Is RODI a must with a FOWLR setup

dom418 · 05/01/2009, 09:09 PM

I know there will be varying opinions on this but I have kept fish only in the past on RODI water but have since sold my unit and am getting back into saltwater again. Will tap do if I only plan on fish only? What are the downsides of using tap?

thegrun · 05/01/2009, 09:58 PM

Algae, algae and more algae. Plus whatever other pollutants that are in your tap water. Remember the bad stuff does not evaporate, it becomes concentrated over time. Our city uses a lot of well water, so it is very hard and the nitrates are about 25 PPM. I could do water changes all week and never get my nitrate levels down if I used tap water.

Toddrtrex · 05/01/2009, 10:01 PM

IMO, it is almost more important with a FOWLR, the reason being they are usually stocked heavier then reef tanks, and have messier eaters, which would make algae issue worse.

ocreefer14 · 05/01/2009, 11:29 PM

yea......too much crap in the tap.

ocreefer14 · 05/01/2009, 11:30 PM

omg....i just realized that rhymed. thats gangsta.

billdogg · 05/02/2009, 05:58 AM

you DO NOT have to use ro/di water for a fowler. or a skimmer, or carbon, etc..... Will it make life easier? probably, although my fowlr has been up and running since the late 1980's without the use of ro/di. my eel, a 4' gymnothorax undulatus, has done just fine without the whole time. . I do run the skimmer and carbon, however. have i had algae issues??? yes - any tank set up that long will go through times of algae blooms. would they be less frequent if i used ro/di water??? dunno the answer to that one.

bottom line - if you can, it certainly would not hurt to use it (ro/di), but it will be fine if you don't as well. just be aware, and keep up with the water changes and all will be well.

JM $.02

jasonrp104 · 05/02/2009, 06:19 AM

Agreed

I ran a fowlr for a year with no rodi and no skimmer. It was a constant nitrate battle but as long as you don't mind frequent water changes you can keep it in check. The biggest issue is what sort of tap water. I have an artesian well and my water is fairly clean but I did have an occasional algea bloom. Once I added a crappy skimmer even that problem has gone away. But I still do weekly water changes, watch my feeding, don't overstock..blah blah.

If I could afford the rodi, I would have it, but since I can't, I make up for it by not slacking on my tank maintenance

SidCat · 05/02/2009, 07:33 AM

I ran my FOWLR for a while and had some algae problems. They are pretty much gone now that I have switched to RO/DI.

dom418 · 05/02/2009, 07:49 AM

We get lake Lake Michigan water out here. Thanks for the replies so far

baldomero · 05/02/2009, 11:13 AM

been using tapwater for 8years now i can really say ive never had a problem with it for my fowlr but on this subject u will get alot of different opinions

aquamanSD · 05/02/2009, 01:08 PM

For what a ro/di costs, thats only one or two fish or a coral for me. Plus look at all the money you'd spend on salt to keep it changed. I'd buy the ro/di hands down. I think i only paid $130 for my 6 stage one on ebay and have only changed the filters once. Buy one and don't change the filters and you'd still come out way ahead

jenglish · 05/02/2009, 03:21 PM

I think a RO/DI is a good idea.. but not needed absolutely. If you are planning on running your FOWLR with high lighting then it is probably needed. Nitrates, phosphates, heavy metals like copper and silicates are what you are worried about. If you find you have diatoms and algae problems without an RO.... then you have found your answer

PRDubois · 05/02/2009, 03:47 PM

Not needed but it will save you lots of problems.

IMM3DOORSDOWN · 05/02/2009, 06:53 PM

it depends on your water.everyones water is differant.i ran my reef from the tap but i also run a sump with filters and a skimmer.

xian · 05/02/2009, 08:16 PM

Tap water from our school (well) tested positive for copper. It killed some coral but grew the nicest macro algaes I've ever seen.

05/01/2009, 09:09 PM	#1
dom418 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Algonquin, IL Posts: 257	Is RODI a must with a FOWLR setup I know there will be varying opinions on this but I have kept fish only in the past on RODI water but have since sold my unit and am getting back into saltwater again. Will tap do if I only plan on fish only? What are the downsides of using tap?

05/01/2009, 10:01 PM	#3
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	IMO, it is almost more important with a FOWLR, the reason being they are usually stocked heavier then reef tanks, and have messier eaters, which would make algae issue worse. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

05/01/2009, 11:29 PM	#4
ocreefer14 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tustin Ranch Posts: 54	yea......too much crap in the tap. __________________ 24G Nano, 120W PC filled with Zoas.

05/01/2009, 11:30 PM	#5
ocreefer14 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tustin Ranch Posts: 54	omg....i just realized that rhymed. thats gangsta. __________________ 24G Nano, 120W PC filled with Zoas.

05/02/2009, 05:58 AM	#6
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	you DO NOT have to use ro/di water for a fowler. or a skimmer, or carbon, etc..... Will it make life easier? probably, although my fowlr has been up and running since the late 1980's without the use of ro/di. my eel, a 4' gymnothorax undulatus, has done just fine without the whole time. . I do run the skimmer and carbon, however. have i had algae issues??? yes - any tank set up that long will go through times of algae blooms. would they be less frequent if i used ro/di water??? dunno the answer to that one. bottom line - if you can, it certainly would not hurt to use it (ro/di), but it will be fine if you don't as well. just be aware, and keep up with the water changes and all will be well. JM $.02 __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/01/2009, 09:58 PM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Algae, algae and more algae. Plus whatever other pollutants that are in your tap water. Remember the bad stuff does not evaporate, it becomes concentrated over time. Our city uses a lot of well water, so it is very hard and the nitrates are about 25 PPM. I could do water changes all week and never get my nitrate levels down if I used tap water.

05/02/2009, 06:19 AM	#7
jasonrp104 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: vt Posts: 1,113	Agreed I ran a fowlr for a year with no rodi and no skimmer. It was a constant nitrate battle but as long as you don't mind frequent water changes you can keep it in check. The biggest issue is what sort of tap water. I have an artesian well and my water is fairly clean but I did have an occasional algea bloom. Once I added a crappy skimmer even that problem has gone away. But I still do weekly water changes, watch my feeding, don't overstock..blah blah. If I could afford the rodi, I would have it, but since I can't, I make up for it by not slacking on my tank maintenance

05/02/2009, 07:33 AM	#8
SidCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 205	I ran my FOWLR for a while and had some algae problems. They are pretty much gone now that I have switched to RO/DI.

05/02/2009, 07:49 AM	#9
dom418 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Algonquin, IL Posts: 257	We get lake Lake Michigan water out here. Thanks for the replies so far

05/02/2009, 11:13 AM	#10
baldomero Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: aguada,puerto rico Posts: 902	been using tapwater for 8years now i can really say ive never had a problem with it for my fowlr but on this subject u will get alot of different opinions

05/02/2009, 01:08 PM	#11
aquamanSD Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Dakota Posts: 168	For what a ro/di costs, thats only one or two fish or a coral for me. Plus look at all the money you'd spend on salt to keep it changed. I'd buy the ro/di hands down. I think i only paid $130 for my 6 stage one on ebay and have only changed the filters once. Buy one and don't change the filters and you'd still come out way ahead

05/02/2009, 03:21 PM	#12
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	I think a RO/DI is a good idea.. but not needed absolutely. If you are planning on running your FOWLR with high lighting then it is probably needed. Nitrates, phosphates, heavy metals like copper and silicates are what you are worried about. If you find you have diatoms and algae problems without an RO.... then you have found your answer __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

05/02/2009, 03:47 PM	#13
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	Not needed but it will save you lots of problems. __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank

05/02/2009, 06:53 PM	#14
IMM3DOORSDOWN Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: ct Posts: 1,092	it depends on your water.everyones water is differant.i ran my reef from the tap but i also run a sump with filters and a skimmer. __________________ rules? rules were ment to be broken Current Tank Info: PAST EXPERIANCE::180 gal fish only,120 gal reef,65 gal MAN TANK lionfish and eel,54 gal corner dwarf angel tank. CURRENT. WORKING ON 90 gal MIXED REEF, 29 gal sump & refuge.20 gal long qt tank.120 gal uv steralizer.29 gal fowlr and annemonies

05/02/2009, 08:16 PM	#15
xian Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Troy, NY Posts: 2,180	Tap water from our school (well) tested positive for copper. It killed some coral but grew the nicest macro algaes I've ever seen. __________________ -Matt Christian Define Irony: Algae growing on a snail. Current Tank Info: 125 gal planted lagoon