can i initially use tap water to fill up?

[thepirate]

when i initially setup th tank can i use tap water and then use RO water from then on?

or do i need to fill up with 130 gal of RO from the start?

thanks in advance

mark

 

[RMPD109]

The tap water may add some bad things tothe setup only to be diluted later by water changes. Check the levels of the tap water and you may be OK. My tap water is high in phosphates and nitrates. I have stopped the phosphates but cant seem to get the nitrates down from my initial setup with tap.

 

[Bearfan]

You need to fill it with RO to prevent problems.

 

[malkore]

The problem is, if you start with tap water, its gonna take months to actually remove all the tap water and replace with R/O water, because you're only diluting the tap water down a fraction, every time you replace with R/O.

plus, you can run into weird water chemsitry issues, some of which won't bother fish, but will affect inverts and especially corals. I started my 40g SW with tap water. Then I had weird low pH levels, semi-high Alkalinity, and calcium was half of what it should be.
So prior to adding fish, I did a 10g w/c with R/O, and that helped my pH a little, but for several months I still had low calcium and normal alkalinity, even when I'd add calcium.
I tested Magnesium and it was at a proper level, so it wasn't that which was affecting my chemistry.

 

[Fluff]

I agree with everyone else. You'd be doing yourself a favor by starting with RO.

 

[aquafreak]

GO RO. I've used tap H2O and have found 375 ppm Phosphates in the tap water. Only a 50% water change with RO/DI water has saved my aquarium. My fish, snails, hermits, and starfish love it. And 99% less algae.