Rainwater

[Ron Sower]

Dennis, and others...

Would you care to share how you collect your rainwater?  From the roof and thru the gutters?

[Mugwump]

Dennis, and others...

Would you care to share how you collect your rainwater?  From the roof and thru the gutters?

I believe Dennis collects that way, then pumps it in through filters to clean any debris, etc....

[BallAquatics]

Jon's correct, collect from the roof of the house.  Two downspouts diverted into 5 rubbermaid trash cans.



From there it's plumbed into a 2100 gallon per hour pump that sends it through filters and then into storage tanks on the top shelf of one of the tank racks.  From there I can gravity feed to pretty much anywhere in the fish room.

I've heard all kinds of BAD things about using rain, but I've had nothing but success with it.  I've been using it so long I can't remember exactly when I started..... probably 40+ years ago with some Bolivian Rams or some other soft water South American cichlid.

I had thought that I would replace the trash cans with stock tanks, but I'm thinking of building a green house and a row of rainwater barrels along the south wall would make for some sweet passive solar heating here in Ohio.  Kill two birds with one stone so to speak.  I'd like to do some aquaponics and raise some tilapia and all the fixin's to go with 'em.

Dennis

[Ron Sower]

Dennis, are you using 100% rainwater or mixing with tap?

I have no storage inside, but could store and filter outside. But the temp would be whatever that is outside.  I wonder if I could run it into the the tanks thru an instant hot water deal and be able to control the temp of it?

[BallAquatics]

Dennis, are you using 100% rainwater or mixing with tap?

I almost always add some tap water to give it a bit of buffering capability.  My water is super hard here in central Ohio, so just a small amount of tap in the mix goes a long way.

Dennis

[BillT]

I wonder if I could run it into the the tanks thru an instant hot water deal and be able to control the temp of it?

Avoid these things if they have copper or brass in contact with the water. Soft water and hot water will dissolve copper which can be toxic to fish and inverts.

[Ron Sower]

Right about the copper and brass.  Don't have any of it. any new plumbing would be plastic.  Thanks.