Red eyed tree frog tank

[Wolst21LT]

So i recently cleaned out my RETF tank and i have a pond in it, it has bubbles in it. why??????????? i didnt use any soap or anything. i just used water from the tap and put the reptisafe in it to kill the chloramines. i usually just get distilled water from the store, but this is my first time using reptisafe. does reptisafe make bubbles in the water?

[SludgeMunkey]

So i recently cleaned out my Red-Eyed Leaf Frog tank and i have a pond in it, it has bubbles in it. why??????????? i didnt use any soap or anything. i just used water from the tap and put the reptisafe in it to kill the chloramines. i usually just get distilled water from the store, but this is my first time using reptisafe. does reptisafe make bubbles in the water?

Yes.
From the Zoo Med Web Site:

The first instant terrarium water conditioner. Great for reptile water bowls, chameleon drip water systems, amphibian enclosures, and aquatic turtle tanks. ReptiSafe® removes chloramines and chlorine, detoxify es ammonia and nitrites, and provides essential ions and electrolytes which help to hydrate newly acquired animals. Also stimulates slime coat development in amphibians and fish.

Anything that claims it "has electrolytes" makes me think of the movie "Idiocracy". Any product that "stimulates a slime coat" has all sorts of crazy stuff in it that will increase surface tension resulting in bubbles.

It is my personal opinion, based on experience, that slime coat additives are completely unecessary for amphibians. In fact, if you cruise Caudata.org's search function, you will find hundreds of posts like "My axolotl is peeling". This issue is often caused not by an illness, but by a water treatment. For frogs, they are completely unnecessary in my opinion.

I am an Amquel Plus user myself, it skips the whistles and bells and makes the water safe for my pets without all the extra garbage.


My question to you is, Why are you treating distilled water!?!? I ask only because de-chlorinating distilled water is unnecessary. The real risk of distilled water is copper, from the condensing coils, of the distiller. Reptisafe's ability to remove metals from water does not seem to be documented.

Go for the spring water! it is a bit more expensive, but you will save money by being able to use it straight from the bottle.

[Kurt]

The real risk of distilled water is copper, from the condensing coils, of the distiller. Reptisafe's ability to remove metals from water does not seem to be documented.

I would also add that it is too "clean" to use as the frog's primary water source. I use distilled water only for misting, as it leaves no mineral deposits all over the place. For a primary water source I use dechlorinated tap water.

[into]

I use Reptisafe as well and have never experienced bubbles from its use. However,I have experienced bubbles/foam when adding new water features and using rocks that weren't rinsed properly. Foam comes from organic material in the water.

This may be weird, but I use Reptisafe to wash my hands before handling my frogs. I put a few drops on my hands and rub them together like a soap, then I rinse and spray my hands with treated water... I find it dries my hands out and removes any oils I have on my skin. It seems to work well.

[Wolst21LT]

okay thanks guys. i was actually unaware that there is copper in distilled water. im glad that i switched to reptisafe.

[Kurt]

I am not 100% convinced there is copper in distilled water. Because if there was than electrically current would be able to pass through it and as far as I know it can't.