Tap water or RO water
- Thread starter milk
- Start date
Your LFS makes no sense on that one. Raw sewage would contain a lot of natural elements that aren't in RO water, but I wouldn't put it in my tank.
Copper, sulpher, nitrate, phosphate, uranium, etc, are all natural elements. Salt mixes today are designed to provide the "natural elements" you need and in the correct balance. Any additional (for the most part) are not needed or wanted.
Copper, sulpher, nitrate, phosphate, uranium, etc, are all natural elements. Salt mixes today are designed to provide the "natural elements" you need and in the correct balance. Any additional (for the most part) are not needed or wanted.
nightfire76
Active Member
ya LFS like alot are BSing ya and full of it....can ya use tap water and not ro/di water....yes you can but anywhere from a few months to a year of using it you can and will see the affects of using it tap, meaning all kinds of algaes, ammonia, bleach...etc...ya name it and if ya think tap water is good just run an ro/di till the filters on it go bad and look at the sediment filter and ya will see what our cities call good water LOL
McTeague
Member
I use tap water.
However I would caution you that the term "tap water" is too generic. The quality of tap water varies greatly.
If your LFS is using the same tap water source as you and they are saying that it is ok to use then that may be true. I would try to confirm this with other hobbyists in the area however.
However I would caution you that the term "tap water" is too generic. The quality of tap water varies greatly.
If your LFS is using the same tap water source as you and they are saying that it is ok to use then that may be true. I would try to confirm this with other hobbyists in the area however.
a few members have success with tap water, the majority don't
Where I live, we have fantastic water quality, they say it's some of the best in the nation & I still use ro/di, don't want to fight the algae, still to many trace elements... from that you are saying your lfs said, they want the impurities an ro/di system removes.
Reef aquariums
Many reef aquarium keepers use reverse osmosis systems for their artificial mixture of seawater. Ordinary tap water can often contain excessive chlorine, chloramines, copper, nitrogen, phosphates, silicates, or many other chemicals detrimental to the sensitive organisms in a reef environment. Contaminants such as nitrogen compounds and phosphates can lead to excessive, and unwanted, algae growth. An effective combination of both reverse osmosis and deionization (RO/DI) is the most popular among reef aquarium keepers, and is preferred above other water purification processes due to the low cost of ownership and minimal operating costs. Where chlorine and chloramines are found in the water, carbon filtration is needed before the membrane, as the common residential membrane used by reef keepers does not cope with these compounds.
Reverse osmosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Where I live, we have fantastic water quality, they say it's some of the best in the nation & I still use ro/di, don't want to fight the algae, still to many trace elements... from that you are saying your lfs said, they want the impurities an ro/di system removes.
Reef aquariums
Many reef aquarium keepers use reverse osmosis systems for their artificial mixture of seawater. Ordinary tap water can often contain excessive chlorine, chloramines, copper, nitrogen, phosphates, silicates, or many other chemicals detrimental to the sensitive organisms in a reef environment. Contaminants such as nitrogen compounds and phosphates can lead to excessive, and unwanted, algae growth. An effective combination of both reverse osmosis and deionization (RO/DI) is the most popular among reef aquarium keepers, and is preferred above other water purification processes due to the low cost of ownership and minimal operating costs. Where chlorine and chloramines are found in the water, carbon filtration is needed before the membrane, as the common residential membrane used by reef keepers does not cope with these compounds.
Reverse osmosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
GrendelPrime
Well-Known Member
i use tap water and have no issues but like stated above all tap is different and while some dont have issues many do
To be clear on my earlier post. I'm not saying tap water can't be used, I'm saying the reasoning your LFS gave you is wrong.
As others have said, if the "tap water" is free of extra "natural elements" it would be fine, but not because it contained additional "natural elements".
Some have very pure tap water, the problem is, most municipalities allow for great variance, and pure enough for reef today may not be pure enough tommorrow, and there is no warning.
As others have said, if the "tap water" is free of extra "natural elements" it would be fine, but not because it contained additional "natural elements".
Some have very pure tap water, the problem is, most municipalities allow for great variance, and pure enough for reef today may not be pure enough tommorrow, and there is no warning.
nightfire76
Active Member
as some do use tap water and some of those are fine in using it because it is so pure, however as stated above, if anything happens with the cities water then what may happen very fast is they will add ammonia to kill things....also bleach and thats just 2 things they add.....our water comes out at around 150 ppm and has nitrates, phospates, ammonia and bleach in it...not to mention all the other crap that is in there.......can ya use tap water sure and if it is pure...even better, but i'd have a stand by ro/di unit.....cause at 2am ya aquarium might be in big trouble and need to do a big water change and ya have none on hand and ya panic and make up fast water using ya tap to only find out that just lastnight they had to add ammonia and bleach to the water to fix/clean out whatever crap was in it
redneckgearhead
Active Member
I used tap water and am regretting it! fighting hair algae for months now!
mikelam
Member
I use RO/DI and love it. My tanks were a mess before, excess algae was a big problem. With the RO/DI and a good salt mix, you have total control. It won't eliminate some problems but at least you have a good foundation to work from.
Coffee and tea also taste way better with the filtered water!
Coffee and tea also taste way better with the filtered water!
nightfire76
Active Member
me too here
smkndrgn142
Member
As stated above, this is all going to depend on where you live and what's hanging out in your tap water. If you live anywhere near a big city, you'll definitely be better off with RO/DI. When I lived in Montana, the water was pure, we never had an issue...with algae or anything else.
DBrinson
Member
Just something to add ... get your tap water tested, whether you plan to use RO/DI or not, it will be very useful information.
When I had my tap water tested, it was more buffered than my tank itself. :lookaroun
Water in my area is somewhat acidic, so my water company utilized a lime reactor to buffer the water not far from me. Also, my house was at the end of a long run of straight pipe that flowed from the reactor, so calcium used to precipitate in the line and collect in my sink filters, etc.
My issue wasn't RO/DI vs. tap ... the calcium clogged up my prefilters and RO membrane ultra-fast. I thought my TDS meters on my RO were broken the first time I switched them on. (My first pH test on my tap water was equally a shock, it was more alkaline than my tank haha)
I contacted my water company after testing, and within a day they investigated the problem and fixed it.
When I had my tap water tested, it was more buffered than my tank itself. :lookaroun
Water in my area is somewhat acidic, so my water company utilized a lime reactor to buffer the water not far from me. Also, my house was at the end of a long run of straight pipe that flowed from the reactor, so calcium used to precipitate in the line and collect in my sink filters, etc.
My issue wasn't RO/DI vs. tap ... the calcium clogged up my prefilters and RO membrane ultra-fast. I thought my TDS meters on my RO were broken the first time I switched them on. (My first pH test on my tap water was equally a shock, it was more alkaline than my tank haha)
I contacted my water company after testing, and within a day they investigated the problem and fixed it.
Charley tay tay
Member
So I remember someone telling me that you could get water out of a purified water dispenser from WAL-MART, anyone ever hear of this? That was equally as good as RO/DI water.
smkndrgn142
Member
I'm not sure I would believe this. But to be fair, I don't live anywhere near a Wal-mart. Unless they are selling distilled water, I wouldn't trust it. It is probably filtered, but most likely not through an RO or RO/DI system.
TylerHaworth
Active Member
Tap Water is an unknown variable, RO/DI is a static constant...
You can use Tap Water sure, but I will never put it in any of my tanks.
You can use Tap Water sure, but I will never put it in any of my tanks.
Charley tay tay
Member
Hmm so is there anyway I could go without buying a RO/DI system? Because I'm setting up a 20-gallon aquarium with 10 gallon sump. Probably with LR, sand, etc. Less then 15 gallons of actual water. Seems like buying a 150 doller RO/DI system isn't worth it? Is there anyway I can go without buying them?
TylerHaworth
Active Member
Yes you can get around it, and I agree, a good RO/DI system has a high up front cost... But in time they are cheaper than repeatedly buying distilled water or RO/DI water from a LFS... You will use a whole lot more water than you could imagine, and if you can make your own you ALWAYS have it at your disposal without making a trip or having to worry about your source store being open!
Charley tay tay
Member
So what RO/DI unit would you suggest to a aquarist that doesn't have the money to be something super fancy.