Is it ok to use tap water if I have a 22 GPM...

[AnnnetteM]

carbon filter and water softner?? My water is testing out ok and it was put through copper pipes into the house. Can I use this water?

 

[RLG2182]

You can use it as long as you take the chlorine out. BUT... you will run into phosphates and nitrates in the water supply... not to mention countless other chemicals that will lead to algea growth and other catastrophies.

So... I would say no. Either get RO water from a LFS, or get a RO/DI unit and save $$$ on the long run. At least go distilled... but you'll still have phosphates and other impurities.

 

[AnnnetteM]

The carbon filter was $4000.00 and is a 4.5 foot tank put in the gound of my house, yes it takes out all the chlorine, I tested it. It also reads 0 in Nitrates so how can it throw nitrates into my tank? The phos, I have to check. I have a test for phosphates so I will check it out. If all tests normal can I use the water?

 

[RLG2182]

Don't get me wrong... many people use just straight tap water. I was guilty of this myself once years ago with my first SW tank. What you want to test for as well is TDS. Todal Dissolved Solvants. It should be 0 if you want to have a healthy tank. This is only possible with a RO/DI (reverse osmosis & deionization) unit.

Some people's watter supply is decent... so it just depends. Even after my "filtering" that I did in the past, TDS was still at 280 ppm. Now, years later, I have a RO/DI unit and TDS reads 0ppm.

 

[AnnnetteM]

Does it matter if I am doing FO with no LR on the TDS? and thanks for all this info. I had this tank as a reef before, but used the LFS for ocean water here in FL. Just wanted to save some money if possible and time and back labor!

 

[seaham358]

Test for phosphate and silacates.... TDS is not a good measure for tap water it measures all total disolved solids good and bad. So testing tap water for TDS IMO is a waste of time.
Get some LR your tank and fish will be happier...

 

[ellisz]

For FO, I would try it. Not sure what kind of water system you have for $4000 but if the TDS is on the low side and Phosphate is nil you will be fine.

I ran a FO tank on tap water for 7+ years. I do use RO/DI water now for my reef but I had no issues until my reef was started. If you get a cyano problem then you can start doing water changes with RO/DI to resolve the problem.

Sounds like you want to try it that way anyway. RO/DI water is the best but there are people that don't use it.

HTH