Water? Is tap okay? -

[Carmine1]

I am trying to learn as much as I can to keep our new little guy healthy. I have a question on water. I read somewhere that tap water might not be good for misting the cage. Do you agree and if so, what do you use?

Thank you,

 

[camimom]

its really dependent on your water sources.

I use tap water for mist system, but I do notice a residue build every once in a while, which I clean by dipping the nozzle in vinager water for a while.

but drinking wise, my water is safe.

if you don't feel comfortable using your water, you can do distilled or reverse osmosis water.

but that gets pricey.

 

[xephyr17]

Where are you located?

 

[Carmine1]

Thank you, Camimom. This is a question I forgot to ask the vet.


Hi Xephyr
I am in a suburb of Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[xephyr17]

Pretty sure the water there is pretty good and safe. The water I get is out of a well, so I use tap. A lot of times water from the city has other things in it though. But Ft. Lauderdale I've heard may be better?

I'd probably go ahead and do it, just make sure you clean up your stuff often enough to prevent problems. I doubt you'll run into anything.

 

[Lazy Boy]

Really I would test your water and do some research about what they use at your treatment plant. I use RO water for all my reptiles and I drink the Tap

 

[Carlton]

Thank you, Camimom. This is a question I forgot to ask the vet.


Hi Xephyr
I am in a suburb of Ft. Lauderdale.

There are many threads discussing water if you do a search. Basically, if you have municipally treated water it is technically "safe" to drink, but if they add fluorine I wouldn't use it. Also, you'll want to find out if they use chlorine OR chloramine to treat it. Chlorine is easy to get rid of...leave a bucket of tap water out overnight so the chlorine can dissipate. If the water is treated with chloramines you will need to treat it with something like ReptiSafe. If you soften your water and the level of salt is high, I wouldn't use it unfiltered.

If your water is hard the mineral deposits will eventually clog your mister nozzles and build up on plant leaves. Rinsing with vinegar helps.

 

[jdanielson69]

I get my water for the mister from one of those reverse osmosis vending machines at the supermarket. It is only $.35 a gallon. It doesn't clog my nozzles or leave any mineral deposits.

 

[ShaneXD45]

I don't trust the water here in Florida. I have some Reptisafe to add to the water for my future chameleon.

 

[Lpsouth1978]

I use this RO system for my chams. It is MUCH more economical than buying RO water from the store. I actually fill a 50 gallon brute trash can with RO water. It lasts me about a month with 3 cages (6 nozzles total) and I can make water anytime I want without making a trip to the store. Also, after having reef aquariums for years, I have found that most stores do not change their membranes as often as they should, so the water is not really that pure much of the time.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/0PPM-Portab...047?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588e2553f7

 

[junglefries]

Old aquarium trick... take gallon jugs and fill. Leave in a dark closet or similar for 24-48 hours, letting chlorine evaporate. Now use.

 

[babyfelix]

I do not trust the filtration in tap where I live, so I use distilled or baby water when misting and in my fogger. It might be pricey where you are located, but off brands are sometimes around 89 cents.

 

[csmolins89]

I buy gallons of Distilled Water from the supermarket for like 80 or 90 cents a gallon, I use it in my mister and I haven't seen a mineral deposit or any clogging in my mister. And since it is DI water you know it doesn't have anything that will possible hurt your chameleon.