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Creek Water
By miskairal from the miskairal department, Section Ask Guppylog Posted on Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 12:16:36 PM PST Tags: (all tags)

Remember the rain water, well now I've been thinking about the creek water :)

Our creek has fish in it. So there would already be ammonia in the creek water. So wouldn't there also be all the good guy bacteria in it as well?

The creek water gets pumped up to a holding tank at our house and no chemicals are added. So wouldn't that mean the water would already be cycled???

If I was to set up a new tank (no I'm not about to, just dreaming) and if I had no established tank to get gravel, water etc from, would that mean that a tank would not need to be cycled if I used the creek water?

Could this apply to everyone setting up a new tank? Could they take some of their water from a nearby creek, or a little gravel?

Forever curious
miskairal

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Creek Water | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Creek Water (none / 0) (#6)
by miskairal on Thu Nov 11, 2004 at 07:41:49 PM PST

One more thing I thought of. What about pieces of wood in the creek? Could I put them in my tanks or how would I check if they are safe to use?

Most of the trees along the creek are Bottlebrush (Callistemon) and that is what would be in the water or maybe eucalypts.

What I'm thinking is that whatever bacteria are in the water I will have in my tanks anyway (dropsy causing bacteria included???) so it probably wouldn't make too much difference if I used wood, rocks etc out of the creek. What do you think?

Thanks
miskairal
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help

Re: Creek Water (none / 0) (#5)
by miskairal on Thu Nov 11, 2004 at 07:35:41 PM PST

Thanks all,

I was already concerned about using untreated water but now you've got me even more concerned. Problem is, I don't have any choice, it's that or rainwater.

I think one of those UV sterilizer thingies might be in order further down the track BEFORE my next new tank :)

Cheers
miskairal
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help

Re: Creek Water (none / 0) (#2)
by maggie1270 on Thu Nov 11, 2004 at 06:53:09 AM PST

That's a very good question. There is a small river across the street from my parents' house, and I wonder if I could do the same thing. But then again, what types of diseases or parasites could be lurking in that water? I'm assuming that since the wild fish live in this water that they are more immune to lower levels but if the same water is placed in an aquarium, what would the outcome be?
Maggie

If you live in either an urban area or one with (none / 0) (#3)
by unclescott on Thu Nov 11, 2004 at 09:47:39 AM PST

considerable agricultural, industrial or especially mining run off, be very careful. (Maybe be very afraid.) A fisheries guy warned me off of a couple small creeks within 15 minutes of home because of the coliform bacteria levels not too far away from sanitation facilities. While the bacteria may be different from the cholera which killed so many Americans in the 1800s and even today claims far too many lives in the world, I took his advice to collect and fish elsewhere.

Was chatting with a lady from Joliet yesterday (not from GL) who noted that the rising levels of lead, mercury and arsenic in their tap water had her very concerned. With the relaxing of water release rules for effluents under the current national US administration and the tolerance of new incinerators like the one in Robbins, IL, down wind lakes like the industrial Lake Calumet are now featuring a mercury level five times what it used to be. Naturally that drains into Lake Michigan a few miles from where millions of Chicago area people get their drinking water.

There are still lakes and streams in the US where I would lean over the side of a canoe and dip a tin cup and have a drink. Not nearly as many as in the past though.

Check with you local water people or water reclaimation district before pulling water for your aquaria. I hope I am unnecessarilly paranoid, but I don't know...

All the best!
unc;e

[ Parent ]

I always think after clicking submit (none / 0) (#4)
by maggie1270 on Thu Nov 11, 2004 at 10:45:51 AM PST

Onondaga Lake in Upstate NY is one of the most polluted lakes in the state and I believe it was somewhere on the national list as well. The Seneca River which is the body of water my family lives near, is connected to this lake so I doubt I will be collecting water for my tanks any time soon.

Besides, it was only a few years ago that they stated finally deemed the lake and river "clean enough" (term used rather loosely) to be able to eat up to 3 certain types of fish a month. Definitely scary but true.
Maggie
[ Parent ]

Re: Most water in Upstate NY... (none / 0) (#7)
by guppygirl on Sun Nov 14, 2004 at 03:26:59 AM PST

I'm afraid would be unusable for aquarium use, IMO.

Most streams or rivers are either polluted themselves, or come from polluted sources, I believe.

You may be able to find clearer water,say in the
Adirondack Region, yet then one may worry about the Acid-Rain there.

Just seeing "The Day After Tomorrow," has me thinking "Green". (Yup, the color of most water in these parts)

gg
:o)

[ Parent ]

Re: Most water in Upstate NY... (none / 0) (#8)
by miskairal on Mon Nov 15, 2004 at 12:12:59 AM PST

Hey there gg,
Missed your humour!
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]

You could certainly use the creek water to (none / 0) (#1)
by unclescott on Wed Nov 10, 2004 at 09:59:17 PM PST

"jump start" the aquarium. We often do that with new fish tanks - take water from an established tank. But remember that just as most of the good guy bacteria in an aquarium are on the gravel, plants and even the glass, but not in the water, so too most of the beneficial bacteria in the creek are not in the water column.

I have heard of people actually digging up a little stream or beach bottom and using it in a tank. I would worry about who else came along for the ride.

There are public aquaria who directly draw their water supply from the ocean. The Monaco aquarium does that. Unfortunately they released spores of an exotic Caulerpa or macro algae hybrid which has taken over a lot of the Mediteranean. Ironically there is a horticulural strain of a Mediteranean Caulerpa now banned in the U.S. for much the same reasons.

Thinking of your water barrel again, you did bring the stream bottom along with the rain! ;)

All the best!
unc;e

Creek Water | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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