Queens Tap Water Okay?

[heuerfan]

I only have a small 7 gallon right now and currently using store bought ro water. I am planning a bigger tank and was wondering if i really needed a ro/di filter. I know i can try it on my 7 gallon but prefer to see if anyone has any feedback on this.

Anyone in Queens have any experience mixing their salt with tapwater straight from the faucet?

Thanks for your comments,
Steven

 

[Rebels23]

Hey Heuerfan

I do it all the time. Never have used RO/DI water. NYC has some of the best water. Not telling you to not use RO water, because I think alot of people do it for a reason, but I haven't had any problems yet.

Rebels23

 

[heuerfan]

Thanks Rebel! I've read that NYC has great water but wanted to hear from someone actually in NYC!

What chlorine remover do you guys recommend?

 

[lazyreefer]

i would not use tap water for the reef tank. you should see all the nasty crap that gets trapped on the sediment filter i have on the ro/di unit. that thing is NAsTY!!!

 

[marrone]

I wouldn't use tap water for a reef tank without atleast filtering it and running in through a carbon filter. The city puts small amounts of copper in the water supply, when the water levels get low, plus if you ever left water in a bucket for a day or two you will see a redish/yellowish slime in the bottom of the bucket. All that being say I do use tap water for my Fish only tanks, have for years, and never had a problem.

Michael

 

[heuerfan]

What do you guys think of those Brita filters, i believe those should remove some of those elements?

Michael- how do you prepare your water, since you use tapwater for your FO tank.

Thanks!

 

[SWW1268]

I use tap water that has been sitting around for a week. I do the same thing when I'm mixing salt. I've been doing this for a year. Everything has been fine so far. I did just purchased a tap water filter from ThatFishPlace. I'm hoping this would let me either eliminate the buckets or wait less than a week.

 

[marrone]

Steven

For my fish tanks I just use a python and pump the water straight in. I mix salt in a bucket and pump it straight into the tank. This is because the tanks are large, 260 gals each, and it would make a mess to have large buckets just for water changes. I don't do large water changes anyway and have never had a problem with any of my fish doing it this way. On my reef tank currently I'm using tap water that I let sit for a day or two before I put it into the tank. I uses to use a water filter(Onmi Filter) that would filter out heavy metals and other things, but I'm going to be getting a RO system.

The system I'm going to get is made by Waterworld USA and the model is good for 50gpd. I got it from someone selling it on ebay, below is the link, for $79 + $15 shipping. If anyone wants one that have plenty as they're a store that sells them and there just starting on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2320962137

Michael

 

[heuerfan]

Thanks Mike for the advice and the link.

How's the zoos doing?

 

[marrone]

It's alot dark than in your tank but I think to get it to look like the original picutre it needs to be under MH. Same with the zoo's that I got from Logical Reef they don't quite look as good as they did on the web site.

 

[heuerfan]

Give it some time, perhaps they'll change hopefully.

Ebay has a lot of RO units, why not spend the extra cash and get the RO/DI units? Now you got me thinking about getting one! The only problem is, how are these units? Are they good quality, how much are the repalcement membranes. Maybe the system is cheap, but the replacement membranes are expensive? Just a thought, we should look into this. But i think i should get a ro/di unit, i'm gonna be in this hobby for a long time

 

[marrone]

If you go on Waterworld USA web site you find information about the RO unit. The membranes usally last for 2 years and I'm just going to be using it for my tanks so it should last atleast that long. Membranes sell for about $30 and the replacement filters about the same. The unit is a 5 stage unit and removes 99% of contaminants so I don't know if a RO/DI will remove or do more. I'll have the unit next wed so I'll be able to tell you more about it then.

For the price that your going to pay for a counter top type unit a RO unit is not that much more, my Omni system cost about $50 and I needed to replace the filters which was going to cost me about $30, and you can always sell it on ebay as used RO systems go for about $20-$50 depending on the model.

Michael

 

[heuerfan]

Let me know when you get it, i'll stop by and check it out, and your tanks too!

 

[Awibrandy]

I have been using tap water in my fo for a little over 2yrs., and in my 30gl reef for about 1yr. I haven't seen nothing going array as long as I do a 10% water change weekly. If I let the maintance fall, then I have the algee problem. But now that I am doing a 120 reef, I am going back to using my "Tap Water Purifier". The TWP is actually a DI unit. I have thought of buying a RO/DI, but I don't like the idea of wasting water. And besides wasting water, I also have to pay for the water plus 150% sewage tax. Not kool at all. So until they come out with a RO/DI that doesn't waste water. I will stick with the TWP.

 

[BrianH]

Another good retailer for RO/DI systems is air waterice. They are now a sponsor on RC. Go to the sponsor threads and check them out. They have a 100gpd 5 stage system for $150.00. Remember that in most situations the actual performance you'll get is 50% of the systems rating.

Brian