Jego
Ant Larva
Posts: 7
Likes: 1
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Water
Mar 22, 2014 16:34:34 GMT
Post by Jego on Mar 22, 2014 16:34:34 GMT
Can I use tap water with ants or does it have to be distilled/bottled/RO water?
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Water
Mar 22, 2014 18:16:33 GMT
Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 22, 2014 18:16:33 GMT
Can I use tap water with ants or does it have to be distilled/bottled/RO water? If your tap water is in a hard water area like mine is here in Sussex, then I use boiled water from the kettle which has gone cold, as the boiling takes a lot of the lime scale out. It is not that hard water is unsafe for ants to drink, but cold boiled water has some of the fluoride and chlorine removed; and by also taking out chemicals and chalk from the water it doesn't clog the nest with unwanted residues which can block the air holes called spiracles through which ants breathe. So yes, tap water is perfectly safe to use unless you wish to use rainwater. I would not use distilled water, but still bottled water is also fine.
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Jego
Ant Larva
Posts: 7
Likes: 1
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Water
Mar 23, 2014 11:19:48 GMT
Post by Jego on Mar 23, 2014 11:19:48 GMT
Thanks for the advice - I did think about rainwater but then I wondered if that would cause algae to grow in the nest? Maybe boiled rainwater would be the best? And yes I live in a hard water area too.
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Water
Mar 23, 2014 12:26:48 GMT
Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 23, 2014 12:26:48 GMT
Always remember that rainwater is fresh and natural, as it is this water only that wild ant nests get, and any water can form algae if sunlight hits it. Also ants drink fresh water from droplets of dew and rain as they are (or should be in most places) 100% pure and chemical free.
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Water
Mar 26, 2014 18:08:02 GMT
Post by Driver Ant on Mar 26, 2014 18:08:02 GMT
Rain is safe as I have used it with no problems.
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Jego
Ant Larva
Posts: 7
Likes: 1
|
Water
Mar 27, 2014 16:25:36 GMT
Post by Jego on Mar 27, 2014 16:25:36 GMT
Thanks for the advice - I'll use rainwater then.
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