Ryno

The eating your fish thread got me thinking about something I have wondered for a while. I think it was after 9/11 my wife asked me if we could drink the water in the tanks if there was some sort of natural/unnatural disaster that we were in a situation where we couldn't get any fresh water. At the time I just guessed and told her that the water in the tanks was probably better for us than the water that comes out of the faucet. But is this true? Would the water be healthy or just make you sick?

Annabelle

Hmmmm, I guess if you had no other option, it might be better than dying but I personally would not want to ingest the chemicals I put into my tank water for ne thing less than to attempt to not die. I imagine all those water agers and stuff would make you pretty sick if you drank enough of it.

Mike

If it was a last resort I might be able to drink it, but I'd have to run it through some activated carbon first. There could be some nasty bacterias in there, see: Fish Diseases Transmitted to Humans

Shawnie

ewww...id have to be really really thirsty

Lucy

My thoughts exactly.

Shawnie

I think after 911 alot of us have been prepared with food n water issues..but I cant say ive ever thought of drinking my fish tank water..although I keep mine pretty saweeet, its not that great LOL

JOE MONGA

well, im back and drinking water from your tank is not that bad i do it all the time when i do a water change, when i suck on the tube i get a little gulp tog et the water out. I think its common sense if the fish die in the tap water what does that tell you ummmmm.

Shawnie

get a python..stop gulping!! LOL
wb btw!!

JOE MONGA

NO it waste to much water and theyre expensive ill stick to the old way. we need to save the water theres only 1% of drinkable water in the world.

Shawnie

too much time on ya hands joe

pepetj

I'm with Joe, it's an old habit (from the 1970s) I still have. No health problems whatsoever.

Pepe
Santo Domingo

Angela_96

I have actually found a way to use my python w/o running the water constantly, I get the water going long enough to start the vaccum, then cut it off, it syphons the water out of the tank just the same... (my husband and I came up w/ that we had such a severe drought in our region last year we were preparing for just in case we were limited on water use this year)

As far as drinking my tank water? No! Theres fish poo in there!! Not to mention the chemicals we put in there, its just as bad as my local lake full of mercury and cancer causing agents (thanks to Oak Ridge being nearby)
I have bottled water stored...

Mad fish disease I think my kenyi (african cichlid) has that, he stays mad all the time..lol (seriously though, I didn't know there were so many fish diseases you can catch from your fish, I cut myself a lot cleaning the tanks, but I also wrestle patients w/ hiv, tb, and other nasties in the hospital.. I think my fish are cleaner)

Ryno

I used to get a lot of aquarium water in my mouth in the old days. Then I started submersing the whole vacuum into the tank to create a syphon but here is an even better way...

1-2-3 easy aquarium siphon instructions - video

COBettaCouple

I wouldn't think it very safe to drink with the conditioner to remove chlorine, etc.. but probably still better than drinking water in a lot of areas.

Angela_96

yea, I am so thankful that even in the 80s on the lake when we would stay on the houseboat my dad had that bottled water from the coal mines (the little jugs) so we always had good drinking water (I was prb the only child that is 30 now that grew up on bottled water)
after the 80s was when all the "warnings" came up on the lake where I grew up spending all my summers, and I now live a mile away from now. the mercury and cancer causing agents from Oak Ridge... let alone the fish warnings (good thing my dad was a steak man, and we had steak and burgers on the boat instead of fish!)

Bonochick

I agree!! Ick.

eric_m

the water goes through a filter which gets rid of most debris..as for the bacteria.. just boil it and should be safe to drink (let me know.. just in case) .. if it comes down to survival i think anything goes..

Iluvatar

It was not that bad but after a cup it started tasting wierd sort of like soft if that makes any since but I think it was too warm but I drank it right out of the tank and saltwater just taste like saltwater and kind of nasty but the freshwater is something different. Never tried and I dont put chemicals in my tank but I do in my saltwater tank and dont know if it will efect me. Just tastes different. It is always good to try new things but now my tummy feels wierd. I have always wonderred that too and now I know. Its safe. I think.
Now I am going to read the thing about fish diseases passing on to humans.

I really dont think I should have drank that fishwater. Now I feel sick. For real. No worries people I feel better after eating just wanted to let you know that all that happened is my stomach hurt first. then my head then it all got better except now my ears hurt but it is okay

Annabelle

Lol, Ok, Jonathan drank fish water and now his everything hurts. Im guessing that should answer the question. I dont even trust my tap water if I have a choice, I filter it first so I'm gonna scratch fish water off my beverage list unless I completely run outta options.

Shawnie

R U KIDDIN ME?
geeeeeez the power of suggestion must be regulated before someone gets hurt!!

Iluvatar

One who follows always is wierd but one who leads isnt. My piont being I shouldnt have followed. I think my ears and head hurt of something else. I am fine now but it does upset your stomach. Roll on the floor laughing? What is that supposed to mean, ROFL. I dout you really rolled on the floor laughing but sometimes I do and cant stand up of how much I am laughing so I fall and then I am in pain and roll for no reason. Anyway the water is fine but makes your stomach hurt but gets fine after a bowl of cereal. I guess.

Lucy

You do realize, your fish poo in that water.

Iluvatar

Yes I do but as long as the poo wasnt in the water that I drank.

Shawnie

just curious, how old are you?? certainly you dont have to say, was just wondering..and did u really drink the water??

Lucy

I don't know the technical way of putting this, so someone please feel free to elaborate. When feces is released into the water, I'm sure some kind of nasty micro organisms would be released into the water.

COBettaCouple

Well, fish do release more waste than just the poo.

Lucy

I never thought about that, omg, do fish pee?

COBettaCouple

I believe they do have a similiar biological waste process.

Angela_96

yes fish do pee and poo.. lol
Jonathan, EWE!! seriously! I would go to the DOC, get a cbc and make sure you are ok! there are so many micro organisms in that water/bactieria's etc.. not to mention the fact that there are chems from treating that water that specificly say not for human consumption. (the conditoners)

and I def wouldn't do anything like that again

Iluvatar

No I feel normal and I did really drank my tank water and that was a few days ago. I dont think anything will happen to me. I am fine.