22 Municipal Tap Water in the Aquarium
Description
This article is from the Beginning Fishkeeping FAQ, by Thomas Narten with numerous contributions by others.
22 Municipal Tap Water in the Aquarium
Most people use tap water in their tanks; it is cheap and easy to use.
Unfortunately (for aquarists), local water companies add chemicals to
the water to make it safe to drink (e.g., chlorine or chloramine to
kill bacteria). More recently, concern about water flowing through
older lead pipes has caused some water utilities to add pH-raising
chemicals to the water (because lead dissolves less readily in
alkaline water). Consequently, tap water must be specially treated
before it can safely be used in fish tanks.
Another potential problem concerns variability in the chemical
properties of your water supply over time (e.g., month-to-month). Some
water districts don't have enough water themselves, forcing them to
purchase additional water from neighboring water districts in times of
shortages. If this water has a different chemical properties (e.g.,
hardness), your tap water's chemistry will vary as well. As a common
example, high bacteria levels are more of a problem in summer than
winter, especially in warmer climates. Consequently, it is not
uncommon for water companies to use more chlorine in summer months to
keep bacteria in check. Even such factors as local weather can have an
impact; heavy rains may cause the hardness of your water supply to
decrease as local reservoirs fill.
In general, chlorine and chloramine are the two additives that cause
the most problems. Note that these two substances are VERY DIFFERENT!
Be sure you know what is in your tap water and treat appropriately.
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