# Best Type Of Water?



## Paleofish (Sep 7, 2010)

I just started with PDFs, and right now I have one auratus. (not sure of locale maybe you guys can help) I am getting another one from the breeders I got this one from. Anyway I got it in a small tub, and everythings just right, but I was wondering when misting the enclosure what is the best type of water to use? Tap water, spring water, distilled water, rain water?


Thanks!


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## flapjax3000 (Jul 4, 2009)

This is actually a fairly debated subject and you may get several answers. Everyone has their own preferences and system that works for them.

The most commonly used water types are spring water, distilled water and reverse osmosis (ro) water. If you do not have an ro system then spring or distilled will be just fine.

With distilled water and ro you will have to add some of the natural minerals back into it that were removed via the distillation and filtration process. This can be done with ro right, indian almond leaves, tadole tea (from boiling leaves) or black water extract. Personally I use spring water since it seems to work well for my tadpoles. Eventually I do plan on purchasing a ro system. It will save me several trips to the grocery store and is cheaper in the long run.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

flapjax3000 said:


> This is actually a fairly debated subject and you may get several answers. Everyone has their own preferences and system that works for them.
> 
> The most commonly used water types are spring water, distilled water and reverse osmosis (ro) water. If you do not have an ro system then spring or distilled will be just fine.
> 
> With distilled water and ro you will have to add some of the natural minerals back into it that were removed via the distillation and filtration process. This can be done with ro right, indian almond leaves, tadole tea (from boiling leaves) or black water extract. Personally I use spring water since it seems to work well for my tadpoles. Eventually I do plan on purchasing a ro system. It will save me several trips to the grocery store and is cheaper in the long run.


I try to use only distilled or ro water, then spring...and finally tap in that order...I don't really worry about adding extra minerals as there are some in the soil probably and plus it is nearly impossible to not get some vitamin and calcium powder on your substrate from dusted flies...my guess is that is plenty. There are trace mineral additives for aquarium water that you could use though.


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

If you are talking just about misting water, then anything without chlorine is fine, including dechlorinated tap water. If you use distilled/ro water (1 gallon is under a buck), then you have the advantage of not getting water spots, which will eventually build up to a permanent level.


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## Paleofish (Sep 7, 2010)

Thanks all for the replies! Next time I can make it to walmart I'll grab a gallon or two of distilled. Now what about use of rain water? Where I live it when it rains I normally can get quite of bit of water if I sit a bucket outside, could I use it for misting?


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

I use this for misting... It a bit better on the environment by not wasting plastic by going to the store and buying plastic jugs. And it saves me from having to goto the store altogether just for water. I just have to replace the filters and in the long run it saves me money. And also I never have water spots on my glass...

Brita Water Filters: Find the Best Water Pitcher Match For You | Brita
Just make use if you have chlorinated tap water you let it sit or dechlorinate it.

I have been using this water in my Mistking system for almost 9 months now and have yet to even see any hardwater spots or anything but clean clear plastic misting nozzles


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

Paleofish said:


> Thanks all for the replies! Next time I can make it to walmart I'll grab a gallon or two of distilled. Now what about use of rain water? Where I live it when it rains I normally can get quite of bit of water if I sit a bucket outside, could I use it for misting?


Yes you could just filter it to get all the impurities out of it (not impurities like minerals ect.. but dirt debris and other crap like twigs and stuff) If you plan on running it threw a misting system like a mistking you wont want that blogging up your system. But if you use a hand mister you should be just fine.


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## Paleofish (Sep 7, 2010)

Thanks for the tip Nicholas!


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## johnachilli (Feb 8, 2007)

I could be wrong but I believe you could get the same results as the brita by just filtering with a particle filter and some active carbon. Once I have some more space I want to use water in this fashion. An internal canister filter for fish place in a bucket or whatever you wanted to store the water in should work great.


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

johnachilli said:


> I could be wrong but I believe you could get the same results as the brita by just filtering with a particle filter and some active carbon.


Yeah I am just to lazy to build my own water filter.

Like one of my favorite Punk Bands said. "give me convenience or give me death" -Dead Kennedy's (Its the american way)


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## axolotl2 (Sep 13, 2008)

Sorry to steal this, but is tap water alright for Borms, will the minerals clog pores?


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Boondoggle said:


> If you are talking just about misting water, then anything without chlorine is fine, including dechlorinated tap water. If you use distilled/ro water (1 gallon is under a buck), then you have the advantage of not getting water spots, which will eventually build up to a permanent level.


Hard water even without chlorine is the cause of water spots and can eventually kill plants...In sensitive plants the mineral build up kills off new root shoots, burns leaves and inhibits photosynthesis to some degree(last one is just a guess). Occasional use won't likely kill most plants though there are a few very sensitive plants that it might but prolonged use can do a fair bit of damage.


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## Paleofish (Sep 7, 2010)

Dendro Dave said:


> Hard water even without chlorine is the cause of water spots and can eventually kill plants...In sensitive plants the mineral build up kills off new root shoots, burns leaves and inhibits photosynthesis to some degree(last one is just a guess). Occasional use won't likely kill most plants though there are a few very sensitive plants that it might but prolonged use can do a fair bit of damage.




Alright thanks! I'll try to use just distilled, spring, or rain water.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

I mist with beer to induce breeding .





But really I just use tap water with a de-chlorinator (Prime) and add some trace elements for the plants.


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

axolotl2 said:


> Sorry to steal this, but is tap water alright for Borms, will the minerals clog pores?





Paleofish said:


> Alright thanks! I'll try to use just distilled, spring, or rain water.



$26 and you can too get your self a Brita Water Filter.

And now lets do a cost comparison 1 gallon of distilled what cost about... $0.60 - $1.20

One Water filter cost me $7.99 and I get about 50 Gallons of water. Thats about $0.15 - $0.20 cents per gallon.

The $26 dollar water filter just paid for It's self. It also was better for the environment. It also saved you from carrying heavy @$$ water bottles back from the store. Now you tell me what the best option is.

If you use 1 gallon of water a week that 52 gallons of water...
thats roughly $8.50 a year on water compair that to $0.60 a week for 1 gallon of water... thats $31 - $32 dollars...


As I said earlier. I run brita filtered water from my water filter threw a professional misting system. I have been doing so for the last 9 months. I have no hard water stains. and no clogged nozzles...

... Its water, Not rocket science. our frogs have use water far dirtier for a thousands of years then what comes out of your faucet. just filter it and it is hell of a lot more clean then what they would EVER receive in the wild.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Brita water filters do not change the hardness of the water. If you tried that in my neck of the woods, not only would your mist heads clog but you would be unable to see into the tank from the hard water deposits. 
I use RO water with the waste from the RO system going to water a raingarden of native plants. 

Ed


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

Once again. I stand corrected.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I know I'm new here, but I've done a lot of PDF breeding in the past. I would be worried about rainwater. Too much pollution in the atmosphere. Maybe if you live deep in the country? I always used RO. Didn't add anything in unless it was for Tads. Then I boiled it with Oak leaves to the color of light iced tea.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Nicholas said:


> It also was better for the environment. It also saved you from carrying heavy @$$ water bottles back from the store. Now you tell me what the best option is.


Lets think about the Brita being better for the environment.

What happens when my heavy @$$ water bottles are empty? They get refilled over and over and over. We've been using the same bottles for a year + and they're not going anywhere soon. We will soon have an RO system and the waste water can be used for many things.

The Brita filter goes to the landfill. 

Food for thought...


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## GregF (Sep 13, 2009)

Some aquarium shops will do a "bottle exchange" program. One near me will sell me a 5-gallon bottle of RO water for $7.00. After that, I can exchange it, and the new bottle is just $1.25 for 5 gallons, or $0.25 a gallon.


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## Paleofish (Sep 7, 2010)

Okay guys being that their is so many different opinions on the subject, This is what I am going to do. I am going to go with the RO water, I can get a gallon at wally world, and I can go back and refill that same bottle, that solves the plastic issue pretty much, But until I get around to doing that I will use the rain water I collected for misting, cause if the rain was really bad here all the frogs and toads wouldn't fare well I would think, and if the wild amphibians can stand the water for their whole lives, I don't see why it would hurt the captive frog(s) for the short time I will be using it.

To each their own, I just wanted to post what I plan to do.


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

frogfreak said:


> Lets think about the Brita being better for the environment.
> 
> What happens when my heavy @$$ water bottles are empty? They get refilled over and over and over. We've been using the same bottles for a year + and they're not going anywhere soon. We will soon have an RO system and the waste water can be used for many things.
> 
> ...


You have a good point. I agree if your going to use a plastic bottle make sure you can use it over and over again...

My comment was directed towards the ones that wanted to go buy distilled water from the store. not reuse a water jug by filling it with RO water... Understand your point but i was trying to keep people from buying distilled jug after distilled jug... It's great for you tho if you can afford a RO filter... I can't get the extra $$$ on hand with a baby on the way...


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

GregF said:


> Some aquarium shops will do a "bottle exchange" program. One near me will sell me a 5-gallon bottle of RO water for $7.00. After that, I can exchange it, and the new bottle is just $1.25 for 5 gallons, or $0.25 a gallon.


If I could find a place like that it would be better... It is 5 cents more a gallon. BUT!!! the long term savings are more because you are only buying 1 $7.00 item with unlimited gallons... also your on the power curve for quality... as the RO water you are getting is of better Quality than the filtered water you had prior... and enviromentally... it is even better. because that is 1 less plastic container per 50 gallons of water you are dumping into the landfill...


GregF you got the best system out of everyone just short of a RO system in there home...


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

Paleofish said:


> Okay guys being that their is so many different opinions on the subject, This is what I am going to do. I am going to go with the RO water, I can get a gallon at wally world, and I can go back and refill that same bottle, that solves the plastic issue pretty much, But until I get around to doing that I will use the rain water I collected for misting, cause if the rain was really bad here all the frogs and toads wouldn't fare well I would think, and if the wild amphibians can stand the water for their whole lives, I don't see why it would hurt the captive frog(s) for the short time I will be using it.
> 
> To each their own, I just wanted to post what I plan to do.


Its a good plan. why? because it is YOUR plan.


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Just an FYI. If I'm not mistaken, Ed has warned in the past about using rain water. If I'm not completely mistaken, he reasons were scientific, and compelling, and completely escape me at the moment. You may want to search some old posts.

Before I had an RO system, when I was done with the plastic bottles they ended up in in the recycling bin, not the landfill...but re-use is waaay better than recycle either way.


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## Paleofish (Sep 7, 2010)

Boondoggle said:


> Just an FYI. If I'm not mistaken, Ed has warned in the past about using rain water. If I'm not completely mistaken, he reasons were scientific, and compelling, and completely escape me at the moment. You may want to search some old posts.
> 
> Before I had an RO system, when I was done with the plastic bottles they ended up in in the recycling bin, not the landfill...but re-use is waaay better than recycle either way.



Just looked up what he said, and with that it makes a lot of sense. For now I'll just use tap treated with prime, best I can do right at the moment, until i get to the store.


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## Paul G (Feb 27, 2007)

I use three types of water....
Tap water treated with Prime for water bowls, water features, and tads.
Distilled water for misting. (so I can actually see in to the tank)
Spring water treated with Prime for eggs.

Everybody does something different but this works for me.


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## GregF (Sep 13, 2009)

I also just realized today that Wally World sells RO water, too. You can buy a "heavy duty" 1 gallon jug for $1.25, and then go refill it with RO for $0.27 a gallon after that. For those people who don't want to carry a 5 gallon jug...


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## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

I live in New York City and use 24-hour aged tap water for all my uses (I think the flouride makes my frog's teeth shiny!). I wonder if areas that use lake or reservoir water don't have the hard water issues outlined here.

Richard.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Woodsman said:


> I live in New York City and use 24-hour aged tap water for all my uses (I think the flouride makes my frog's teeth shiny!). I wonder if areas that use lake or reservoir water don't have the hard water issues outlined here.
> 
> Richard.


In Philly, depending on where you live you get reservoir water or processed river water. Both of which have a high level of carbonates (it is not uncommon to get a general hardness in excess of 40 ppm out of the faucet). 

Ed


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## Paleofish (Sep 7, 2010)

GregF said:


> I also just realized today that Wally World sells RO water, too. You can buy a "heavy duty" 1 gallon jug for $1.25, and then go refill it with RO for $0.27 a gallon after that. For those people who don't want to carry a 5 gallon jug...



That's what my plan was to do lol! Thanks for the pricing!


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## tzen (Nov 22, 2007)

Keeping planted aquariums has taught me a lot about this. 
Testing water parameters is one of the most useful things you can do. A low level of hardness, but not totally soft, and neutral to mildly acidic pH are desirable. Depending on where your parameters are, you can either add different sources, or change (drain and replace) the water.
In general: 
Never use softened water.
If you use misters, make sure the water is soft, eg RO or filtered rainwater, or you will clog the nozzles and have spots on your glass.
You can start with tap water, but if the water only is lost to growth and evaporation, you will need to add mostly RO or rainwater. This is where testing the water parameters can help you.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

tzen said:


> Keeping planted aquariums has taught me a lot about this.
> Testing water parameters is one of the most useful things you can do. A low level of hardness, but not totally soft, and neutral to mildly acidic pH are desirable. Depending on where your parameters are, you can either add different sources, or change (drain and replace) the water.
> In general:
> Never use softened water.
> ...


I just wanna point out here that there is a difference between naturally soft water and softened water softened by sodium ion exchange. At least I believe that is the case, someone correct me if I'm wrong. There are also a lot of myths associated with soft and hard water and its effects, like corrosion ...here is a link explaining some of it, and many other facts on water...
http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/wa...ation-naturally-soft-water-softened-water.htm


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