Water quality?

[Rushthezeppelin]

What do you guys do to ensure your snake(s) gets only the best water? Do you guys do anything about PH? Me personally I have been using a Pro-Pur gravity filter (charcoal+ceramic with silver ions to keep it sterile). It takes out pretty much everything from chlorine to chloramine to flouride (as well as cysts and protozoans and other stuff that shouldn't be in the tap water I filter anywho). I use it for my own water and the quality is amazing IMO but I do know it makes the water slightly alkaline. This is good for humans (and I'm sure most mammals) but does anyone know if the PH of the water matters for these guys? I would think neutral water (like that out of a reverse osmosis system if not mineralized) would turn acidic due to carbon dioxide in the air making carbonic acid. I would assume that would be bad. Any insight?

Edit: Another thing that makes me think that alkaline is good or at least not bad is the fact that the wild ones around here are running around in limestone territory. That means basically all the bodies of water out here are alkaline (probably higher PH than my water). Perhaps I should get out and test my local water. Be great for those of yall doing herping to measure your local water PH. Perhaps we can find a correlation and add to the knowledge base of what garters can live in. Maybe it will lead to me making my water more alkaline to closely mimic Delilah's natural water.

[guidofatherof5]

I've given my snakes tap/city water for a very long time. Never known of any issues. Their large water bowls allow for any chloramines to quickly evaporate.

[Rushthezeppelin]

True in shallow dishes the chlorine derivatives are gone in minutes, especially in a well vented viv. I still wonder if the flouride would have any effect. Curious whats your longest lived garter and average age garter and do you know if your city flouridates water (I doubt you would know how much or what kind). I just know not to trust tap water where I live. They treat the living crap out of it with chloramine and hydrofluoricylicic acid, it's a bit nastier than regular fluoride (regardless both have the potential to calcify certain organs if taken in excess and not flushed with enough proper halogen iodine). Some other municipalities don't treat their water near as bad as my area.

[Tommytradix]

i use reptisafe. and mix up gallons of it and sit it in my snake room for when i need to change the water. i dont trust tap water either lol

[Rushthezeppelin]

Interesting. My filter takes out all the nasties but I like the idea of a tiny bit of electrolyes in the water. Perhaps a drop or two of pedialyte every bowl change wouldn't be a bad idea?

[Tommytradix]

idk lol they do just fine with clean water you dont want to over vitamin them either it causes blockages and stuff

[Eddie]

Tap water

[Dan72]

I'm out the tap also, no issue to date.

[Albert Clark]

It's a good idea to just use tap water that is stored in jugs or gallon containers overnight or a fortnight so the chlorine can have a chance to diffuse out into the air.

[liveunderoath]

It's a good idea to just use tap water that is stored in jugs or gallon containers overnight or a fortnight so the chlorine can have a chance to diffuse out into the air.
That's how I do it.