Pain Devine
Aquarium Advice Activist
Ok, so this is what I'm doing...
I have a 16 gallon Tank
I building a 16 gallon refugium bellow it (almost done, ran outa stuff and home depot was closed yesterday!)
When done, I plan on running it with just salt water in it (no rocks or sand or fish) to alow it to stabilize, for a week or so.
Then I'll add live rock, sand and plants, and let it run for another week or so. I've read on this site that throwing in a piece of raw shrimp for the bacteria is a good idea.
After the live rock has been in there for a week or two and the water tests good I'll add a fish or two.
After several months I plan on adding more lights and a coral or two. But thats down the line a ways.
My question is... everyone says that you can't use tap water. But they also say to use natural filtration... how the heck do I naturally filtrate tapwater without killing the tank? I've heard talk of revese osmosis but there aren't any plans for reverse osmosis filters, and none of the sites sell them... unless they are going by a different name. Remember that this is a small tank and I'd rather build a filter than buy one. I
could fill it with distilled water... it's only 36 gallons and they sell distilled water in 5 gallon juggs at the store. But I'd rather filter the tap water.
I have a 16 gallon Tank
I building a 16 gallon refugium bellow it (almost done, ran outa stuff and home depot was closed yesterday!)
When done, I plan on running it with just salt water in it (no rocks or sand or fish) to alow it to stabilize, for a week or so.
Then I'll add live rock, sand and plants, and let it run for another week or so. I've read on this site that throwing in a piece of raw shrimp for the bacteria is a good idea.
After the live rock has been in there for a week or two and the water tests good I'll add a fish or two.
After several months I plan on adding more lights and a coral or two. But thats down the line a ways.
My question is... everyone says that you can't use tap water. But they also say to use natural filtration... how the heck do I naturally filtrate tapwater without killing the tank? I've heard talk of revese osmosis but there aren't any plans for reverse osmosis filters, and none of the sites sell them... unless they are going by a different name. Remember that this is a small tank and I'd rather build a filter than buy one. I
could fill it with distilled water... it's only 36 gallons and they sell distilled water in 5 gallon juggs at the store. But I'd rather filter the tap water.
