Does any one use tap water for their reef tank!!!!?????

[ReefRookie08]

Hi, my tank has been up for about 11 days now and i have a brown algae bloom is this normal in a new tank setup or blooms shouldn't happen even so early on? even though I know there should be some amount of algae......sorry i dont have pics but its pretty bad

 

[inkblue]

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/algaecontrol/a/aa091100.htm

 

[ReefRookie08]

yeah.....i read that like a thousand times i just want to know if tap water can be used?? I use API tap water conditioner..... do these things work or there on the market for no reason?

 

[Lenny718]

Tap water is the Devil! Get a RODI unit, worth every penny!

 

[Lenny718]

Welcome to MR btw

 

[ReefRookie08]

Im actually looking into getting one in a couple of weeks after i get my next pay check, but if tap water can be used as long as you have conditioner I don't see why i would need one....... and Thanks Lenny

 

[ReefRookie08]

Oh yea Lenny I just met you but I hate you already.....because your tank is @%*&ing awesome!!!.....mine will be like that one day

 

[Lenny718]

Thanks buddy! Just take it slow and you could have a sweet tank.

 

[ReefRookie08]

No problem bro.......Well Just by looking at your pictures you won me over...guess I'll be buying a RO/DI system thanks for the advice

 

[Sokretys]

Tap water is garbage..oh ps...hello everyone!! and thanks for the frags at the last swap!! awesome stuff

but yes...tap water is loaded with TONS of thing we use 2500 dollar skimmer and this and that to remove. phosphates and nitrates galore.

a tds meter may not come with your rodi...get at least one. it measure the amount of dissolved stuffs in your water. after the di it reads zero...which is better than distilled.

The idea Rook...is to use pure h20 and mix it with high quality salt mix(tropic marine or reef crystals) to create perfect reef water. this is expecially important in smaller tanks that have a smaller natural filter or tanks that are without a refugium.

-Nate

 

[DontXtripNfall]

Welcome to MR.
Never use tap water buddy... RODI or distilled only.

-sigh- no matter how much you progress everyone that looks at ur name first glance will think of you as just a rookie. guess you gotta make em look twice now

 

[ReefRookie08]

Thanks for the explanation Nate, Ill look in to the TDS meter for sure....but is the tap water solution really just a bunch of bs then?

 

[Lenny718]

Thanks for the explanation Nate, Ill look in to the TDS meter for sure....but is the tap water solution really just a bunch of bs then?

Tap water solution maybe good for fresh water but when it comes to saltwater and especially reef tanks its garbage .

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

If you use tap water you are looking for many huge problems in the near future. So the answer is No. Most of us use either ro/di or distilled water.

 

[SaltyFlip]

Well do it like I do, Since I don't have the necessary funds at the moment to invest in a RO/DI unit, I buy about 10 distilled water jugs every week for a dollar each. It def beats losing all the livestock because of one bad water change with tap...especially when one has invested alot on the whole entire tank.

 

[KathyC]

yeah.....i read that like a thousand times i just want to know if tap water can be used?? I use API tap water conditioner..... do these things work or there on the market for no reason?

No. Tap water should never be used in a reef tank. It contains phosphate that your sand and rocks WILL absorb and that will lead to ongoing issues with algae that are not only very frustrating but harmful to your tank.
API water conditioner (Stresscoat) is primarily used in FW tanks and for them it does serve the very useful purpose of neutralizing Chlorine & Chloramines (not usually found in this area) from the water. However, in a reef tank it will lead to foaming in the skimmer, and will not remove any other compounds found in tap water.
In reef tanks we use ro/di water in order to remove ALL of the nasties that are found in tap water, and make the water pure.

 

[Musicians Reef Too]

Definitely stay away from tap water, even with the addition of the solution. If you can't yet afford an RO/DI unit, you can buy it by the gallon at your LFS. Another cheap solution is to buy a tap water filter, which produces deionized water for aquariums; that will only run you about $40-$60 at your LFS. Anything is better than using tap water, my friend... :splitspin Good luck with the new setup!

 

[ReefRookie08]

I saw different filters on ebay that seem to get a lot of good reviews from the buyers I might just go with one of them there about 159$ and its a 5 stage ro/di system 75gpd which should be good since my tank is only a 20 gallon.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Might I ask if you have tap water in there already?

 

[e.muehlbauer]

NYC tap water has orthophosphate added to it. Its actually not the worst thing in the world for your initial set-up, but the problems come in using tap water for your top-off. You are continually adding more phosphate....If you can't afford, or don't want, RO, just get a tap water purifier....all the aquatic supply places sell it, at pretty consistent prices...under $40.....replacement deionizer cartridges run about $16-19......That's what I use, and I only have to replace the cartridge every 3-4 months, as NYC tap water is about the cleanest that tap water gets. Get one ASAP, do a couple of water changes, run carbon or one of those phosphate removers (can't vouch for them, as I don't use them....not since my tanks earliest years) and make sure that your only top-off water is deionized or RO.