Two Water Options: Which Would You Choose?

[Sara Ahlers]

I have two tanks: 150 gal and 110 gal.  Both are currently filled with Chloramine water (no fish, obviously) from the city water district.

Goal:  Safe water for fish intended for human consumption.

Option 1:  Treat the water with a product from my local aquarium store.  I am concerned about this, since adding chemicals means potentially non-edible fish.

Option 2:  Drain the water out of both tanks and pump water from my neighbor's bass pond into them.

Possible 3rd Option:  Drain the water out of both tanks and refill them again with city water, this time using one of those RV garden-hose filters.

Thoughts, comments, and suggestions would be MUCH appreciated.  I'm a newbie at this :)

[Jon Nose]

by using neighbors bass pond you will have the benefit of being able to add fish right away .. but what ever organisms that are in there will be transferred as well ( maybe good, maybe bad) ( I use water from a seasonal creek and have had no problems)

[Bob Terrell]

Sara, hands down option 2.  That water is already cycled.  The benifits outweigh any bad concidering the problems you have already had. 

[David Miner]

the chloramine bond breaks after a couple of weeks. you are left with chlorine that will dissipate and you will have some ammonia for the bacteria to work on before you add fish. but getting some mature pond water sounds good too.