Does EVERYONE use RO/DI water?

[midiman]

I tested my tap water for nitrates and it reads 0. Is it really neessary to us RO/DI water? Does anyone out there use tap water? My system will be FOWLR (for the time being), so can I get away with tap water for now?

When mixing my sea water, will a carbon filter on the powerhead help reduce/eliminate any metals which may be present?

Still learning, still asking questions......

 

[scuba_steve]

nitrates in your tap isnt really the issue or what ya should be looking at ! need to test your phosphate levels ! or get a tds meter and see what levels your at !
imo for a fish only you can get by with tap but for the long term health of the fish it could cause probs on their liver to so heavy metals !

 

[WhiteCloud]

I went straight to RO/DI when starting my SW tank as I have had nothing but Algae problem in my FW tank with Tap Water. I have well water...and it has 150ppm of stuff based on my TDS meter (total dissolved solids) from the tap. I am sure that I have Phosphate and Silica...which help with my algae problem. I am using total RO/DI with my SW and a 50:50 mix with Tap and RO/DI with my FW. I hope this help things. With me...I think it was a necessity due to the well water. Many people have had good luck with tap water too....I knew I would not.

And just and edit....
During cycling of my SW tank...one morning it was nice clean looking...at night I came home and the tank was covered in green algae...the substrate, base rock, even free floating on top. I did nothing...and in 3 days...it burned itself out only leaving white algae skeleton residue dust (this is actually what Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is). When I saw that...I knew i chose correctly to go with RO/DI.

WC

 

[midiman]

need to test your phosphate levels

It's halftime, so I'm going to check the phosphates in my tap water right now. Thanks for the info.

Go Vikings!!! (Yeah, right.)

 

[midiman]

My tap water phosphate read around 0.50, perhaps a little less -it's hard to judge to color chart vs the water. It's definitely under 1.00. Too high?

My hope is that it will do for FOWLR but perhaps not for a full blown reef. Any advice? I'd like to postpone the RO water expense and start with this water for FOWLR. I guess I could eventually purchase an RO unit, but right now I'm straining my budget as it is.

Any ideas?

 

[boardsurfer]

I get RO/DI from my LFS. I can't afford a unit yet, so that's any easy route to keep my FOWLR happy with no algae blooms or cyano outbreaks.

 

[electrikat]

I use only tap water but my tap has no traces of phosphates.IMO if it's just for a fo or fowlr you might be able to get away with it and maybe just add a phospate sponge to your filter system. Then maybe just use bottled water for your water changes and it won't cost so much. Eventually it would all be good water without the initial cash outlay of filling your entire tank with ro water. If you have a couple of 5 gallon buckets you could even go to one of those byob water stands and get it for .25 or 5 for a dollar.

 

[fishfreek]

Yes most of us do use RO filters. Dont look at it as an expense but more as an investment. I use my RO filter for more than just tank water. For a FOWLR you should be ok with tap water as long as your tap water is somewhat 'clean'.

There are many things that could be in tap water that our simple aquarists test kits wont pickup on. STuff like heavy metals, fertilizers ,etc. An RO filter will filter out 99% of that and give you very near to pure water.

 

[RMPD109]

If you plan on using bottled water be sure to use distilled water. The spring waters and drinking waters may have some other things in it. I use distilled after having phosphate and nitrate problems from my tap water.

 

[midiman]

If you have a couple of 5 gallon buckets you could even go to one of those byob water stands and get it for .25 or 5 for a dollar.

byob water stands? I don't think we have these here in NY - I've never heard of them. What exactly are they? Distilled water? Sounds interesting.

 

[Thumper]

We have a rodi unit for the simple fact of not staring another problem I dont want to contend with. Algae is a serious problem if not kept in check. I would reccomend buying from a lfs if possible untill you can buy your own, Currently I'm using 20 gallons a day without water changes to the main tank so it will add up after a while. Save up and buy you a ro unit when you can and you will not regret it.

 

[phishead]

BYOB WAter is available at certain supermarkets and healthfood stores. You just bring your own bottle and fill up. It is Ro, not sure about the DI part.

I spent $150.00 at home depot for a good system. It mounts under the sink, has only a gallon storage tank, but my wife and I use it as regular drinking water too.

They Have systems on ebay for around $90

 

[scuba_steve]

its cheaper to buy a new unit over replacing the filter thats the sad part :-/

 

[seaham358]

There are several types of units that can be bought.....
Just RO and RO/DI and Kold Steril
RO/DI is the best you can get removes 99%
RO removes less then RO/DI
Kold Steril removes bad things leaving good.
Do your home work before you buy any unit.
I suggest RO/DI
HD sells RO units but you can get a better deal online for a RO/DI unit.
Distilled water add up how much it costs and how much you will need to fill up your system and how much you need to top off water..... Bet thats close to the price of a RO or RO/DI unit. Don't waste you money buying bottled water unless you can get a good deal somewhere.
This is not a cheap hobby as your finding out.

 

[clowninround]

New York has to have them, NY has everything

 

[DaveBeaty]

An alternative I have found for small tanks is the Aquarium Pharmacuticals "Tap Water Filter" resin deionization unit. I used this with great success for softening the water filling my old 55 gallon tank when I was breeding fresh water angelfish. It only lasts about 50 gallons, so it is not economical for very large tanks, but if your doing nanos (30 gallons or under) and you can't justify $150+ for a reverse osmosis unit, it's more convienent than hauling 7 buckets or 30 empty milk jugs to the RO water vending machine.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4484&inm=1&N=2004+113409+113565

 

[midiman]

Right now NY (at least my yard) has 16" of fresh snow. I'm going to fill some containers with it - it's "acid snow", but I'm going to test it for other things when it melts. I have to believe that it's free of nitrates and phosphates, but I'm not sure about particles. I live about 2 hrs north of the NY city so pollution is not a real concern. We'll see....

It's a heat wave in NY today....5:30 am and it's already 20 degrees. Yesterday was -11. :?

 

[Bearfan]

I use my Baracuda and I love it.

 

[scuba_steve]

I'm going to fill some containers with it - it's "acid snow"

hehehe get the stuff by the street has some salt in it already lololo j/k

 

[midiman]

hehehe get the stuff by the street has some salt in it already lololo

Wise guy, eh?

The town snowplow piles 3-5 ft of the salty chunks right in front of the fire hydrant on my peaceful little dead-end street, but they'll slap me with a fine if I blow or shovel my snow into the street.

What a world.