Dehumidifier water

[Anthony Zagar <azagar@MNSi.Net>]

Hello everyone,

I would like to express my concerns with using dehumidifier water to lower
ph and water hardness.  I used to do this when I was keeping P. ramirezi in
my tanks to lower the ph to a level of about 6.0.  I was never able to breed
them successfully and I just couldn't figure out why.  

Later, I discovered why when I was breeding fancy guppies (sorry but I love
the genetics).  I had a large pregnant female in dehumidifier/tap water mix
and when she gave birth to a very small brood (15fry) 50% were born dead,
two were born as Siamese twins joined at the stomach.  The rest were all
malformed too, all died two days later.  The first thing I suspected was the
dehumidifier water.  The female survived and was placed in regular tap water
and her next brood 33 days later was 43 fry, all which survived and I must
say turned out as exceptional.  

Warning!  I believe that dehumidifier water may in fact be toxic especially
to small fry. Adult fish can live in it but may not be able to breed
successfully.  I would be very cautious on using dehumidifier water,
personally I will never use it again.

Rain water or frost build up found in freezers is probably a better choice
if you have to go that way to lower hardness and ph.

I just want to say I've learned allot since I joined this mailing list.  I
have set up a 30 gallon (36" long) aquarium for apistos but I haven't gotten
any yet.  Still waiting to get the book Dwarf Cichlids (Linke and Staeck)
before I get any.  I'm also considering on getting another tank so I can
keep more of them.

Bye.            

Anthony         Windsor, Ontario Canada