Desperate pond refill - old tap water?

[Tobyh]

Hi all,

Down here in the South East we've had literally a couple of splashes of rain in 2 months and I'm getting desperate.

Basically want to get the feeling for the following - If I fill my water butt with tap water and leave it to stand for 5 days or so, would that be ok for topping the pond? I know it has added chemicals and various nutrients but if left standing would they leech away or does being in a butt stop that happening?

Appreciate any help.

I accept that ponds do go very low but I'm concerned that the visiting badgers and foxes are going to end up tearing the rapidly growing area of exposed liner.

Thanks

TobyH

[tom00_uk]

add some tapsafe to it and it will assist with the chlorine and chloramine, you will still off course have the added nutrients but it will be made safe for the microbes

there are other suppliers and also other products that do the job but this is an example Pond Supplies :: Pond Fish Treatments :: New Pond Water Treatments :: Pond Tap Safe 250mls (Interpet) -

[triops]

I've always both filled and topped up my pond with tapwater. In fact most things, plant and animal, will be happy in water straight from the tap. The only things I can imagine taking harm would be some tropical aquarium fish. I think chemical treatment for tap water is just another piece of expensive nonsense. If you're worried about chemicals why add even more?
And another thing............topping up your pond, unless you have really neglected it, will not take very much water as a percentage of the total volume, so any imaginary harmful chemicals will be very diluted.

[werdnal]

If you are only topping up, and do it as a trickle (slow running hose for instance) you won't do any harm using it straight from the tap. Chlorine in tap water will disperse if left in an open container for 24 hours.

[kathateria]

Ive kept malawi cichlids, for 2 years.(tropical fish)
I use seachem prime,to condition the water. 1ml -10litres of water.
It removes chlorine,chloramine,and detoxifies ammonia,nitrite and nitrates.

I do 50% water changes every fortnight,straight from the outside hose,and 3 buckets of hot from the tap (we have a combination boiler,so no bacteria is standing in a tank,as we dont have a tank!)
This method works for them,and hundreds of malawi keepers all over the country.
The pond conditioners will do the same job.I think we all worry about these things!

[bigdave60dog]

It depends on where you live. Surprisingly different water areas use different additives depending on 1. local policy and 2. the state of the water before it was treated.
Examples of these would be The West midlands has added Flouride to drinking water for around 40 years in order to promote good oral health. That is a local policy decision made many years ago. A good example of water quality management would be that of councils in areas where the water is peaty brown pass the water through chemicals to remove the peat stain.
There have been warnings over our local radio to the effect that due to a change in the substances added to our water, it is no longer safe to use in aquatica without specific treatment.
If I were you I would ask my local water authority what they recommend.
Dave

[kathateria]

Prime,which i use is the best on the market,all breeders use it.

I live in shropshire,so isnt that classed as west midlands?
If it aint broke,dont fix it.
I have media in my filter,to reduce high nitrate from the tap water,which works really well.