Reservoir for tortoise safe water

[Oldbattleaxe]

between the humidifier, large misting pump-bottle, and the water bowls, I found myself mixing up a 1-2 gallon batch of tortoise safe water every other day. Here is my attempt at a solution, (pun intended). I"ll let you guys know how it works out over the next few days. Basically, I want a reservoir of tort safe water on hand. The largest container at my local aquarium shop was 5 gal, so I'll start there.
I needed to cut the plug out of the screw-top,and put a hole under the little black cap to avoid creating a vacuum. I used the following parts to create a ball valve to hose attachment thingie.
Screwed them together like so, and attached a 1/2 ID vinyl hose.

Because the system is gravity fed, it really won't work at ground level, so I added a little shelf between the long boxes that it can sit on.
Now with any luck, refilling the humidifier, pump-mister and water bowls will be easier, and I can mix the water in 5 gallon batches. Questions, comments and advice heartily begged for. Thanks folks.

 

[MPRC]

What exactly are you 'mixing up'? I just use tap water. If I can drink it so can they.

 

[wellington]

I was wondering the same thing. Is this basically so you don't have to carry water out to them all the time? In winter I just fill two 5 gallon buckets and scoop water out to fill their dishes daily. The buckets probably last 3 days then I refill them. Summer time I just use a flower watering can that's only for the torts and the hose.

 

[Oldbattleaxe]

Water conditioner that removes chlorine and chloramines. I don't like chlorine in my eyes, so I just figure they might not like it either.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Water conditioner that removes chlorine and chloramines. I don't like chlorine in my eyes, so I just figure they might not like it either.

From what I remember as a kid, rumor was that chlorine dissipated after open air in like 24 hours or so. Don't hold me to this though, that was a way long time ago.

 

[AmberD]

From what I remember as a kid, rumor was that chlorine dissipated after open air in like 24 hours or so. Don't hold me to this though, that was a way long time ago.

I've heard this too.

 

[wellington]

From what I remember as a kid, rumor was that chlorine dissipated after open air in like 24 hours or so. Don't hold me to this though, that was a way long time ago.

As far as I know it still holds true, at least for the fish industry, it's still being told.

 

[MPRC]

I lived in a place for a YEAR that had a bad well and we had to bring in our own drinking water, that's the only time they got special water and even then I wasn't very good at remembering it for soaking purposes.

I'd like to set up a rain water barrel for filling their big ponds/dishes outside. I need to figure out if it's allowed in Oregon, @Cowboy_Ken might know - any input?

 

[Markw84]

From what I remember as a kid, rumor was that chlorine dissipated after open air in like 24 hours or so. Don't hold me to this though, that was a way long time ago.

Chlorine will dissipate in about 24 hours. However because of that, most water systems use chloramine that will take weeks to dissipate. A dechlor will take care of it but it breaks down the main chemical to ammonia. Levels are so low that is not a problem for fish. With my tortoises I absolutely do not worry about the low chloramine levels and do not treat. I actually feel the antibacterial properties is better than the created ammonia!

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I lived in a place for a YEAR that had a bad well and we had to bring in our own drinking water, that's the only time they got special water and even then I wasn't very good at remembering it for soaking purposes.

I'd like to set up a rain water barrel for filling their big ponds/dishes outside. I need to figure out if it's allowed in Oregon, @Cowboy_Ken might know - any input?

I lived out in the sticks with no real neighbors and I just had a 55 gallon drum set up. Mainly it was for tortoises and plants, my well was dry and was sucking air not water. No one gave a rats about it. I picked up a cheap feeder goldfish to keep the mosquitoes larva eaten, and never fed it. Summer and winter it lived out there.

 

[MPRC]

I lived out in the sticks with no real neighbors and I just had a 55 gallon drum set up. Mainly it was for tortoises and plants, my well was dry and was sucking air not water. No one gave a rats about it. I picked up a cheap feeder goldfish to keep the mosquitoes larva eaten, and never fed it. Summer and winter it lived out there.

I'll probably put a barrel on the back of the house once we get the gutters back up...someone tore them down and left them in the yard before we moved in. We are on city water but there is a well with a pump, I'm just too dumb to make it work yet. Need to do a little more research I suppose. The neighbor's well is only 10ft deep and he's never run dry.

 

[Oldbattleaxe]

The tap water here is just nasty. I try to use bottled water as much as possible.

 

[eric joranson]

thanks to a suggestion on this forum; I set out barrels to collect rain water. Took care of the hard water stains I was getting soaking Better check local regulations though; as in some areas of the country it has been made illegal to collect rain water.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

The neighbor's well is only 10ft deep and he's never run dry.

The well I was on that went dry was over 800' deep.