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Water From My Garden Hose?

Joined
Dec 4, 2002
Messages
70
I bought a 58 gallon tank today for my other baby bimac to move into in a few weeks or so, and had it delivered by the same guy who set up my 75 gallon for me several months ago (and that tank has been great.) To start this 58 gallon tank, I pulled out 15 gallons of cycled water from my 75 gallon tank, and of course, intended to fill the rest with new water, and I have an R/O filter so I make it myself...But when I walked into the room and saw that he had the garden hose going through my window filling the remaining 40 or so gallons with that water, I was not happy. I never dreamed he would do such a thing, since he brought 50 gallons of R/O water to my house the first time to fill up my 75 gallon tank (at least I assume it was- he said so, and it was in 5 gallon jugs and that tank has been great for almost a year now.) He assured me that this would be okay, even though I told him that octopuses need extremely great water quality and if I had known he was going to do that, I would've stopped him. He put some primer stuff in it, and kept trying to tell me how it's not an exact science, and that he has done this for years and he has about ten aquariums currently, and he's had all sorts of critters- even sharks..meanwhile, I was just thinking "You can go now. I have to drain this tank as soon as you leave, and clean up this mistake." ....So, what should I do- is this really okay?? I'd feel better if I took about 40 gallons out and replaced it with R/O water mixed with some more cycled water I'll again pull from my other tanks. How long should I wait to transfer Booboo (my little mistake octo who was supposedly a pygmy:smile: from her 12 gallon into her larger home?
Help!
 
Hi girl

Well, if that was me I'd have bounced his arse out the door. You are paying for a service and it wasnt up to your standard, was the RO water agreed apon?

Yes, in some places you can get away with no RO water. I have done it many times but its never 100% safe and without a full analysis of your tap water we wont know what yours is like.

To be safe, you may want to do a 100% water change and change all the sand and decor etc... However, chances are that its not as bad as all that and you will get away with what he has done.

I think that it all depends on what was agreed apon in the first instance. If he was supposed to use RO water and knew it was for an octopus then I'd be getting him to bring RO water and new gravel/sand etc and all at his expense. So he mayhave been trying to cut corners but that would be breach of contract...

let us know what happens
 
I hate it when a service person tries to cover up a mistake by saying something like "its not an exact science"...bull%^&*!!!! Why didn't he just apologize and come back with more r/o water???
I would drain out the tank and refill it, god only knows what is in tap water...chlorine, bromine...heck, it could be anything!!!
Also, fire the guy and hire someone who knows what they are doing...if this guy is using tap water at home, it is amazing that all ten of his tanks haven't crashed from all the amount of crap that is in that city water!!!
I know you hate to waste $$ on doing it, but it is the only way to be safe...sorry!! :frown:
Good luck, let us know how it goes!
Greg
 
That's what I think too. I'm going to drain most of it and start over. He knew back when he set up my first tank how important R/O water was to me, and looking back, I bet anything that he just put those empty jugs in the back of his pick-up, filled them with the water hose, and then charged me for it. I'll never know for sure. He could be right- it might be okay, but the point is, I never wanted to take that risk. I paid not to take that risk with the first tank he set up. I bought an R/O filter so that I could be more safe than sorry. I'm just not going to hire him again. Man, I have a lot of work to do, unfortunately. I better go make water now.... :-(
 
There's another good reason for getting rid of the water from the garden hose.

Consumer Reports, in its July 2003 issue (p. 7), has an article called "Dare You Drink from a Garden Hose". It turns out that only a few hoses, mostly boat and camper hoses, are safe for drinking. If you use one of the others, "the water standing inside may contain worrisome amounts and lead and other chemicals that leach from the hose itself." Some of these unsafe hoses are carry a warning label and some do not.

Nancy
 
Down here in the arid zone (arizona) hoses are definitely not to be used for drinking or potable water...most of them in the stores actually have warning labels. The only place I have found to get safe water hoses from is a R.V. store...they sell hoses that are made specifically for potable water...lots of "bling-bling", but worth it!!!!
Greg
 
I think I would make him re-do the whole thing and then tear it down and do it myself!

I agree with Greg about it being a cover up and a pile of bull
 
An update- well, I replaced about 80% of that garden hose water with RO water, and my bimac has been in the tank for a few weeks now, happy and healthy, albeit shy, so I guess everything's okay. I'm new to saltwater aquariums, but I should learn to trust myself anyway, even over other people sometimes, because although there are people who have had a lot more experience with marine aquariums, I probably know more than they do about keeping an octopus if they haven't dabbled in them. The octopus is my reason for getting into this hobby, so I dedicate myself solely to this specific creature's care. This website helps a LOT!!
 
They're SO cool.
Is there any evidence that a gigantic species of octopus lives in deep water- an octopus the size of the giant squid?
....Probably not, huh?....Because someone here on TONMO would no doubt already be breeding them:smile:
 
When you tell people you have one, it's always funny to see their reaction. They say "You have a pet OCTOPUS?!!" ...So you act all nonchalant and say "Sure." ...Then the very next question is ALWAYS "How BIG is it?!" ....So you say "Ohhhhh, I guess....uh, he's about 3 feet in diameter right now - but he's just a youngster. Ate my neighbor's puppy the other day. We're currently in litigation over the matter since the dog wandered into my home and so the supposed "crime" happened on MY property." I found out that people will actually BELIEVE this so don't say it! Haha!
 
that wouldnt work with me....theyre used to me and my "crimes" against nature :twisted:

just kidding.... if i was telling the truth you'd be speaking to my toes :smile:
 
My friends have a similar sort of thing going on... there has been so many bizarre things in tanks over the years that especially my best friend who is interested (but not for longer than about 2 mins) will just ask what it is and that's his curiosity fed. :smile: funny how people get desensitised eh?
 
this post is a little late but i just got around to reading all that had been written,
where i live our city water is extremely well filter and all of it goes through r/o filtration before it leaves the plant, every year we get little bottles in the mail we fill them with tap water and send them to public works for them to analyze andcheck the water quality to each home, so in reality the only bad thing left in our water is the chlorine which is very easily neatralized.
as for the garden hose that is a danger in itself, i use a clear plastice hose (python) to put water in my tanks and thats all it is used for.
 

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