on a well check your toilet tank for blackish green slime thats iron bacteria and could be an issue?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Aquarium Advice mobile app

It is actually city water. Thanks for the reply. We hadn't had any problem with the water till last week. It is hard to pinpoint the actual issue, so I am trying to cover all my bases.