Water Supply

[bbecher]

Good morning!

I have a quick question regarding water supply. I've check my local municiple website, and came up with the following water table:

http://www.nngov.com/waterworks/downloads/annualwaterqualityreport

Now, I live on a base, so I'll also be checking in to see if they have another filtration system for this base alone. I'll also be testing the water at the tap source to see how bad it reallyis. BUT, from reading the table, do you think I'd be able to use this water with a FOWLR. I got scared at the Copper" portion, but I'm just not knowledgable. Thanks for any help you can provide!

-Brad

 

[HN1]

It should be ok for a FOWLR, but may present some algae issues down the road. I wouldn't worry about the copper unless you will be keeping inverts.

Welcome to AA!

 

[bbecher]

Thanks for the welcome! Down the road, as I look into turning this into a reef, and switching to RO/DI; I'm assuming over time I'd start doing the water changes little by little and puting in RO/DI and testing until everything seems perfect? Or what would you reccomend for the change down the road to RO/DI.

Also, I should use a dechlorinator for the tap water + FOWLR, correct?

Thanks again all!

 

[HN1]

Yes, use dechlor. I'm a fan of Prime for our FW tanks.

Just a gradual switchout as you do PWCs should work I'd think. I've never switched though so hopefully someone has done it before and can confirm or deny that.

 

[bbecher]

I guess I was just worried that even though I swapped over to RO?DI water that some traces of the old water would be left stuck to the glass/rocks. I'll try out the dechlor in the tap and mix some salt in and see how it goes. Any other imputs to the water anasis are welcome. Thanks all!

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Agree that for a fish only tank, RO/DI isn't as critical. But just be aware that those yearly reports are just a snapshot in time. And they normally only list maximum levels encountered in the system as a whole (whenever they decide to test!) - they don't represent a true sample at your faucet. Point is, the actual parameters at your faucet can change week to week, season to season. Even if you personally had your own analysis done on your own tap water, there's no guarantee that it'd be the same next week. That's why I like the consistancy of RO/DI... it's the same pure water, day after day.

 

[thincat]

Welcome to AA and thank you for your Service to this Country. You are correct in that the trace elements of copper and other metals will build up in your rockwork. If the time frame between your FOWLR is long you will have trouble with keeping inverts and some corals. If you can get RO/DI water now to start your tank you will be in a much better position to have a sucessful reef tank in the future.

 

[thincat]

Kurt, you type faster then me. LOL

 

[bbecher]

Welcome to AA and thank you for your Service to this Country. You are correct in that the trace elements of copper and other metals will build up in your rockwork. If the time frame between your FOWLR is long you will have trouble with keeping inverts and some corals. If you can get RO/DI water now to start your tank you will be in a much better position to have a sucessful reef tank in the future.

What would you define as "long?" 2 months? More? I'm just curious; I know the general rule of the longer the worse, but I wouldn't imagine elements staking a claim under a few months period, but more so over a few years. But alas, the RO/DI will come soon enough

 

[thincat]

Well, I guess that when you get the RO/DI unit will be soon enough. I got my unit from bulkreefsuppy.com and was real pleased with their service and the unit. I got the 4 stage unit. I am using it as I type. I also use it for drinking water. There is pro's and con's on using strickly RO/DI water for drinking, so I mix in a cup of tap water now and again.LOL

 

[bbecher]

We have a sink in the kitchen of our suite (2 rooms share one kitchen/bathroom), that we hardly EVER use, so I'm guessing I could hook the RO/DI up to that. I think most of the units come with a faucet adapter that you can just screw and unscrew when you want to use it. I have to say, I'm good with electronics, but all this reading on assembling and using the Ro/DI has become a little confusing

 

[thincat]

Think of it as diodes. They only go one way.

 

[bbecher]

Since you have one, I hope you don't mind me shooting you a question. The waste side, I originally saw something that said to tap the west pipe into your prexesting sink PVC pipe. I don't see how that's really necceasary, could I just let it dangle in the sink and flush down that way? I REALLY can't afford to be tapping pipes and making anything semi permanenet in our rooms. Sorry if that was an obscure question.

 

[HN1]

Unless you have a catastrophic zener moment.

 

[CaptainAhab]

If you're not attaching it perm you have the right idea. Mine's mounted on a wall above my utility tub. I still shove the waste water piping down the drain. If you undersink mount it the yea, it makes sense.

I drilled a hole in the floor and run the good water down to my holding tank in the basement.

 

[bbecher]

Amazing, you all have been MORE then helpful! I'm going to just have the unit next to out kitchen sink and run it as a temp accessory; The sinks only about 10 feet from the tank, around a corner, so carrying some buckets there wont be to bad. Now to figure out filling it for first time! Once again, thank you all SO much for the help.

 

[CaptainAhab]

You should get lots and lots of water pipe with the unit. If not, it's cheap to buy... Just run it right in the tank if gravity allows. Calculate the flow then figure out approx how long it might take. Turn it on and go to bed (if you dare and the calculations work out).

 

[thincat]

Since you have one, I hope you don't mind me shooting you a question. The waste side, I originally saw something that said to tap the west pipe into your prexesting sink PVC pipe. I don't see how that's really necceasary, could I just let it dangle in the sink and flush down that way? I REALLY can't afford to be tapping pipes and making anything semi permanenet in our rooms. Sorry if that was an obscure question.

Yes you could do that. I run my unit in the washroom and run the waste water into my washing machine to use when washing clothes. All roads lead to China or was that Iran.

 

[bbecher]

I don't think, with the differing heights, I could run it like that. I'd probably just do some buckets, as it's not to far to walk. On a side note, I have a nice hardback marine aquarium book, and it mentions mixing the salt after the water is in the tank with the powerheads (Oddly enough, it says to pull the tank with water, place your rock, and then poor the sand into the water too, seemed wierd). I can understand mixing it beforehand for topoffs, but thw first time I fill the tank I'd like to mix it in tank.

 

[thincat]

You can do that. Just get into the habit of premixing a water change at least 24hrs before you do a PWC in the future. How old is that book that you are reading? LOL