Questionable water source. Feedback needed ASAP

Since I've moved, I've had somewhat crappy luck with my reptiles. A pretty junky season with my Leos.. have lost several babies and quite a few eggs, my previous seasons have been far, far better. Also, my BPs have as a whole seemed less interested in food and today, along with a juvie Radar gecko, I found my female juvy Pastel BP deceased. The water tastes funny sometimes and also will leave an orange ring in the sink or bathtub around the drain. I'm not positive it is the water that is causing my reptiles to suffer but either way I would really appreciate any and all imput here!!!

That is not ok water to be using. I would suggest getting a water filter for the time being. Do you live in a house or apartment? Until you get a filter I would suggest buying galon water jugs and keep them in the fridge and if yu get a water filter for your faucet I would test the water before giving it to your snake and get a ph test as well the ph of tap water should be around 7. If higher than that it is acidic.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VEXER19

That is not ok water to be using. I would suggest getting a water filter for the time being. Do you live in a house or apartment? Until you get a filter I would suggest buying galon water jugs and keep them in the fridge and if yu get a water filter for your faucet I would test the water before giving it to your snake and get a ph test as well the ph of tap water should be around 7. If higher than that it is acidic.

---

You mean LOWER it is acidic.
Higher, it is alkaline.


My input? Use purified water. It's cheap at walmart.

You've got a lot of rust in your water, which is why it's leaving an orange ring. I used to live in an OLD house that had the same problem. The pipes were old and rusted out and caused rusty, orange water that smelled and tasted almost metallic. It always stained the toilet, shower and sinks. It was disgusting. I never gave my reptiles that water. I went and bought them filtered watter by the gallons and that is my suggestion to you.

Sorryvi meant lower I was thinking higher acid levels. Thanks for the correction. Also I would reccomend buying some zoomed reptisafe water conditioner. And most likely the ph will be higher in alkaline then acid. But that zoomed stuff will reduce chlorinine and ammonia from your water supply and reduce your ph as well. So if your ph is low then obviously don't use it. If you live in an apartment you need to report it or renting and if you live in a house then you may wanna call someone to check your water supply cause it is not good for you either. But just do a ph test and if it is between 6-8 then your problem is most likely somewhere else.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bones

You've got a lot of rust in your water, which is why it's leaving an orange ring. I used to live in an OLD house that had the same problem. The pipes were old and rusted out and caused rusty, orange water that smelled and tasted almost metallic. It always stained the toilet, shower and sinks. It was disgusting. I never gave my reptiles that water. I went and bought them filtered watter by the gallons and that is my suggestion to you.

---

Exactly if your residence is old then its probably running galvaized steel pipes which it should be copper or now new homes use a type of plastic like piping. Galvanized steel is only used for gas lines nowadays. Honestly if that's the case your not far away from having to replace your pipes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VEXER19

Sorryvi meant lower I was thinking higher acid levels. Thanks for the correction. Also I would reccomend buying some zoomed reptisafe water conditioner. And most likely the ph will be higher in alkaline then acid. But that zoomed stuff will reduce chlorinine and ammonia from your water supply and reduce your ph as well. So if your ph is low then obviously don't use it. If you live in an apartment you need to report it or renting and if you live in a house then you may wanna call someone to check your water supply cause it is not good for you either. But just do a ph test and if it is between 6-8 then your problem is most likely somewhere else.

---

actually, it wont affect pH. If you want to use tap water, I recommend using prime, its a lot cheaper. make up a nice big jug to use and you wont need to go through so many bottles.

It will get rid of chloramines too.

Honestly I'd use purified water though. If you have metals in your water that bad.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jessica Loesch

actually, it wont affect pH. If you want to use tap water, I recommend using prime, its a lot cheaper. make up a nice big jug to use and you wont need to go through so many bottles.

It will get rid of chloramines too.

Honestly I'd use purified water though. If you have metals in your water that bad.

---

Reptisafe gets rid of chloramines too. But either way works. Don't know what the whole bottles and jug thing is about because reptisafe comes in jugs as well and you only use 2 drops per 1 cup of water so it lasts quite a while and does lower ph unless the have false advertisment which is illegal and I highly doubt zoomed would risk a stupid lawsuit over something so small. But I'm not trying to got tit for tat about what you use as long as you get your water issue fixed for your herps. The rest is up to you.
.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VEXER19

Reptisafe gets rid of chloramines too. But either way works. Don't know what the whole bottles and jug thing is about because reptisafe comes in jugs as well and you only use 2 drops per 1 cup of water so it lasts quite a while and does lower ph unless the have false advertisment which is illegal and I highly doubt zoomed would risk a stupid lawsuit over something so small. But I'm not trying to got tit for tat about what you use as long as you get your water issue fixed for your herps. The rest is up to you.
.

---

Didn't say it didn't, it just isn't as concentrated. I didn't read anything about lowering pH, I don't know why they would risk tampering with something like that. But I didn't look very hard either.

The jug thing was in reference to using PRIME, which is more concentrated and would require i think 1-2 drops per gallon of water or something of that nature. Which lasts quite a bit longer.

Sorry, these are just recommendations that GTP keepers use, as they are a bit more sensitive to things like water condition as babies.

Quote:

---

The first instant terrarium water conditioner. Great for reptile water bowls, chameleon drip water systems, amphibian enclosures, and aquatic turtle tanks. ReptiSafe removes chloramines and chlorine, detoxifies ammonia and nitrates, and provides essential ions and electrolytes which help to hydrate newly acquired animals. Also stimulates slime coat development in amphibians and fish.

---

taken from zoo med item description

I don't see anything about pH, this is probably because it is not safe to tamper with pH, especially when the bottle says "fish" on it in the instructions. This could kill off a tank of fish.

I'm not trying to argue either, but I want to make sure the right information gets put out there.

His tap water may be a higher pH, I know mine is, but I wouldn't worry about the pH as much as what is in the water, like the excess metals (yuck!) ... thus my recommendation of cheap purified water from walmart, someone told me it was only 40 cents a gallon. Not sure on that price but it works.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jessica Loesch

Didn't say it didn't, it just isn't as concentrated. I didn't read anything about lowering pH, I don't know why they would risk tampering with something like that. But I didn't look very hard either.

---

A lot of tap water runs higher in ph then say filtered water so its just meant to lower tap water down closer to normal levels but ph is really not the plus in using such a product. The. Reduction in chlorine, chloramines and ammonia are the real benefits along with electrolytes and vitamins.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VEXER19

A lot of tap water runs higher in ph then say filtered water so its just meant to lower tap water down closer to normal levels but ph is really not the plus in using such a product. The. Reduction in chlorine, chloramines and ammonia are the real benefits along with electrolytes and vitamins.

---

I'm not arguing tap water being higher in pH, I keep a large fish tank and learned a lot about water parameters because of it.
I didn't see anywhere in the description of that product that said it lowers pH. I wouldn't WANT it to lower pH, see my last post.

EDIT: Saw another page that says it does reduce pH, which will kill fish. Don't know why they recommend it for fish tanks and fish slime coats... that could cause a lawsuit in itself, but then again killing fish isn't really going to stir a crowd.

I personally wouldn't buy that product when you can do the same thing with prime for a lot cheaper, with a lot better product. Just saying.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jessica Loesch

taken from zoo med item description

I don't see anything about pH, this is probably because it is not safe to tamper with pH, especially when the bottle says "fish" on it in the instructions. This could kill off a tank of fish.

I'm not trying to argue either, but I want to make sure the right information gets put out there.

His tap water may be a higher pH, I know mine is, but I wouldn't worry about the pH as much as what is in the water, like the excess metals (yuck!) ... thus my recommendation of cheap purified water from walmart, someone told me it was only 40 cents a gallon. Not sure on that price but it works.

---

Its cool but the stuff I'm talking about isn't for fish. Its for all herps. And I'm looking at it right now in front of me and it lowers ph. I would take a pic but don't feel like doing so and the text is really small regardless. But hey there is no disrespect intended. Just wanted to help the guy out which you obviously do to. And you did fix one of my typos so I appreciate your input.

Yeah same here bud, I'm not trying to be disrespectful. Some of the labels say "fish slime coat" which worries me. That's all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jessica Loesch

Yeah same here bud, I'm not trying to be disrespectful. Some of the labels say "fish slime coat" which worries me. That's all.

---

I'm sure they just make different types. But I don't see why they would use something called REPTIsafe fore fish. Otherwise reptile wouldn't be in the name. So I'm curious as to what your looking at. I am going to laugh if there really is a reptisafe for fish. Cause you think they wuld call it aquasafe or something like that that is related to fish. So that's where I'm lost in this whole thing.

No, I linked the instruction label at the end of page one. Last line, it says "builds slime coat in amphibians/fish."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jessica Loesch

taken from zoo med item description

I don't see anything about pH, this is probably because it is not safe to tamper with pH, especially when the bottle says "fish" on it in the instructions. This could kill off a tank of fish.

I'm not trying to argue either, but I want to make sure the right information gets put out there.

His tap water may be a higher pH, I know mine is, but I wouldn't worry about the pH as much as what is in the water, like the excess metals (yuck!) ... thus my recommendation of cheap purified water from walmart, someone told me it was only 40 cents a gallon. Not sure on that price but it works.

---

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/En...D=2&SearchID=5

Says, specifically:

The first instant terrarium water conditioner. Great for reptile water bowls, chameleon drip water systems, amphibian enclosures, and aquatic turtle tanks.

I do not think I would let my snakes drink it.

I have aquifer well water but if I didn't, I'd buy them bottled spring water.

At my local Wal*Mart, it's .88 a gallon.
I use it to top off my 40 gallon aquarium now and then so that I have spare empty bottles for carrying my tap water from the kitchen, later.