Bottled Mineral Water

[sherchoo]

I'm planning to setup a tank at my site office but the tap water is errrr.... not too ideal for use. However, I have bottled water delivered there and I'm thinking I would want to use that. Besides being expensive are there any problems for my planted if I were to use it.

[pipsqueak]

I've read from american websites that they reccomend botttled mineral water, because it's safe? But you can never be too sure. Maybe you can check the contents? I recall like, trace elements? (potassium, magnesium, iron, etc)
One comment I can share is that, I remember reading in one of Mr Amano's books, volume one of Nature Aquarium i think, that he did a experiment to see if plants needed co2...and he poured in carbonated water, and the riccia bubbled. I did the same thing,i poured in about 50 ml and my plants were bubbling like mad. I had only 15 watts FL. More importantly, none of my fishes suffered from any side effects, or died, although i was quite worried about them suffering from co2 intoxcity. I did not manage to take any tests, so i can't say much if ph dropped, no3 increased and such.
I used carrefours carbonated water.

[Simon]

bring the whole array of test kit and check the water :P[]

[pipsqueak]

ahah, so troublesome! but it would be good experiment..to see what shows up in bottled water

[juggler]

----------------
On 3/2/2003 12:54:58 AM

I'm planning to setup a tank at my site office but the tap water is errrr.... not too ideal for use. However, I have bottled water delivered there and I'm thinking I would want to use that. Besides being expensive are there any problems for my planted if I were to use it.
----------------

Plants are known to absorb toxic nutrients from water, probably up to a certain limit. Who knows? Maybe you can get plant/fish mutations if you use that tap water.

[sherchoo]

Plants I do not worry much.... but abit worried for the fish health due to metal toxicity in the bottled water. It's quite hard to know what sorts of metal are inside esp when I dun have any test kits to check on this.

For the tap water, it's not for human consumption, so I assume it's not safe for fish either. Plants should be able to withstand the tap water.

[zac08]

IF it's not meant for human consumption, it's probably the sewage or industrial type which has been heavily filtered and cleaned with chemicals, but the nitrate level is pretty high and thus the do not allow this to be used for drinking...

For fish tanks?? Mebbe not, coz the high nitrate level may harm the fish and also cause a algae bloom...

[sherchoo]

Thanks Mike....... which now brings me back to my original question... can the the bottled mineral water be used for planted tank?

[pipsqueak]

Hi sherchoo, this site had something to say about bottle water, not much though.
Jungle Labs

[hoppinghippo]

hhhmm sher.... I don't understand, you plan to use mineral water for your tank? why not just bottle tap water from elsewhere then bring it to your office and use? isn't it the same as buying mineral water elsewhere and bringing it to your office? plus its way cheaper and you can be sure of water quality and content. I reccomend using those 2L orange juice bottles, very shiok and big!

[Goondoo]

You must understand one thing...
I think Sherchoo forget to mention that the place with the tank is out of Singapore. So tap water else where is not really as "friendly" as those in Singapore. I'm hoping for an good answer because I'm currently thinking of setting one tank in KL too, *staring at the glass of brown tap water*, problably using those bottled water as well.

[zac08]

Hi,

can you get distilled water there?? Those without minerals, or RO water....

This would be a better bet than trying to use the Mineral water from unknown locations.

[sherchoo]

HH,

The bottled water is delivered to my office....

[hoppinghippo]

sher:: ORRRR... so water must also be free rite? free water free delivery, mai tu liao lah..... try try see can or not in small tank first?

[sherchoo]

ha ha.... now you know wat I mean...... shhhhhh!

[hoppinghippo]

actually come to think of it, if the mineral water is the REAL kind, bottled from springs and streams then it should be ok for fish rite?? cuz the place where they're taken from sure contain fish and plants also rite?

[loupgarou]

depends where you are.

eg: india, other than evian, other brands had pesticide levels above legal limit.

--
most bottled water, unless its RO/distilled is probably hard water.