Okavango Challenge

I ‘acquired’ a goldfish in a very small tank before Christmas. He now has a bigger tank. When I set the new tank up I put the water from the old tank in the new tank and topped it up with water from the tap which had been treated for chlorine etc. I have been monitoring the water in the tank and everything appears to be OK or is heading that way except for the hardness of the water which hasn’t changed. The water testing kit I have does not really tell me how to make hard water soft. Is there a product available that can help me out? (I am a beginner to fishkeeping and am on a very steep learning curve so be gentle!). Thanks for your help.

Do yourself and the fish a favour and leave the water be.

Water is hard for a reason - it contains a higher level of minerals and other elements that end up resulting in this harder water. If you go and buy an additive from the store, it will add more elements that will try and fight with the existing elements, but won’t actually remove them. The end result is unstable water, and this is much less healthy for the fish then just having water a bit to hard.

These fis hare more adapatable and hardier then sometimes given credit for. Keep it simple, add nothing to the water except conditioner, and your fish will do well.

If you really really want to get the water softer, then you should do it the proper way and actually remove those elements. R.O filtration is the best way to do this, and you can mix R.O. with tap water to achieve a middle ground. But still, in my experience playing chemist is just not necessary.

I know a fair number of people who will not drink their tap water, and I was on the receiving end of disgust when I filled up my water cup at the tap while visiting friends a few days ago. I am in the northeastern United States, so the tap water here isn’t like that from, say, rural Bangladesh or Central America. So, why are they so gung-ho on using only bottled or spring water for drinking?

Usually because of chemicals like chlorine and flouride. Taste is a big factor. I use tap water put through a Brita filter
and when I go back to straight tap water it’s like drinking a glass of Clorox Bleach.

Drinking water all over France is the subject of government regulation and inspection. It is generally safe in any part of the country although it might be possible to find a well in some part of rural France which is not good.

I’m starting a garden in a new space this year and I’d like to be more earth friendly. Watering the traditional way is a little difficult because it’s an urban space and hoses and whatnot aren’t available. Does anyone have suggestions on ways to reuse water or conserve water?

The obvious one is to use "clean" wastewater rather than fresh, purified water that’s safe to drink. Plants don’t require that.

You can bail water from your bath, catch water from your shower (except the part where you rinsed out the shampoo), or set up a catch system for rainwater.

Find a way to store water in or near the garden without letting it evaporate (a Rubbermaid tub with a tight seal?) and get yourself a good watering can. I don’t know about you, but I feel more ‘involved’ in a garden when I water by hand.

Im wondering because im getting shipped there on October 1st. And wondering if their going to supply us with all bottled water or will we use the tap from our base? This is all new territory for me, I finished BT months ago and have been relaxing and training again to get ready. I am expected to be in the Kunar Province, I am 17.

I’m going out there in a couple weeks too.

My sponsor says that the water is okay for showering and stuff, but you don’t want to drink it. But that’s true with almost every country outside of the states because our stomachs are so weak from all the chlorine and filtering.

When I was in Iraq, we were provided with gallons and gallons of filtered, bottled water… it’ll probably be the same in Afghanistan.

Im wondering because im getting shipped there on October 1st. And wondering if their going to supply us with all bottled water or will we use the tap from our base? This is all new territory for me, I finished BT months ago and have been relaxing and training again to get ready. I am expected to be in the Kunar Province, I am 17.

I’m going out there in a couple weeks too.

My sponsor says that the water is okay for showering and stuff, but you don’t want to drink it. But that’s true with almost every country outside of the states because our stomachs are so weak from all the chlorine and filtering.

When I was in Iraq, we were provided with gallons and gallons of filtered, bottled water… it’ll probably be the same in Afghanistan.

What interesting book would you guys recommend that deals with the topic of water pollution? Any personal favorites? Thanks in advance!

Anything promoted by Greenpeace.

i need to know how to reduce the impacts of water pollution. i need the awnser by the end of this week. i need to know fact and all kinds of information you can get about water pollution.

Kill all the geese, they polute a lot of lakes.

Use products with excessive packaging
Drink bottled water all the time
Never sort your trash for recycling
Leave the water running, your lights on, and the heating or air conditioning on full blast
Only buy products proven to be produced in wasteful, destructive ways

Use products with excessive packaging
Drink bottled water all the time
Never sort your trash for recycling
Leave the water running, your lights on, and the heating or air conditioning on full blast
Only buy products proven to be produced in wasteful, destructive ways