aging top off water

[simple]

I'm currently broke (I'm in high school) and i was thinking that if i get tap water in a 32 gal trashcan then put a powerhead inside for water movement, then cover the trash can with a towel to keep dust and insects out, add some prime to break the cholramine bond, reduce nitrates, nitrites and ammonia and leave it like this for a week, wont the aeration take out most bad chemicals in there (chlorine and some chloramine), and prime would break the cholramine bond. Does anyone have any reasons why this wouldn't work?
Thanks, just trying to save money..

 

[mr_X]

there is alot of stuff in tap water. things that prime doesn't break down.
you'll remove the chlorine, but all the rest stays. unwanted phosphates and minerals will give you some algae problems at least.
i went down that road, and i found that it was an uphill battle to keep a good looking tank. you are better off purchasing some R.O. water from somewhere, or buying a cheap unit on ebay or so.

 

[simple]

ok i will take this into consideration, thanks, i decided to try it anyways then in a week i will take it to the lfs for tests and see how they turn up. if tests are bad i wont use it but if everything seems good, i dont see why not.
has anyone tried this before?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, and for the reasons Mr.X stated it doesn't work very well which explains why most people either buy an RO unit or buy RO water-they have tried the tapwater route and it isn't worth the "savings". At most grocery stores you can pick it up pretty inexpensively if you can't afford a RO unit.

With water quality, penny wise can be pound foolish in terms of aggravation with algae and the havoc nutrient filled tapwater can do in your tank.

 

[simple]

yes, i understand i will probably end up using RO water, this will be more of a little experiment to see if it would actually take out the bad chemicals in the water. I doubt it will work, but i don't really have anything to lose other than one cap full of Prime..

 

[mr_X]

just remember...once an algae takes a foothold, it's a real pain in the keyster getting rid of it.

also, i doubt your LFS is going to test for heavy metals. if there is some copper present in your tap water for instance....you and your LFS will be none the wiser until your tank accumilates it in your live rock and sand bed, and eventually it will rise to toxic levels, and ruin your reef. at that point, you might as well toss your live rock and all of your coral skeletons in the trash can.

 

[simple]

oh...i dunno bout my idea then...I think i might not go for it if its that risky

 

[extremepb319]

I think it depends on the kind of tap water you have also, I have been using mine on my tank since last Winter and everything has been perfect in my tank(chemical wise). I have well-water so that might be why but I am not sure. I am only in high school too so I cannot afford an RO unit also. But if you can get the money I would get one soon.

 

[mr_X]

the scenario i played out is most certainly an extreme, however, it's possible.
i used treated tap water for about 9 months, and though my tank was not ruined, the multiple algae issues i had disappeared once i went to R.O.D.I. water.
my question would be- why risk it if there is an inexpensive alternative?

 

[colby85]

I buy my water from walmart. 99pct of them have a culligan machine and its like 25 cents a gallon. Really pretty cheap.

 

[jandree22]

Yep the investment into an RO/DI unit was one I haven't regretted.

I buy my water from walmart. 99pct of them have a culligan machine and its like 25 cents a gallon. Really pretty cheap.

Keep a cautious eye out with this. It's no doubt better than tap, but spring water still has stuff in it. Distilled water, OTOH, should be 100% pure as it's been evaporated to shed the crap.

 

[brandonberry]

For top-off water it may be possible to add pickling lime to the water, which should precipitate out all of the phosphates, copper, etc. After allowing it to settle, skim the water off the top without disturbing the sediment on the bottom. Be careful not to add too much lime water at one time to your tank or you could drive the pH too high. For more info on this, read Randy Holmes Farley's articles on lime, calcium, and alkalinity. Also, do not use this method for water that you intend to mix with salt to make seawater.