Water and Pakistan

The idea that water is fit to drink or drinkable is not one that most of us routinely think about. The only types of water we distinguish are tap, spring, mineral, flavoured, or carbonated. The only time we may have had to distinguish between potable and non-potable water is on a camping trip or some other outdoor adventure. But the sad fact is that most of the people on this planet do not have access to water that is fit to drink. That begs the question: what do they drink then? The obvious answer is they drink whatever water they can get their hands on.

According to a report by the Leadership for Environment and Development, by the year 2025, 52 nations comprising half the world's population, will have a severe shortage of potable water. In the next 25 years, some 3 billion people will be facing water shortages.

In Pakistan, the vast majority of the country's 135 million inhabitants do not have access to drinkable water. Pakistan's attempt to raise the living standards of its citizens has meant that economic development has largely taken precedence over environmental issues. Unchecked use of hazardous chemicals, vehicle emissions, and industrial activity has contributed to a number of environmental and health hazards, chief among them being water pollution. Much of the country suffers from a lack of potable water due to industrial waste and agricultural runoff that contaminates drinking water supplies.

Poverty and high population growth have aggravated, and to a certain extent, caused, these environmental problems. This means that most people are forced to use unclean water not only for all their sanitation needs, farming, and livestock but for drinking as well.

For much of the population, often there is only one water source. It may be a nearby river or pond, maybe rain water from a catch basin or a creek. Typically, the water source is used by both humans and animals. People use it for bathing, washing up, doing laundry, collecting for cooking, and drinking. Needless to say, the water is anything but clean.

Drinking water that is unsafe can, and usually does, lead to all sorts of health-related problems such as dysentery which is severe, prolonged diarrhea with bloody stools, fever, and weakness; cholera and typhoid; flukes -- stagnant, polluted water, especially in tropical areas, often contains blood flukes. If you swallow flukes, they will bore into the bloodstream, live as parasites, and cause disease; and leeches. If you swallow a leech, it can hook onto the throat passage or inside the nose. It will suck blood, create a wound, and move to another area. Each bleeding wound may become infected.
Pakistan is currently in the midst of what some are saying is the worst water crisis the country has ever seen. The drought affecting the region threatens agricultural output, and levels in the country's reservoirs are dangerously low.

The lack of water is taking on political overtones with parties organizing protests over the issue. One-day strikes have been called in Karachi to protest water shortages in the province of Sindh. The protests have been met with harsh responses from local authorities.

While drought and pollution play a significant role in the lack of safe drinking water, some critics maintain that a large part of the problem is a result of poor management. By some estimates, as much as 60% of Pakistan's fresh water is allowed to go wasted, flowing back into the sea. Only 40% of the water is used.

It is imperative that Pakistan seeks out new and cheaper ways to provide safe drinking water for its people. Some experts have looked at inexpensive desalination techniques, ones that could be employed on a mass scale. To be sure, this precious commodity, the very lifeblood of humans, is getting scarcer and scarcer everyday.

Drinking water guidelines

Safe drinking water is everybody's business. Managing drinking water supplies properly, from the source water to the consumer's tap, takes a great deal of knowledge and coordination among multiple stakeholders--from governments and businesses, to individuals like you and me.

A shared responsibility

In Canada, the responsibility for making sure drinking water supplies are safe is shared between the provincial, territorial, federal and municipal governments. The day-to-day responsibility of providing safe drinking water to the public generally rests with the provinces and territories, while municipalities usually oversee the day to day operations of the treatment facilities.

Health Canada's Water Quality and Health Bureau plays a leadership role in science and research. Its mandate and expertise lies in protecting the health of all Canadians by developing the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality in partnership with the provinces and territories. These guidelines are used by every jurisdiction in Canada and are the basis for establishing drinking water quality requirements for all Canadians.

Health Canada is recognized as a World Health Organisation/Pan American Health Organisation (WHO/PAHO) Collaborating Centre for Water Quality, and participates in the development of  WHO guidelines for drinking water. The Bureau also works closely and shares information with other government agencies such as the  United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The multi-barrier approach

The best way to make sure drinking water supplies are kept clean, safe and reliable is to take a preventive risk management approach. This means understanding each water supply from its beginning in nature to where it reaches you, the consumer. This understanding--about the water's characteristics, the ways it could become contaminated, and the type of treatment it needs--comes from collecting and studying data.

The drinking water supply can be broken down into three parts: the source water, the drinking water treatment system, and the distribution system which carries the treated water to homes, businesses, schools, and other buildings. The plumbing inside your home is an extension of the distribution system.

As drinking water travels on its journey to you, it can become contaminated in many ways. The multi-barrier approach to managing drinking water supplies is a preventive risk management approach that identifies all known and potential hazards and makes sure barriers are in place to reduce or eliminate the risk of contamination.

Drinking water guidelines

In order to know whether their drinking water management program is working, drinking water authorities need to have benchmarks for water quality. These benchmarks come in the form of drinking water guidelines. Guidelines make it possible for drinking water to be tested at various points along its journey and analysed to determine whether it is safe to drink. The Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality are established by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water and published by Health Canada.

The guidelines for some contaminants, like E.coli which indicates the presence of microbiological pathogens, are very clear and should never be exceeded because people will become sick soon after drinking contaminated water. Others, like many of the chemical guidelines, are based on the best available science and give a good indication of health effects that might be seen in some people if we consume high amounts of the chemical in drinking water over a period of decades.

Products and materials that come into contact with drinking water

Another way that drinking water can become contaminated is by the products and materials with which it comes into contact. Water is a solvent and can leach metals and other chemicals from pipes, fittings, fixtures, and other products. Health Canada works with national and international standards-setting organizations to develop health-based performance standards for these products and materials to make sure they are not contributing harmful contaminants to your drinking water.

Herbal Drinking Water

If you are someone who keeps track of new herbal products  then you might not have forgotten the successful launch of Laboob Sager- the herbal Viagra, by Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Farms and Herbal Medicines Corporation Ltd. (TAMPCOL). Now this state-owned corporation of Tamil Nadu government is set to launch its all new herbal product- Herbal Drinking Water. The corporation claims it to be first of its kind in the country.

Herbal water is already manufactured and marketed in the US by infusing organic culinary herbs in pure water. This  water doesn't contain artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or additives of any other kind. They are made refreshing, aromatic drink by granting flavours such as those of lavender, mint, cinnamon, lemongrass, vanilla, ginger, cloves, cardamom etc.

Herbal drinking water, developed by TAMPCOL contains herbal extracts along with useful bio-active properties that play a major role in maintaining good health as evidenced by Siddha and original scriptures of Ayurveda as well as modern scientific theories.

This herbal water will be sold in 1,000 ml and 500 ml pet bottles and competitively priced in the growing mineral water market. According to G A Rajkumar, the Chairman and Managing Director, TAMPCOL, the new water is set to be launched in the next two months after getting the ISI certificate and other related licenses.

What remains to be seen is that whether the corporation will follow suit of other nation and make its herbal drinking water flavored or not? Flavored or not, the healthy herbal water is surely a thing to wait for!

Filters vs. Purifiers

Filters vs. Purifiers

Filters work by forcing water through material of a certain pore size which screens contaminants. These are fine for backcountry use in the U.S. and Canada since Giardia is the main contaminant here. (Giardia screening requires a pore size of two microns.) Developing countries, however, may have waterborne viruses, such as hepatitis and polio, which are 0.04 microns or smaller. Thus virus control requires boiling, iodine chemical treatment, or a purifying filter.

The PUR filters listed below, as well as the Sweetwater Guardian with its Viralguard accessory, incorporate iodine matrixes which kill viruses and bacteria without passing much iodine into the water.

According to a Katadyn white paper that appears scientific to this nonscientist, in practice non-purifying filters that screen contaminants to 0.2 microns remove most viruses since viruses usually attach themselves to bigger things, which are then screened. This apparently hasn't impressed real scientists at the EPA, however, so if using a non-purifying filter on suspect developing-world water you probably should add iodine after filtering. While not as much iodine is necessary as with unfiltered water, you still must wait twenty minutes before drinking.

Using Filters

Avoid fast clogging by always using the cleanest available water. If the water is particularly dirty or silt-laden, let it settle in a pot before filtering, and/or use a coffee filter or cloth as a pre-filter. I permanently clogged a not-field-cleanable filter on the second liter drawn from a silty Washington river.

To clean a clogged filter you must carefully follow manufacturer instructions. A grave possibility is contaminating yourself with the nasty bacteria trapped inside the filter. You must also be careful about contamination from the water-source hose. Take care with a ceramic filter since a hairline crack will make it 100% ineffective.

Selection Criteria for Water Filters

If you will be depending on a filter for much of your water field cleanability, pump speed, and ease of use are far more important than a few ounces of weight. A good filter saves you from carrying at least some water, which weighs eight pounds per gallon (or one kilogram per liter). Pump speed lessens the more the filter is used.

Filters with a pore size of one micron or less are good. Smaller pore sizes and smaller filters clog faster. Carbon filters trap pesticides and metals, which for my taste is a worthwhile feature. Ceramic-only filters do not.

For emergency or short periods of developing world backcountry use, filters such as the PUR Voyageur, PUR Scout, and Sweetwater Guardian with iodine cartridge are good choices. If you will be filtering mostly from faucets or sinks (the usual scenario), clogging and pump speed will be less of a problem, so smaller filters should suffice.
If you will be filtering most or all of your water from wells or streams, say in East Africa or the Darien Gap, then you will appreciate having (and essentially require) an easy-pumping, easy-cleaning, full-size filter. You may also require spare cartridges or filtering elements.

A water purifier is not a requirement for developing-world travel. Most travelers buy most of their water and use iodine tablets or drops in a pinch.

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Water Purification

TRAVELERS MUST INCREASE water intake as they expend more energy carrying a pack, walking, museum-going, and being outside. In hot climates the need for water doubles or triples. Hikers require a gallon or more per day as they sweat and respire water and water vapor. Note that alcohol and caffeinated drinks have a dehydrating effect.

Thirst is not a reliable indicator of hydration state. As visible semi-mucous membranes, lips are. The next time yours feel dry or chapped drink several glasses of water and see what happens.¹

Another barometer is urine color. If it's always dark you're probably a liter or two low. A rule of thumb is to drink enough water to ensure at least two clear, healthy pees per day.

Obtaining Safe Water

In Western Europe, much of Eastern Europe, and other developed countries you can drink safely from public water supplies. In many (but not all) developing countries the water supply contains diarrhea-producing bacteria. While some hard travelers adjust to impure water over weeks or months, most travelers avoid discomfort by buying most or all of their water.

Ice cubes in developing countries are rarely made from purified water; they bite even from alcoholic drinks.

Buying water

is usually easy. It is sold in convenient one or 1.5-liter plastic bottles which cost from fifty cents to $3, depending on the country. Look for a quality label and a safety-sealed cap. Bottled drinks are also safe and routinely drunk by travelers.

Boiling

makes tea, coffee, and soups safe in developing countries. Opinion varies on how much boiling is necessary, but a minute or two at full boil should do the job.

Iodine

is the preferred chemical treatment for water. It is easy and effective in twenty minutes, but iodine probably should not be used for months at a time. It also should not be used by pregnant women and people with thyroid conditions. The two most popular iodine treatments in the U.S. are Potable Aqua and Polar Pure.

Potable Aqua

consists of tiny iodine tablets in a small glass bottle. Directions are one or two tablets (depending upon temperature, clarity, and Giardia control) per liter of water. Shake and let dissolve, then loosen the cap and shake again to allow the iodized water to spread over the threads, killing germs there. It's ready for drinking in twenty minutes.

The water has a slight brownish-orange color, and a moderate iodine taste. Potable Aqua also comes with ascorbic acid tablets, called P.A. Pure, which greatly reduce the iodine taste and off-color.

Potable Aqua tablets should be left sealed in the glass bottle until use as they have a limited effective life after exposure to air.

Polar Pure

consists of a four-ounce (120 milliliter) glass bottle with crystallized iodine in the bottom. First, the bottle is filled with several ounces of water, then after a few minutes (time dependent on water temperature--a small thermometer is attached) this bottle is poured into a quart of water to be purified. The crystals remain in the original glass bottle. While Polar Pure is slightly more complicated than Potable Aqua, less iodine is used, and it has a longer shelf life.

Liquid iodine

from a dropper bottle is an alternate method used by some travelers. When faced with suspect water in a restaurant they add two or three drops per glass of water, stir, and wait a few minutes. This is unscientific but seems to work.

Silver

water disinfectant tablets are expensive at about $20 for a packet of forty tablets, which purifies forty liters. Silver is an alternative for those who don't want to use iodine.

Chlorine

tablets or liquid are not recommended as a water purifier, as chlorine is unstable and not always effective. Since it is also associated with a small cancer risk, only use chlorine in a pinch.

Filtering

cleans water mechanically. Special purifying filters may make sense when camping away from campgrounds--say in Central American National Parks, or otherwise in the bush. Travelers in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the former Soviet Union could also benefit. In the long run you could save money by filtering instead of buying, and certainly spare Earth from hundreds of unrecycled plastic bottles.

Boiling is inconvenient since it requires much time and fuel. While iodine renders water bacteriologically safe, it doesn't remove crud or improve taste. A good filter pumps out good water in a few minutes, and provides a real boost as opposed to drinking boiled or iodine-purified--but horrible tasting--water.

Drinking Water Using HR-CS AAS

Due to its high electro negativity the element fluorine is the most reactive non-metal and thus does not occur in elementary, but only in combined form. 

Fluorine is the most widespread halogen. Its share in the earth’s

crust is approx. 0.08%. It occurs in large quantities in apatite Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F) and in fluorite CaF2 as well as in the almost exhausted cryolite Na3AlF6 . It is therefore no surprise that fluoride is also found in almost all water bodies - although the fluoride concentration can differ greatly by water type and the geogenic conditions. Seawater contains more than 1mg/L fluoride, rivers and lakes approx. 0.05 - 0.5mg/L, whereas in ground water values above 0.5mg/L are relatively rare. However, in deepwater, especially in sources from hydrothermal deposits, significantly higher fluoride content can also be found, e.g. in geysers more than 20mg/L. Mainly responsible for the fluoride content are the pH value, temperature, solubility conditions and geological preconditions .

There are two sides to the effects of fluoride on human health. On the one hand it is essential for the human organism, because the fluoride ingested with food is a condition for the mineralisation of the apatite in bones and teeth. In this respect a corresponding fluoride content in the drinking water as the most important food is also of great importance with regard to an adequate caries prophylaxis. On the other hand too high a daily absorption of fluoride in all the ingested food can have fatal consequences. Tooth and bone fluorosis result if the daily total fluorine absorption exceeds approximately 20mg F/day .

The control of the fluoride concentration in our foodstuffs is therefore of major importance. Drinking water is the number 1 food and thus subject to a particularly intensive control. Fluoride has been categorised as a substance causing health disorders after a given concentration. The limit defined for fluoride in the drinking water regulations is 1.5mg/L .

MEASURING METHODS FOR FLUORIDE DETECTION

The detection of fluorine as non-metal has been sufficiently described in the literature. The methods range from classical gravimetry and volumetry to photometry and electrochemical titration. The methods for detecting the  fluoride concentration in water dominating today are the ion chromatography (IC)  and the use of ion-selective electrodes (ISE) . Both detection methods have in common that they only respond to ionic dissolved fluoride. Organic or covalent combined fluorine is not detected, so that these detection methods can only be used for purely water-based matrixes.

7TH SPECIALIZED EXPERTS TASK GROUP (SETG) MEETING OF ECO COUNTRIES

Pakistan is hosting the 7th Specialized Experts Task Group (SETG) meeting of ECO Countries at Marriott Hotel, Islamabad on February 6 – 7, 2008. Azerbaijan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and ECO Secretariat are participating in the meeting.

    Ministry of Water & Power have finalized the arrangements of the meeting in which feasibility study of Interconnection power system of ECO Member states would be finalized.

Water Is Life,

From cars being swept down the Potomac River - to massive sink holes literally swallowing trucks in Manhattan and Fire Engines in Los Angeles - to flood waters contaminating public buildings with E. coli in New Jersey, we are seeing the results of neglected water infrastructure. In addition to aging infrastructure, climate change adaptation, and enhanced regulation, are compelling communities to invest in water infrastructure and expand green infrastructure.

Water Is Life, and Infrastructure Makes It Happen* is an education program designed to face the challenge. Targeting ratepayers, local leaders and the media, it teaches the value of water infrastructure and the importance of investing in its long-term stability. Water Is Life public information materials are designed to assist utilities and community organizations to build public support for investment in water infrastructure. Request a complimentary CD with outreach materials that are customizable for your community.

Recommended Water Intake A Myth

It has become accepted wisdom: "Drink at least eight glasses of water a day!" Not necessarily, says a DMS physician Heinz Valtin, MD. The universal advice that has made guzzling water a national pastime is more urban myth than medical dogma and appears to lack scientific proof, he found. In an invited review published online by the American Journal of Physiology August 8, Valtin, professor emeritus of physiology at Dartmouth Medical School, reports no supporting evidence to back this popular counsel, commonly known as "8 x 8" (for eight, eight-ounce glasses). The review will also appear in a later issue of the journal.

Valtin, a kidney specialist and author of two widely used textbooks on the kidney and water balance, sought to find the origin of this dictum and to examine the scientific evidence, if any, that might support it. He observes that we see the exhortation everywhere: from health writers, nutritionists, even physicians. Valtin doubts its validity. Indeed, he finds it, "difficult to believe that evolution left us with a chronic water deficit that needs to be compensated by forcing a high fluid intake."

The 8 x 8 rule is slavishly followed. Everywhere, people carry bottles of water, constantly sipping from them; it is acceptable to drink water anywhere, anytime. A pamphlet distributed at one southern California university even counsels its students to "carry a water bottle with you. Drink often while sitting in class..."

How did the obsession start? Is there any scientific evidence that supports the recommendation? Does the habit promote good health? Might it be harmful?

Valtin thinks the notion may have started when the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council recommended approximately "1 milliliter of water for each calorie of food," which would amount to roughly two to two-and-a-half quarts per day (64 to 80 ounces). Although in its next sentence, the Board stated "most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods," that last sentence may have been missed, so that the recommendation was erroneously interpreted as how much water one should drink each day.

He found no scientific studies in support of 8 x 8. Rather, surveys of fluid intake on healthy adults of both genders, published as peer-reviewed documents, strongly suggest that such large amounts are not needed. His conclusion is supported by published studies showing that caffeinated drinks, such as most coffee, tea and soft drinks, may indeed be counted toward the daily total. He also points to the quantity of published experiments that attest to the capability of the human body for maintaining proper water balance.

Valtin emphasizes that his conclusion is limited to healthy adults in a temperate climate leading a largely sedentary existence -- precisely, he points out, the population and conditions that the "at least" in 8 x 8 refers to. At the same time, he stresses that large intakes of fluid, equal to and greater than 8 x 8, are advisable for the treatment or prevention of some diseases, such as kidney stones, as well as under special circumstances, such as strenuous physical activity, long airplane flights or hot weather. But barring those exceptions, he concludes that we are currently drinking enough and possibly even more than enough.

Despite the dearth of compelling evidence, then, What's the harm? "The fact is that, potentially, there is harm even in water," explains Valtin. Even modest increases in fluid intake can result in "water intoxication" if one's kidneys are unable to excrete enough water (urine). Such instances are not unheard of, and they have led to mental confusion and even death in athletes, in teenagers after ingesting the recreational drug Ecstasy, and in ordinary patients.

And he lists other disadvantages of a high water intake: (a) possible exposure to pollutants, especially if sustained over many years; (b) frequent urination, which can be both inconvenient and embarrassing; (c) expense, for those who satisfy the 8 x 8 requirements with bottled water; and (d) feelings of guilt for not achieving 8 x 8.

Other claims discredited by scientific evidence that Valtin discusses include:

Thirst Is Too Late. It is often stated that by the time people are thirsty, they are already dehydrated. On the contrary, thirst begins when the concentration of blood (an accurate indicator of our state of hydration) has risen by less than two percent, whereas most experts would define dehydration as beginning when that concentration has risen by at least five percent.

Dark Urine Means Dehydration. At normal urinary volume and color, the concentration of the blood is within the normal range and nowhere near the values that are seen in meaningful dehydration. Therefore, the warning that dark urine reflects dehydration is alarmist and false in most instances.

Is there scientific documentation that we do not need to drink "8 x 8"? There is highly suggestive evidence, says Valtin. First is the voluminous scientific literature on the efficacy of the osmoregulatory system that maintains water balance through the antidiuretic hormone and thirst. Second, published surveys document that the mean daily fluid intake of thousands of presumably healthy humans is less than the roughly two quarts prescribed by 8 x 8. Valtin argues that, in view of this evidence, the burden of proof that everyone needs 8 x 8 should fall on those who persist in advocating the high fluid intake without, apparently, citing any scientific support.

Finally, strong evidence now indicates that not all of the prescribed fluid need be in the form of water. Careful peer-reviewed experiments have shown that caffeinated drinks should indeed count toward the daily fluid intake in the vast majority of persons. To a lesser extent, the same probably can be said for dilute alcoholic beverages, such as beer, if taken in moderation.

"Thus, I have found no scientific proof that absolutely every person must 'drink at least eight glasses of water a day'," says Valtin. While there is some evidence that the risk of certain diseases can be lowered by high water intake, the quantities needed for this beneficial effect may be less than 8 x 8, and the recommendation can be limited to those particularly susceptible to the diseases in question

Water for Injection Description

Sterile Water for Injection, USP, is sterile, nonpyrogenic, distilled water in a single dose container for intravenous administration after addition of a suitable solute. It may also be used as a dispensing container for diluent use. No antimicrobial or other substance has been added. The pH is 5.5 (5.0 to 7.0). The osmolarity is 0.

The VIAFLEX plastic container is fabricated from a specially formulated polyvinyl chloride (PL 146 Plastic). The amount of water that can permeate from inside the container into the overwrap is insufficient to affect the solution significantly. Solutions in contact with the plastic container may leach out certain chemical components from the plastic in very small amounts; however, biological testing was supportive of the safety of the plastic container materials.

 

Water for Injection - Clinical Pharmacology

Sterile Water for Injection, USP is used for fluid replacement only after suitable additives are introduced to approximate isotonicity and to serve as a vehicle for suitable medications.










Read more: http://www.drugs.com/pro/water-for-injection.html#ixzz0vBs1Tvnu

Drinking Water Crisis in Pakistan

In 1998 Nestlé choose Pakistan as country to roadmap its global water strategy in the bottled water market. It produced and introduced "Pure Life" as "a source of clean water. Bottled water is often the consumers' choice for a healthy beverage that gives them a source of minerals, helps to prevent obesity, and in so doing, reduces the risk of associated healthcare problems."

Nestlé' bottled water is not affordable for the people in need of safe and clean drinking water, nor is it only sold in Pakistan. Nestlé contributes to the decrease of the ground water level, that dries local water provisions for the sake of profit. Finally, Nestlé's use of groundwater obviously exceeding the renewable volume.

Nestlé's engagement in Pakistan and business policies are in contradiction to its own self commitments with regard to human rights and the principle of sustainable use of resources as well as to its membership in the United Nations Global Compact.

The global water shortage of affordable and safe drinking water is manifested in Pakistan with an estimated 44 percent of the population without access to safe drinking water. In rural areas, up to 90 percent of the population may lack such access. As one indication of the magnitude of the problem, it is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoeal diseases alone. Groundwater extraction is one of the few possibilities to satisfy peoples need for drinking water. But groundwater extraction in Pakistan is unregulated and different users, such as public water providers, agriculture and industrial exploitation compete about the use of this scare source.

DRINKING WATER FOR INFANTS & BABIES

Newborn babies do just fine with formula or breast milk; drinking water is not recommended until about six-12 months (too much water can cause jaundice or intoxication). However, when making bottles it is imperative to use pure water.

While most of the medical world pushes breast feeding, many moms opt for formula. Or in fact, must use the substitute for health reasons. Whatever the reason behind not using breast milk, attention must be focused on one crucial ingredient to formula: water. The World Health Organization states, "...concentrations of nutrient minerals in drinking water may contribute significantly to the total trace element and mineral intake of infants and young children...especially applicable to formula-fed infants during the first months of life, who may be the most vulnerable group affected by excessive concentrations of nutrients or contaminants in drinking water."

Formula can come ready to drink which parents can be assured is safe. Formula also comes in powder mixture, which water is mixed with. Because the latter infants will be in taking so much water through formula, safety of that water should be the parents' focus. In an astonishing statistic, infants receive 40-60% of the lead they are exposed to through drinking water- which can cause damages including mental retardation. Nitrate, chlorine, aluminum and fluoride are other worries for babies drinking formula. For this reason, most formula companies recommend bottled water or boiled tap water. Also, homes with water purification systems will be on the safe side. Contamination of water needs to limited.

Pure drinking water can also aid in healthy teeth and gums. Many toddlers need a bottle to go to sleep with or they get antsy. But, giving a bottle of juice or ice tea can cause decay. A bottle of water is suggested instead.

According to TodaysParent.com, until babies begin to eat food, they will get all of the nutrition they need from breast milk and formula. But, the site also says once a baby is older and drinking from a cup, water is preferred over juice as it satisfies thirst. (Plus, it will start a healthy water habit early!)

According to recent news and reports, most tap and well water in the U.S. are not safe for drinking due to heavy industrial and environmental pollution. Toxic bacteria, chemicals and heavy metals routinely penetrate and pollute our natural water sources making people sick while exposing them to long term health consequences such as liver damage, cancer and other serious conditions. We have reached the point where all sources of our drinking water, including municipal water systems, wells, lakes, rivers, and even glaciers, contain some level of contamination. Even some brands of bottled water have been found to contain high levels of contaminants in addition to plastics chemical leaching from the bottle.

A good water filtration system installed in your home is the only way to proactively monitor and ensure the quality and safety of your drinking water. Reverse osmosis water purification systems can remove 90-99% of all contaminants from city and well water to deliver healthy drinking water for you and your family.

Health and Water Pallution

Virtually all types of water pollution are harmful to the health of humans and animals. Water pollution may not damage our health immediately but can be harmful after long term exposure. Different forms of pollutants affect the health of animals in different ways:

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•Heavy metals from industrial processes can accumulate in nearby lakes and rivers. These are toxic to marine life such as fish and shellfish, and subsequently to the humans who eat them. Heavy metals can slow development; result in birth defects and some are carcinogenic.

 

•Industrial waste often contains many toxic compounds that damage the health of aquatic animals and those who eat them. Some of the toxins in industrial waste may only have a mild effect whereas other can be fatal. They can cause immune suppression, reproductive failure or acute poisoning.

•Microbial pollutants from sewage often result in infectious diseases that infect aquatic life and terrestrial life through drinking water. Microbial water pollution is a major problem in the developing world, with diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever being the primary cause of infant mortality.

 

•Organic matter and nutrients causes an increase in aerobic algae and depletes oxygen from the water column. This causes the suffocation of fish and other aquatic organisms.

•Sulfate particles from acid rain can cause harm the health of marine life in the rivers and lakes it contaminates, and can result in mortality.

 

•Suspended particles in freshwater reduces the quality of drinking water for humans and the aquatic environment for marine life. Suspended particles can often reduce the amount of sunlight penetrating the water, disrupting the growth of photosynthetic plants and micro-organisms.

You are not just what you eat; you are what you drink.

Our life, our planet. Over 70% of the earth's surface is water. However, most of it—98%--is salt water. Only 2% of the earth's H20 is fresh water that we can drink, and of this, almost all is trapped in frozen glaciers.

You are not just what you eat; you are what you drink.

This is why water is so important to your health.

 

The Water Cure (TWC) does not sell water or purification systems or any related products. We offer insights and information; both free and in books that give you easy-to-understand scientific explanations on why water is vital to your well-being.

TWC believes promoting "water for health, for healing, for life" is an invaluable public health message. We can all change the way we drink – by drinking pure, natural water that is good for our health, our pocket book, and our environment.

No miracles. Just common sense backed by Dr. F. Batmaghelidj’s years of research and investigation into why water works so well in keeping us healthy and pain free. It can even cure illness in some people who get sick.

Water is the basis of all life and that includes your body. Your muscles that move your body are 75% water; your blood that transport nutrients is 82% water; your lungs that provide your oxygen are 90% water; your brain that is the control center of your body is 76% water; even your bones are 25% water.

Our health is truly dependent on the quality and quantity of the water we drink.

Dr. B's pioneering work shows that Unintentional Chronic Dehydration (UCD) contributes to and even produces pain and many degenerative diseases that can be prevented and treated by increasing water intake on a regular basis.

If you are co

mmitted to a healthy lifestyle, make drinking enough natural water a habit in your life. It won't take long for you to feel the benefit.

It is a free investment for your long-term health.

Drinking Water Treatment

Ancient civilizations established themselves around water sources. While the importance of ample water quantity for drinking and other purposes was apparent to our ancestors, an understanding of drinking water quality was not well known or documented. Although historical records have long mentioned aesthetic problems (an unpleasant appearance, taste or smell) with regard to drinking water, it took thousands of years for people to recognize that their senses alone were not accurate judges of water quality.

Water treatment originally focused on improving the aesthetic qualities of drinking water. Methods to improve the taste and odor of drinking water were recorded as early as 4000 B.C. Ancient Sanskrit and Greek writings recommended water treatment methods such as filtering through charcoal, exposing to sunlight, boiling, and straining. Visible cloudiness (later termed turbidity) was the driving force behind the earliest water treatments, as many source waters contained particles that had an objectionable taste and appearance. To clarify water, the Egyptians reportedly used the chemical alum as early as 1500 B.C. to cause suspended particles to settle out of water. During the 1700s, filtration was established as an effective means of removing particles from water, although the degree of clarity achieved was not measurable at that time. By the early 1800s, slow sand filtration was beginning to be used regularly in Europe.

During the mid to late 1800s, scientists gained a greater understanding of the sources and effects of drinking water contaminants, especially those that were not visible to the naked eye. In 1855, epidemiologist Dr. John Snow proved that cholera was a waterborne disease by linking an outbreak of illness in London to a public well that was contaminated by sewage. In the late 1880s, Louis Pasteur demonstrated the “germ theory” of disease, which explained how microscopic organisms (microbes) could transmit disease through media like water.

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, concerns regarding drinking water quality continued to focus mostly on disease-causing microbes (pathogens) in public water supplies. Scientists discovered that turbidity was not only an aesthetic problem; particles in source water, such as fecal matter, could harbor pathogens. As a result, the design of most drinking water treatment systems built in the U.S. during the early 1900s was driven by the need to reduce turbidity, thereby removing microbial contaminants that were causing typhoid, dysentery, and cholera epidemics. To reduce turbidity, some water systems in U.S. cities (such as Philadelphia) began to use slow sand filtration.

While filtration was a fairly effective treatment method for reducing turbidity, it was disinfectants like chlorine that played the largest role in reducing the number of waterborne disease outbreaks in the early 1900s. In 1908, chlorine was used for the first time as a primary disinfectant of drinking water in Jersey City, New Jersey. The use of other disinfectants such as ozone also began in Europe around this time, but were not employed in the U.S. until several decades later.

Federal regulation of drinking water quality began in 1914, when the U.S. Public Health Service set standards for the bacteriological quality of drinking water. The standards applied only to water systems which provided drinking water to interstate carriers like ships and trains, and only applied to contaminants capable of causing contagious disease. The Public Health Service revised and expanded these standards in 1925, 1946, and 1962. The 1962 standards, regulating 28 substances, were the most comprehensive federal drinking water standards in existence before the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. With minor modifications, all 50 states adopted the Public Health Service standards either as regulations or as guidelines for all of the public water systems in their jurisdiction.

By the late 1960s it became apparent that the aesthetic problems, pathogens, and chemicals identified by the Public Health Service were not the only drinking water quality concerns. Industrial and agricultural advances and the creation of new man-made chemicals also had negative impacts on the environment and public health. Many of these new chemicals were finding their way into water supplies through factory discharges, street and farm field runoff, and leaking underground storage and disposal tanks. Although treatment techniques such as aeration, flocculation, and granular activated carbon adsorption (for removal of organic contaminants) existed at the time, they were either underutilized by water systems or ineffective at removing some new contaminants.

Health concerns spurred the federal government to conduct several studies on the nation’s drinking water supply. One of the most telling was a water system survey conducted by the Public Health Service in 1969 which showed that only 60 percent of the systems surveyed delivered water that met all the Public Health Service standards. Over half of the treatment facilities surveyed had major deficiencies involving disinfection, clarification, or pressure in the distribution system (the pipes that carry water from the treatment plant to buildings), or combinations of these deficiencies. Small systems, especially those with fewer than 500 customers, had the most deficiencies. A study in 1972 found 36 chemicals in treated water taken from treatment plants that drew water from the Mississippi River in Louisiana. As a result of these and other studies, new legislative proposals for a federal safe drinking water law were introduced and debated in Congress in 1973.

Chemical contamination of water supplies was only one of many environmental and health issues that gained the attention of Congress and the public in the early 1970s. This increased awareness eventually led to the passage of several federal environmental and health laws, one of which was the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. That law, with significant amendments in 1986 and 1996, is administered today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (EPA) and its partners.

Since the passage of the original Safe Drinking Water Act, the number of water systems applying some type of treatment to their water has increased. According to several EPA surveys, from 1976 to 1995, the percentage of small and medium community water systems (systems serving people year-round) that treat their water has steadily increased. For example, in 1976 only 33 percent of systems serving fewer than 100 people provided treatment. By 1995, that number had risen to 69 percent.

Since their establishment in the early 1900s, most large urban systems have always provided some treatment, as they draw their water from surface sources (rivers, lakes, and reservoirs) which are more susceptible to pollution. Larger systems also have the customer base to provide the funds needed to install and improve treatment equipment. Because distribution systems have extended to serve a growing population (as people have moved from concentrated urban areas to more suburban areas), additional disinfection has been required to keep water safe until it is delivered to all customers.

Today, filtration and chlorination remain effective treatment techniques for protecting U.S. water supplies from harmful microbes, although additional advances in disinfection have been made over the years. In the 1970s and 1980s, improvements were made in membrane development for reverse osmosis filtration and other treatment techniques such as ozonation. Some treatment advancements have been driven by the discovery of chlorine-resistant pathogens in drinking water that can cause illnesses like hepatitis, gastroenteritis, Legionnaire’s Disease, and cryptosporidiosis. Other advancements resulted from the need to remove more and more chemicals found in sources of drinking water.

According to a 1995 EPA survey, approximately 64 percent of community ground water and surface water systems disinfect their water with chlorine. Almost all of the remaining surface water systems, and some of the remaining ground water systems, use another type of disinfectant, such as ozone or chloramine.

Many of the treatment techniques used today by drinking water plants include methods that have been used for hundreds and even thousands of years (see the diagram below). However, newer treatment techniques (e.g., reverse osmosis and granular activated carbon) are also being employed by some modern drinking water plants.

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Academy of Engineering named water treatment as one of the most significant public health advancements of the 20th Century. Moreover, the number of treatment techniques, and combinations of techniques, developed is expected to increase with time as more complex contaminants are discovered and regulated. It is also expected that the number of systems employing these techniques will increase due to the recent creation of a multi-billion dollar state revolving loan fund that will help water systems, especially those serving small and disadvantaged communities, upgrade or install new treatment facilities.

Distilled Water is Natural Water

Today's family encounters a wide variety of products in the supermarket. Housewives who are concerned about better health and nutrition for their families usually select "natural" products versus those which have "artificial" flavors, coloring or "synthetic" fibers, nutrients, and so forth.


On the other hand, shoppers looking for a bargain, usually select the "synthetic" or "artificial" brands, without too much concern regarding qualitative or quantitative nutrient characteristics.

Because naturally-occurring ingredients are more difficult to obtain, and many times more expensive because of their scarcity, store shelves tend to be dominated by the "artificial" and "synthetic" varieties---thus catering to the bargain shopper, rather than the shopper intent on better nutrition.

Turning down the supermarket aisle where bottled water is stacked in neat rows, we see a similar situation. In the bottled water section we see all types of "additives" in small bottled water containers, so-called "nutrient" waters, de-ionized waters, reverse osmosis-treated waters, filtered waters, spring water and steam distilled water.

Only the last two types of waters---spring and steam distilled are natural products. Spring water is bottled as it occurs naturally in nature---usually directly from a ground source, and un-touched by other human, synthetic processes.

Steam distilled water is produced by a completely natural process, simple heating and cooling, exactly like earth's natural rain process, resulting in a product with completely natural qualities.

Tap water is being shunned by nearly half of California's population---either because of poor taste or because of fears of chemical contamination of various sorts. The rush to alternatives, namely the supermarket, vending machines, delivered water and water stores has produced much confusion regarding the benefits one may or may not obtain from these various alternatives to tap water.

The public is unaware that even well-known organizations such as the American Medical Association have correctly pointed out that "...the body's need for minerals is largely met through food, not drinking water".

Even the National Water Quality Association, not usually known for it's excursions into areas concerned with nutrition, has stated "...the amounts of minerals found in water are insignificant when compared to those found in the foods we eat".

Since we see from these two internationally-known sources that water is essentially a cleansing agent, while food is the nutrient, we find it difficult to calculate the enormous amount of money being wasted on "synthetic" or "artificial" drinking waters.

True, these artificial waters might taste better than tap water when spiked with carbon dioxide, salts, sugars and other additives, but there is no proof whatsoever that any of these synthetic or artificial waters provide any nutrient benefits other than making one increasingly thirsty because of the sugar and salt additives.

We harp on our children because of their near-continual consumption of various types of sugary colas---while we grownups fill our own shopping carts with "designer" waters, simply an adult version of sugary colas.

The smart alternative in purchasing pure drinking water is simply to obtain pure, unadulterated H2O, uncontaminated with salts, metals, chemicals and additives that our body cannot use and most certainly must expel because of their undigestibility.

This alternative reduces to either steam distilled water or a top-quality spring water.

It is not uncommon to find warning signs in industrial and manufacturing environments which warn against the use of de-ionized water for drinking.


Even though millions of gallons of this clean, synthetic, artificial water are readily available in the workplace, bottled spring or distilled water will be found in those manufacturing and industrial workplaces for employee drinking needs.

To be more specific, there are no processes in nature which duplicate either reverse osmosis or de-ionization. In fact, reverse osmosis is the exact opposite(or reverse) of a natural process, osmosis. In attempting to create pure, industrial-grade water many years ago, scientists found that by reversing a natural process(osmosis) they were able to produce a fairly good quality of water. It was not a natural product, but it did meet their industrial requirements.

Today, this inexpensive industrial process has spilled over into the drinking water business where some bottlers, water stores and vending machines use the reverse osmosis technology to produce an inexpensive, moderately clean grade of artificial or synthetic drinking water.

On the other hand, steam distilled water is used in virtually every pharmaceutical where pure, natural absorption of nutrients or medication is required, in all naval vessels where pure, uncontaminated drinking water is produced from incredibly impure seawater and hundreds of other applications where pure, natural water is necessary.

Because of it's natural structure, the taste of distilled water is also much cleaner and smoother than de-ionized or reverse osmosis water.

The production of distilled water is with stainless-steel components while various types of synthetic rubber and plastic components are used to produce reverse osmosis water. It is therefore easy to understand why steam distilled water has no aftertaste while one with a sensitive palate can still taste the residue of the plastics and rubber components in the reverse osmosis water.

The only thing that reverse osmosis water seems to have going for it is it's lower cost---and that again is because of it's lesser purity than steam distilled water.

Remember, there are two pump at every gas station---one with regular gas, the other premium. These two pumps provide widely different qualities of gas---at two quite different prices.

I guess the most interesting thing about observing these pumps at a station is that the "premium" pump fits every gas tank---while the "regular" or leaded pump fits only a smaller portion of gas tanks.

The same can be said about naturally pure water such as distilled water. While it might costs a few cents more per gallon, it will meet everyone's needs because of it's higher purity.

Reverse osmosis water(although it is still "water") fits a much smaller percentage of needs because of it still contains small amounts of a wide variety of impurities and is not a natural water product.

Water usually makes up 55% to 78% of the human body

Water (H2O) is the most abundant compound on Earth's surface, constituting about 70% of the planet's surface. In nature it exists in liquid, solid, and gaseous states. It is in dynamic equilibrium between the liquid and gas states at standard temperature and pressure. At room temperature, it is a nearly colorless with a hint of blue, tasteless, and odorless liquid. Many substances dissolve in water and it is commonly referred to as the universal solvent. Because of this, water in nature and in use is rarely pure and some of its properties may vary slightly from those of the pure substance. However, there are many compounds that are essentially, if not completely, insoluble in water. Water is the only common substance found naturally in all three common states of matter and it is essential for life on Earth. Water usually makes up 55% to 78% of the human body.

Forms of water

Like many substances, water can take numerous forms that are broadly categorized by phase of matter. The liquid phase is the most common among water's phases and is the form that's generally denoted by the word "water." The solid phase of water is known as ice and commonly takes the structure of hard, amalgamated crystals, such as ice cubes, or loosely accumulated granular crystals, like snow. For a list of the many different crystalline and amorphous forms of solid H2O, see the article ice. The gaseous phase of water is known as water vapor (or steam), and is characterized by water assuming the configuration of a transparent cloud. The fourth state of water, that of a supercritical fluid, is much less common than the other three and only rarely occurs in nature. When water achieves a specific critical temperature and a specific critical pressure (647 K and 22.064 MPa), liquid and gas phase merge to one homogeneous fluid phase, with properties of both gas and liquid. Since water only becomes supercritical under extreme temperatures or pressures, it almost never occurs naturally. One example of naturally occurring supercritical water is in the hottest parts of deep water hydrothermal vents, in which water is heated to the critical temperature by scalding volcanic plumes and achieves the critical pressure because of the crushing weight of the ocean at the extreme depths at which the vents are located.

In natural water (see Standard Mean Ocean Water), almost all of the hydrogen atoms are of the isotope protium, 1H. Heavy water is water in which the hydrogen is replaced by its heavier isotope, deuterium,2H. It is chemically similar to normal water, but not identical. This is because the nucleus of deuterium is twice as heavy as protium, and thus causes noticeable differences in bonding energies and hydrogen bonding. Heavy water is used in the nuclear reactor industry to moderate (slow down) neutrons. By contrast, the term light water designates water containing the protium isotope, in contexts when such distinction is needed. An example is the term light water reactor to emphasize that the reactor type uses light water.

 

 

Physics and chemistry

 

Water is the chemical substance with chemical formula H2O: one molecule of water has two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to a single oxygen atom.[5] Water is a tasteless, odorless liquid at ambient temperature and pressure, and appears colorless in small quantities, although it has its own intrinsic very light blue hue. Ice also appears colorless, and water vapor is essentially invisible as a gas. Water is primarily a liquid under standard conditions, which is not predicted from its relationship to other analogous hydrides of the oxygen family in the periodic table, which are gases such as hydrogen sulfide. Also the elements surrounding oxygen in the periodic table, nitrogen, fluorine, phosphorus, sulfur and chlorine, all combine with hydrogen to produce gases under standard conditions. The reason that water forms a liquid is that oxygen is more electronegative than all of these elements with the exception of fluorine. Oxygen attracts electrons much more strongly than hydrogen, resulting in a net positive charge on the hydrogen atoms, and a net negative charge on the oxygen atom. The presence of a charge on each of these atoms gives each water molecule a net dipole moment. Electrical attraction between water molecules due to this dipole pulls individual molecules closer together, making it more difficult to separate the molecules and therefore raising the boiling point. This attraction is known as hydrogen bonding. The molecules of water are constantly moving in relation to each other, and the hydrogen bonds are continually breaking and reforming at timescales faster than 200 femtoseconds. However, this bond is strong enough to create many of the peculiar properties of water described in this article, such as the those that make it integral to life. Water can be described as a polar liquid that slightly dissociates disproportionately into the hydronium ion (H3O+(aq)) and an associated hydroxide ion (OH−(aq)).

2 H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + OH− (aq)

The dissociation constant for this dissociation is commonly symbolized as Kw and has a value of about 10−14 at 25 °C; see "Water (data page)" and "Self-ionization of water" for more information

Water is essential for life

Water is essential for life. The amount of fresh water on earth is limited, and its quality is under constant pressure. Preserving the quality of fresh water is important for the drinking-water supply, food production and recreational water use. Water quality can be compromised by the presence of infectious agents, toxic chemicals, and radiological hazards.

The body can store water

Water is a major component of the tissues and cells of the body. Without water the human body will survive only a few days. No other nutrient deficiency has such profound effects.

A prolonged absence of water:

• lowers blood pressure

• weakens the heart and

• shuts down the kidneys

Water is the major component of blood and urine and is also found in gastrointestinal juices, perspiration, and even the joints of the body.

The body can store water, but only on a very limited basis. For the body to function optimally, water losses from urine, stool, perspiration, and respiration need to be replenished daily.

The average person should consume 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water each day. Although water is the best "thirst-quencher," other liquids (such as juices, milk, sodas, and teas) can help meet fluid needs. High sugar and high caffeine beverages are not the best choices because they can lead to increased urination.

The elderly and young children are at the highest risk for a water deficiency. Any individual who is experiencing prolonged diarrhea, vomiting, or perspiration is also at risk for water deficiency or dehydration.

People in hot climates, particularly extremely dry or humid climates, can deplete their water reserves. If you experience muscle cramping, nausea, headache, or dizziness, you may be dehydrated.

Be water smart. Drink plenty of fluids each and every day!

How To Maintain Good Water Conditions

The ideal water for guppies has low nitrite and ammonia levels. This condition gives good oxygenation for growth and a friendly environment for healthy fish. Many times when disease hits our tanks, it is due more to tank conditions that have declined which make the fish susceptible to disease already present in our tanks rather than an airborne disease suddenly entering our fish room. This is apart from the situation when fish that are returned from a fish show or fish that come from a place that may carry a disease or parasites. The common diseases like Ich, Velvet and Fin Rot are always present in our tanks and are just waiting to take hold when the guppy’s heath drops due to water conditions.

Guppy breeders often try to feed their fish with the maximum amount of food to get the maximum potential growth. If a guppy breeder feeds too much, the food that is not eaten rots and produces nitrite in the water which causes a decrease in available oxygen for the guppy. Also the more food a guppy is fed more fish waste will result causing a higher ammonia level causing more deterioration of the water quality. Fish waste is also increased when a tank has too many guppies inhabiting it. More fish means more food put into the tanks which produce more fish waste.

The nitrite and ammonia are countered with biological filtration. The key is how effectively and quickly can the filtration breakdown the harmful compounds to keep the water quality to a level that is beneficial to guppies? The following summarizes some of my experiences with different filters.

The Box Filter

Good basic filtration for most guppy breeders. I use ceramic tubes used for biological filtration on the bottom 2/3 with floss on top. The ceramic tubes are good media for the good bacteria grow to breakdown nitrite and ammonia. It also helps to weigh down the filter. Any other material that encourages good bacteria growth can be used, such as glass marbles or the other available biological media for filtration. The floss on top helps stop larger debris from entering the box. Also the fish can pick on the floss where live brine and other food may have been stopped by it. I usually change the floss every 3 weeks or sooner if it is heavy with debris. I also use a second box filter with just ceramic tubes in a tank that has more fish and require more biological filtration. I have to make a point to rinse out the filter without the floss once a week to get out the waste build up. The reason I don’t use floss in the second filter is to get maximum water flow to give maximum biological filtration. This is true for all filtration.

I have used charcoal but I found that using ceramic tubes was a better solution. Charcoal only absorbs toxins such as nitrite and ammonia for a short period of time. Also after the charcoal is maxed out, it can reverse itself and release the toxins back into the water. This can sometimes explain the sudden deterioration of water conditions and the fish are gasping for air at the top of tank. Charcoal also becomes a breeding ground for good bacteria, but is lost when you change it for fresh charcoal. Even if you use some of the old charcoal, the biological filtration has been reduced, until the good bacteria can grow and increase again. Ceramic tubes, just need to have the waste rinsed out and replaced back with its good bacteria still intact. It is important to note that you do not rinse out the material in hot water which will kill the good bacteria. Chlorine will also kill anything in the material, but sometimes necessary to eliminate harmful diseases that have entered into the tank. Be sure that the material is neutralized of chlorine after treatment and give it time to repopulate before putting too many fish in the tank. Adding biological material from a healthy establish tank will also speed up the good bacteria growth. A picture of the ceramic tubes is shown below.

Sponge Filters

This has good biological filtration but does need to be rinsed often to keep the water flow going well through the sponge material. I have also experienced that with time it tends to get more difficult to clean due the minute particles and algae that get stuck deep within the sponge material. Sponge filters that are larger give more area for good bacteria to grow and greater water flow through the filter creating better biological filtration. People often use two sponge filters per tank so if one needs to be thrown away the other one can continue the biological filtration. When this is done it must be kept in mind that the biological filtration has been cut in half until the new one can catch up. People also use this in combination with a box filter. Same rules apply to the sponge filter as the ceramic tubes for rinsing.

Outside Filters

Outside Filters can give good biological filtration, but its downfall is that it will take in uneaten food and the fish can not reach it causing more dissolve waste into the water. Baby brine (as well as baby guppies.) can also be quickly vacuumed up before the fish can get to it.

Diatom Filters

The purpose of this filtration is to eliminate any floating debris in the water with no significant amount of biological filtration. Not a practical or useful filtration for guppy breeders.

A good indicator that the amount of biological filtration in a tank is not enough is if the tank is cloudy or if the fish are less active (this doesn’t rule out the possibility that the fish maybe diseased instead). If the filtration cannot be increased to compensate then less food has to be fed to that tank. This can be done having less fish in the tank requiring less food.

Weekly water changes also help in reducing the unwanted debris in the tank. Depending on how polluted the tank is, water changes can range from 10% to 50% of the tank’s water. People who do water changes above 25% should take more attention to the temperature matching the tanks and that water treatment chemicals are reduced to a safe level. People who do water changes below 25% still need to do the same, but it is not as critical to be perfect since the amount is smaller and has less chance of shocking the fish. Water quality is different depending on its source and how the water treatment plant purifies the water so it is advised to adjust your water treatment procedure to best serve your guppies.

The basic concept to good water quality is to reduce the fish waste, nitrite, and ammonia level in the water. Fish waste is reduced by siphoning off waste when you are changing water, changing the filter floss, and rinsing out waste from the filter’s biological material. Nitrite and ammonia are reduced by good biological filtration. If your biological filtration and water changes can not keep up, then the fish population and food input to the tank must be reduced. The illustration below demonstrates the balance between the different factors.