Water change

[Ethan7474]

When performing a water change, can I use tap water and treat it with conditioners? Or use ro/di water?

 

[dwint]

I always use tap water and treatment ant haven't had a problem in years

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

I always use tap water and treatment ant haven't had a problem in years

One day you'll be surprised that you randomly get a bunch of algae. I would use RO/DI. It will save you from a bunch of headaches later.

 

[Maridia]

Every one I've ever talked to make it sound like an utmost utterly evil thing to use tap water for saltwater tanks. I tried asking on this forum but I was told that it would be doomed to fail, so I use ro water. What I don't understand is that they make water conditioners for saltwater that supposedly get rid of chlorine and chloramine and detoxify metals. However I was told that is still not a remedy to the metals problem and that down the road it will kill everything! So if someone doesn't have ro water, don't even bother. I installed an ro unit for $150, because i felt like I had no choice. But it makes me happy to hear that tap water works for someone.

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

Every one I've ever talked to make it sound like an utmost utterly evil thing to use tap water for saltwater tanks. I tried asking on this forum but I was told that it would be doomed to fail, so I use ro water. What I don't understand is that they make water conditioners for saltwater that supposedly get rid of chlorine and chloramine and detoxify metals. However I was told that is still not a remedy to the metals problem and that down the road it will kill everything! So if someone doesn't have ro water, don't even bother. I installed an ro unit for $150, because i felt like I had no choice. But it makes me happy to hear that tap water works for someone.

Yeah it all depends on where you're from. What you can't get rid of with additives is phosphates which causes major algal blooms. You could always use tap water if you wanted. I just don't want to ruin anybody's tanks lol

 

[Bectan01]

I think it really does depend on where you live, some local tap water is relatively free of additives others not so much. If you could test your tap water for all those nasties and it comes back good then why not. I personally wouldn't use tap because I can't test for those things, I have way to much cash invested in my reef to risk it

 

[melosu58]

I work for a large water municipality and I say you should not use tap water. Using tap water does not cause problems right away. Additives dont get rid of compounds like ammonia and nitrates. They just bind them so they are not as leathal. They do nothing for heavy metals. There are many compounds and metals in tap water. I had a good friend had a really nice tank and took care of it all the time. After about 3 yrs the tank crashed. I personally think it was just the continual combination of these compounds and metals. I just know that there is alot of stuff added to tap water. Good for us humans but bad for our reefs. JMO

BTW I have an article in the sw articles section on tap water.

 

[Maridia]

I work for a large water municipality and I say you should not use tap water. Using tap water does not cause problems right away. Additives dont get rid of compounds like ammonia and nitrates. They just bind them so they are not as leathal. They do nothing for heavy metals. There are many compounds and metals in tap water. I had a good friend had a really nice tank and took care of it all the time. After about 3 yrs the tank crashed. I personally think it was just the continual combination of these compounds and metals. I just know that there is alot of stuff added to tap water. Good for us humans but bad for our reefs. JMO BTW I have an article in the sw articles section on tap water.

What do you mean crashed? What exactly happened?

 

[Stlrockguy]

My tap water sucks. The tds coming out of my tap is 255ppm. All of that stuff accumulates in your water when it evaporates and then more is added when the tank is topped off.

 

[huma-huma]

The thing to remember is that despite what the bottles say, theres really no quick easy way to remove heavy metals from water by simply squirting a lil magical chemical in. As previously stated, it can bind to molecules to render them harmless, also it can help to break down lethal elements such as ammonia, however the solids are still there.