Boil Water Alert

[uberleslie]

Our county was just under a boil water alert for 2 days due to a nasty thunderstorm knocking out power at a water plant. The water was unsafe to drink and had to be boiled at a rolling boil for 3 minutes before drinking, using for toothbrushing, etc. (We just used bottled water...)

The alert was just lifted, but it got me thinking... What would you do if you had to do a water change under a boil water alert? Boil the water? Use bottled?

[Desiree]

I'd probably use bottled. I don't think I would have room to store that much boiled water to cool it down before adding it to the tank... Definitely bottled.

[cheekylemur]

If it were really an emergency, I'd probably blast it with potassium permanganate to kill off anything organic, neutralize with peroxide, then run it through a carbon and or resin filter to the tanks.

I way too many gallons going to rely on bottled water.

[daryl]

OOOOOOOOOOOOh - BINGO!!!!

Using bottled water could dramatically change the pH, gH, kH of the water - and can cause all kinds of problems for the fish, cycle, etc. Using the "bad" water could potentially introduce all kinds of nasties.

You could use bleach and detox it with decholinator, but bleach requires a larger concentration, a longer dwell time and such than PP. And hydrogen peroxide is SO cheap that it is a cheaper alternative than loads of dechlorinator!

Add enough pp to make the water pink for 1-4 hours, then add in the peroxide until the water is clear. The water is now safe for you to drink or use and safe for your fish.

(Pp crystals and hp were common things to carry in the 60s in Nam. It cleared water for drinking quickly and efficiantly... besides, there were all kinds of fun things that can be done with pp!!!)

[Quasi]

(Pp crystals and hp were common things to carry in the 60s in Nam. It cleared water for drinking quickly and efficiantly... besides, there were all kinds of fun things that can be done with pp!!!)

Now you've made me curious. What kind of fun things?

[Trinket]

Yes, fish things or other ?

That is really good to know about more uses for PP. Amazing stuff!

[Erinaceus]

Use bottled?

This reminds me of a Belgian tv commercial . There is also another one with a goldfish in a bowl (yes, that part isn't funny) which is more appropriate, but I can't recall which brand of water it was for.

Edited July 25, 2008 by Erinaceus

[Petperson04]

LOL That's a good commercial!

[Quasi]

I didn't manage to find the clip Erinaceus was talking about, but I found a description of it.

With the scene set for the ad, it?s time to describe the action. Oscar, a spritely goldfish, eyes a bottle of Chaudfontaine, next to the boy sat on the breakfast bar. Oscar bashes against his goldfish bowl in an attempt to move it closer to the bottle. The boy eventually notices the fish?s antics and pours some of the bottled water into the goldfish bowl. The ad cuts to a close-up of the brand and a new positioning statement: ?Les connaisseurs pr?f?rent Chaudfontaine?. After drinking the water, Oscar shows his approval and appreciation with an endearing burp.

[daryl]

That sounds like a good ad!!! I seem to recall one from years back where the goldfish manages to jump into the bottled water on the truck - he then jumps and jumps until he ends up, free, in the "Beautiful crystal springs" where that "pristine" water originates.....

(Pp can be used for many purposes. It is explosive under the right conditions - a great oxidizer. We made great use of most anything we had - for entertainment (of the crudest type at times - it stains so beautifully - portions of the anatomy when someone is damp from humidity) to actual make-shift gorrilla warfare. It is one thing I am glad I left behind decades ago.)