# Axolotl water?



## XxkakashixX (Sep 22, 2008)

Don't have a go at me! But I'm planning to get an axolotl and I'm getting confused with the water. This will be my first amphibian so I've had no experience 

I've read not to use distilled water, but is there any bottles water I can buy from a supermarket I can use straight out the bottle? 
Or tap water left to stand? (I live in UK) 
I know you can get chlorine tablets to remove the chlorine but they confuse me slightly? Like how much/how often/ do I have to leave it to stand ect..

Any help I will appreciate :2thumb:


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

I use to use standard aquarium tap water conditioner.

Ade


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## Theloderma (Oct 30, 2008)

Tap water that has been allowed to stand to dissipate the chlorine. An airstone will speed things up. 

Chris


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## XxkakashixX (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanks, do places like Pets at home sell this?  And are the instructions on the bottle or do you need specific measurements? Sorry for all the questions, i'm clueless with the water! Never was allowed an aquarium  x


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Yup they sell a couple of brands of it, and yup instructions are on the bottle.

Standing for 24 hours will ONLY remove chlorine. There are a lot more nasties in tap water than just chlorine.

Ade


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## XxkakashixX (Sep 22, 2008)

Thankyou  x


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

No problem. Just for the record, I don't keep them any more. For what I do keep though I use a HMA filter on my tap water for standing water (including for my aquarium) as I find this cheaper to run than buying tap water conditioner, plus it removes far more still. I also run an RO for misting water. But then I have a lot of tanks and vivs needing water. 

Ade


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## XxkakashixX (Sep 22, 2008)

Sorry what's a HMA filter and a RO? :L Probably a noob question :L Do you mean you use the HMA in the tank or separate then add it? I will be getting a low flow filter  x Thanks again! x


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

XxkakashixX said:


> *Don't have a go at me!* But I'm planning to get an axolotl and I'm getting confused with the water. This will be my first amphibian so I've had no experience
> 
> I've read not to use distilled water, but is there any bottles water I can buy from a supermarket I can use straight out the bottle?
> Or tap water left to stand? (I live in UK)
> ...





XxkakashixX said:


> Sorry what's a HMA filter and a RO? :L Probably a noob question :L Do you mean you use the HMA in the tank or separate then add it? I will be getting a low flow filter  x Thanks again! x


Not sure about HMA, although it may refer to the heavy metals present in tapwater. RO is reverse osmosis (basically a fancy way to super-filter water!:lol2
One thing you'll find, if you stick around 'Phibs for any length of time; we don't often 'have a go', especially when people are asking genuine questions! oh, and welcome to the section, BTW :welcome:

EDIT: Just found this link: http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2263


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## XxkakashixX (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanks Ron ! I know people on this forum get flamed quite often for being a newb :L I never expected that stuff to be so expensive! Omg :L Hmm I think I'll use the conditioner as it's gonna take up less space, will keep the HMA in mind though  x


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

That's a pretty good description of what a HMA does. I have a 3 pod unit, 5micron prefilter, carbon block then the HMA resin pod. As that guy mentions, my prefilter was nasty within a week of using it, covered in rust particles.

RO filters, as Ron says, remove almost everything. The down side of this though is they remove the calcium and magnesium as well as the usefull salts and electrolytes. If used for standing water it's best mixed with some HMA or bottled water to put these back. They also are very wasteful, with a large quantity of the water you put in coming out of the waste pipe, and only a small percentage coming out filtered, where the HMA what goes in comes out filtered, there's no waste water.

Ade


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

XxkakashixX said:


> Thanks Ron ! I know people on this forum get flamed quite often for being a newb :L I never expected that stuff to be so expensive! Omg :L Hmm I think I'll use the conditioner as it's gonna take up less space, will keep the HMA in mind though  x


Generally, we only get tetchy on this section when people ignore perfectly good advice, or come on with major attitude- we were all beginners once, and we all can still learn stuff.



Wolfenrook said:


> That's a pretty good description of what a HMA does. I have a 3 pod unit, 5micron prefilter, carbon block then the HMA resin pod. As that guy mentions, my prefilter was nasty within a week of using it, covered in rust particles.
> 
> RO filters, as Ron says, remove almost everything. The down side of this though is they remove the calcium and magnesium as well as the usefull salts and electrolytes. If used for standing water it's best mixed with some HMA or bottled water to put these back. They also are very wasteful, with a large quantity of the water you put in coming out of the waste pipe, and only a small percentage coming out filtered, where the HMA what goes in comes out filtered, there's no waste water.
> 
> Ade


Ade is *so* technical! :flrt::flrt:



:lol2:


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## XxkakashixX (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanks guys :2thumb:
I'll stick with conditioner for now, then if phibs are anything like lizards I'll get a HMA to keep up with demand :lol2:
I really want a pacman/Horned frog, red eyed tree frog and a salamander some day (along with a whole other list of pets!) :whistling2:


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