New water for new tank?

[miesenjr]

I have run my new salt water tank for 4 days with tap water to check for leaks, all has been sorted out. I was planning on emptying the fresh water (from the tap, has A tds of 110ppm) and re filling with RO/DI water. A LFS said that i dont have too because I am not putting any coral in,and i can just add the salt to the water in the tank. The tank is a180 gallons with a 40 gal sump. It will take 4 or 5 days for my ro/DI unit to produce that much water. What do you think?

 

[CaptainAhab]

Depends on what you want to start with. If you're happy with the tap water, add the salt and move to Ro/DI during your water changes. If you want to start with pure water, drain and refill. Honestly 110 doesn't seem 'that' bad but it's a personal choice.

 

[ezy33]

I would test your tap water for phosphates. When I started my 180 I hauled RO/DI water from a LFS to speed the filling.

 

[melosu58]

Ezy brings up a good point. If your tap water has alot of phosphates, nitrates or silicates then you`ll most likely have some severe algea problems. If it was me I would go with the RO/DI but it`s up to you. Here is a good link on tap water.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm

 

[Sadielynn]

Why not just start off right ,and use RO/DI ?
As mentioned it will give you algea issues . And will take a bit of time to remove it all as this will be in your LR , sand and every where ... It is just easier to use RO/DI from the start and eliminate the fuel from the algea from the beginning .. and a TDS of 110 is too high for a tank ... so you are almost 99% that you will have algea issues in it

 

[miesenjr]

thanks,
I figured this to be the case. I have the 50 gal per day RO/DI unit. I might as well start off with the best water conditions I can. I just know it is going to take days to fill! Im going to get 30' of hose and put it in the tank with my auto shut off.

 

[Sadielynn]

why not buy some and fill some with your system it will make it easier on your filters and help you to speed along say 50/50 or 60/40 etc

 

[miesenjr]

I have 60 gal worth of 5 gal buckets in my truck now. when I finnigh work today I am going to speed this up by oging to the LFS. The tank was only up 2" overnight. I will go crazy watching the slow progress. what do you pay for 5 gallons of R/O water?

 

[CaptainAhab]

'and a TDS of 110 is too high for a tank'

Average TDS in a US metropolitan area us 300-400 ppm. That reading does not mean the concentration is all nitrate/phosphate or silicates. Testing is the only way to determine that.

Although I don't, lots of people use tap water and have minimal if any algae issues. I venture a guess that some use RO/DI and still fight algae issues as well.

As I said, I would consider a TDS of 110 a great number for municipal tap water, not knowing what the levels of nitrate/phosphates and silicates are

 

[R6Chick]

No point in starting with pristine water in a new tank. The tank is going to crash anyway, that's the point of cycling. Add your water treatment stuff if you have not already and some salt.

 

[R6Chick]

I have 60 gal worth of 5 gal buckets in my truck now. when I finnigh work today I am going to speed this up by oging to the LFS. The tank was only up 2" overnight. I will go crazy watching the slow progress. what do you pay for 5 gallons of R/O water?

One of the shops around here charges a buck a gallon for R/O salt water. Your experience may vary.

 

[R6Chick]

As mentioned it will give you algea issues

There is no guarantee that tap is going to have algae issues. I have seen just as many R/O tanks with algae issues as tap tanks. ****, 12 years ago everyone used tap water and things worked great. Back then I ran 150 gallon FOWLR tank with nothing more than 2 power heads, an under gravel filter, and an over the back filter. A lot has changed and evolved over the years but that does not mean old school is bad, just different.

just my $.02

 

[miesenjr]

I found ro water fo $.50 a gal. and bought 80 gal. to expidite the fill time. like you in the past I used tap water, from a well and always had the algae in the begenning, but it always worked itself out. and i have had the same results with ro/di water as well. I expect the same this time around, I just like the idea of knowing no other harmful metals or chemicals are in the water to start.