Overflow/sump and water

[mojo]

Is anyone familiar with the overflow/sump combo that comes on the new Oceanic systems? Is this any good, or is it better to DIY?

Also, my LFS guy says that aging saltwater is worthless because "chloramine" in municipal water is not eliminated by the aging process. I'm not sure if this is good data or he's just trying to sell water from his store. Any insight?

 

[tmcpeek]

Not sure on the overflow on the Oceanic but I would try to avoid tap water.

The chlorine in it should dissipate (not 100% sure on this) but you will probably have algae problems if using tap water. You would be money ahead to buy a ro/di unit and make your own water.

 

[cj10488]

Chlorine will disipate but the more harmful by product of chlorimine will not.. I believe Chloramine is the product of Ammonia and chllorine.. But i am not 100% positive. However i do know that it doesnt disipate like chlorine will.. FWIW I would highly recommend an RO/Di unit.. there is a seller on Ebay "filterdirect" they sell them very inexpensive and they work extremely well... There is also our sponsors that sell them as well..


HTH<
James

 

[johnkristie]

I'm not familiar with the Oceanic overflow system, but it's super easy to make your own overflow and sump system.

 

[Brad]

Chloramine...

I believe that Chloramine eventually dissapates, just as Chlorine does....but it takes MUCH longer. This is the reason that municipalities want to use it. It is more effective as it stays in the system longer.

Chemically...a tap water spill is considered a hazardous waste situation as the compounds in the water are toxic to fish.

 

[steve-s]

Chloramines will dissapate over time but it takes much much longer. The use of water conditioners is highly recommended as well as GAC which can remove chloramines without being broken down but only to a certain extent.

Chloramines are prefered as a municipal treatment over chlorine because it does not create formation of halogenated organics as chlorine can. Chloramines are also a much better bacterial agent as they can penetrate the bacterial cell wall with much more effciency than chlorine making it a more effective treatment option.

Cheers
Steve

 

[mojo]

Thanks for everyone's input. Does this mean that the use of GAC as well as RO/DI treatment eliminates chloramine? Do most people use these units and make their own water, or is that considered "old school." I understand that it would be very convenient to use this for topping off the tank due to evaporative losses, but I can also conceptualize a major convenience factor of buying prepared water (of course at a cost). I guess the RO/DI unit would pay for itself after several water changes. Any more input?

 

[kribbz]

not only should you be consiered with chloramine and chlorine being in your tap water. you should also watch for copper and other heavy metals. these would be very bad for your inverts.

 

[mojo]

I'd like to revitalize this question regarding RO/DI units:

Do most people use these units and make their own water, or is that considered "old school." I understand that it would be very convenient to use this for topping off the tank due to evaporative losses, but I can also conceptualize a major convenience factor of buying prepared water (of course at a cost).

 

[Anemoneman]

I would venture a guess that most experienced reef keepers are using RO/DI filters to make pure water to mix with their salt.

 

[BillyZ]

I use an RO filter and I have found it to be MUCH more convient to simply keep a large rubbermaid container full of RO water that I can simply draw from anytime I need to do a water change or top off. Whenever the level in the container gets low, I turn the filter on for a few hours and let it fill back up.

 

[24 hours? NE!]

Boy, all the things that I could have for my fish, if I only had more room (and a lot more money). Here I go dreaming again!

 

[Reefaddict]

I use distilled water from the market or Walmart. It' s about 58 cents a gallon...works pretty well, I've tested for PO4 and silicates and they are zero.

I am getting really sick of going to the store all the time and loading up a cart of distilled water gallons and lugging them around and upstairs to my apartment though :?

Im planning on getting an ro/di ASAP!