Water change idea

[severum mama]

For me, it's advisable to dose the tank directly and fill from the tap. There isn't necessarily a black and white answer on what is advisable... only an answer which each one of us would advise.

 

[butterfly_koi]

+ 1...isn't distilled water pretty acetic too? There would not be enough nutrients for plants like iron and potassium if you just used distilled water.

I use the distilled with my tap water because the Ph and hardness is too high in my tap when I started adding 25% distilled to 75% tap water my levels have been coming back good, I don't recommend using distilled water for the whole tank because you need that bacteria in your tank to break down the icky stuff

 

[butterfly_koi]

I think it all depends on your water supply, because everyone is going to give you different answers we all build our tanks depending on our water supply. In my town the water is full of calcium and is too hard for my fish but your water might be ok. you just have to kind of be your own judge on what's best for your fish

 

[severum mama]

It's not a matter of bacteria present in the makeup water, but rather total dissolved solids- salts, minerals, etc.

 

[sanchezkk]

My water has a chlorolin taste to it.

 

[sanchezkk]

Using tap water in a bucket and treating it with a conditioner like Seachem Prime

So if I already use prime with my tap water, am I good to go?

 

[Alyxx]

So if I already use prime with my tap water, am I good to go?

For freshwater, yes. For saltwater, it is highly advised to use RO or RO/DI water for mixing up your saltwater and for top offs due to the trace elements being algae food. Prime and other dechlorinators aren't needed with RO. You can buy the RO water or buy a RO system to make your own at home. Prime and tap water is perfectly fine for freshwater, however. Also, use of RO or distilled water isn't recommended for freshwater because it is lacking these trace minerals that the tap water has, and they need to be added back in. This isn't a problem with saltwater tanks because the salt mix contains all the necessary trace minerals, but not other types of trace elements that feed the marine algae.

 

[sanchezkk]

So, you're saying I should scrap the tap water idea and get ro /di water?

 

[Rutrag]

So, you're saying I should scrap the tap water idea and get ro /di water?

Check what your tap water is like for chloramines, nitrates, pH and hardness. Most tap water with a chlorine remover is A-OK for most freshwater fish. It's just parameter swings that set the fish off. I use dechlorinated tap water for my four freshwater tanks with no ill effects.

I do use RO DI for my two saltwater tanks though.

 

[Alyxx]

Check what your tap water is like for chloramines, nitrates, pH and hardness. Most tap water with a chlorine remover is A-OK for most freshwater fish. It's just parameter swings that set the fish off. I use dechlorinated tap water for my four freshwater tanks with no ill effects.

I do use RO DI for my two saltwater tanks though.

I think sanchezkk is asking about using it for saltwater, his profile only lists a marine tank. The op was looking for an alternative to bottled water for freshwater tanks. For the op, prime and tap is perfectly fine, to sanchezkk, you should be using RO/DI to make your saltwater.

 

[Smcoyle87]

^ This

 

[sanchezkk]

Alyxx,

You keep saying op. What is op?

 

[maxwellag]

Alyxx,

You keep saying op. What is op?

Original poster, whoever started the thread