Already cutting corners?? - Page 2

cloak · 12/20/2013, 06:20 PM

Don't temp me...

When I use tap water and something goes wrong, that's understandable. When you use RO/DI and something goes wrong, well,,,

It's not me, it's U...

This is a hobby, and just like every other hobby out there, some people are just better at it than others. Unless you have a "horrible readout" on your tap, don't knock it just cuz...

JMO, GL.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/1/chemistry

ucdcrew · 12/20/2013, 06:25 PM

I bought an RO/DI. My tap water is really bad though, TDS over 400. I'm not even sure I should drink it.....

GainesvilleReef · 12/20/2013, 06:32 PM

Two best pieces of advice I got, was to buy an RO/DI unit and a tank controller. Both will make things a lot easier on you.

Paden · 12/20/2013, 07:25 PM

I would go RO/DI.. To many variables.If you ask your water plant will give you a report.Some cities go with 2 different wells a year. Good luck

cloak · 12/20/2013, 07:48 PM

Can you define "variables?"

This thread might get locked, but I want to know what to look out for... Copper threads, haven't seen one in a LONG time... Phosphates,,, Ok... Other $h!t,,, MMM...

Just saying... (learning at the same time)

CoralReeForrest · 12/20/2013, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

Can you define "variables?"

This thread might get locked, but I want to know what to look out for... Copper threads, haven't seen one in a LONG time... Phosphates,,, Ok... Other $h!t,,, MMM...

Just saying... (learning at the same time)

Why would this thread get locked? The variables are quite simple. Do you have a well? Or city water? Or is your local entire municipality on well? Is chlorine used(most likely), is chloramine used?(do you live in a big city ie.LA, Sanfran etc.) Flouride? (Usually) how old are your house pipes? How does the water taste to you? How many random metals and solids are in your water? There's a ton of variables. Personally our water is so gross and metallic here we can't drink it without and RODI unit on the faucet. Let alone make animals which require exact chemistry to flourish live in it.

kurt_n · 12/20/2013, 11:26 PM

As with most things in life, there really isn't a right/wrong answer that works for everyone. Will RO/DI minimize issues that would come from unknowns in the water? Absolutely. Do you *need* RO/DI for your tank? Not necessarily... plenty of folks have nice tanks using their tap water. Maybe it's not the same as *your* tap water, but it works for them.

I'll just share a story of when I set up my tank. Take what you want from it.

I started my tank 7+ years ago using filtered tap water using a Kold-Steril unit. TDS from the tap (municipal water supply, not a well) is around 80, so my water isn't terrible. I tested my tap water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate using an API test and it was all zero. Great! No problems!

Tank cycled, fish added, coral added, and I start seeing an increase in my nitrates. Thinking it's my husbandry, I do more frequent and bigger water changes. The nitrates go higher. I finally trace the increase in nitrates to my freshly made Reef Crystals saltwater and the "filtered" water that I'm using. Using the API kit, I'm seeing 15+ppm nitrates coming out of the tap.

I call my local water district and luckily have a nice chat with someone there that doesn't think I'm nuts. They understand that even though I'm just a hobbyist with hobby-grade test kits, these kits are giving numbers that exceed the Federal mandates for supplied water. They send a tech out to my house and take a sample from my tap and send it out for independent testing. Nitrates came back less than 0.5ppm - totally acceptable.

After several discussions with them, we concluded that the sudden increase in what I was seeing as nitrates was due to the water district switching their sources from one watershed to another. We were having some local flooding at the time, which was causing turbidity in their normal water source. They switched to a different well system and figured the change I was seeing was due to this. Even though they determined what I was seeing as nitrates wasn't actually nitrates, we could never figure out what it was. Originally when I tested my water, it showed 0.0 ppm nitrates but now *something* was showing up as 15.0ppm nitrates. Never figured out what it was. Did I want it in my tank, whatever it was?

That episode made me quickly realize that even if we have pristine, perfect water on one day, it could change the next and we wouldn't even know it until we started seeing the effect weeks or months later. By that time, the water might be "perfect" again, and we'd never know what happened. I swore off tap at that point.

Eastamherstbias · 12/20/2013, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurt_n

As with most things in life, there really isn't a right/wrong answer that works for everyone. Will RO/DI minimize issues that would come from unknowns in the water? Absolutely. Do you *need* RO/DI for your tank? Not necessarily... plenty of folks have nice tanks using their tap water. Maybe it's not the same as *your* tap water, but it works for them.

I'll just share a story of when I set up my tank. Take what you want from it.

I started my tank 7+ years ago using filtered tap water using a Kold-Steril unit. TDS from the tap (municipal water supply, not a well) is around 80, so my water isn't terrible. I tested my tap water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate using an API test and it was all zero. Great! No problems!

Tank cycled, fish added, coral added, and I start seeing an increase in my nitrates. Thinking it's my husbandry, I do more frequent and bigger water changes. The nitrates go higher. I finally trace the increase in nitrates to my freshly made Reef Crystals saltwater and the "filtered" water that I'm using. Using the API kit, I'm seeing 15+ppm nitrates coming out of the tap.

I call my local water district and luckily have a nice chat with someone there that doesn't think I'm nuts. They understand that even though I'm just a hobbyist with hobby-grade test kits, these kits are giving numbers that exceed the Federal mandates for supplied water. They send a tech out to my house and take a sample from my tap and send it out for independent testing. Nitrates came back less than 0.5ppm - totally acceptable.

After several discussions with them, we concluded that the sudden increase in what I was seeing as nitrates was due to the water district switching their sources from one watershed to another. We were having some local flooding at the time, which was causing turbidity in their normal water source. They switched to a different well system and figured the change I was seeing was due to this. Even though they determined what I was seeing as nitrates wasn't actually nitrates, we could never figure out what it was. Originally when I tested my water, it showed 0.0 ppm nitrates but now *something* was showing up as 15.0ppm nitrates. Never figured out what it was. Did I want it in my tank, whatever it was?

That episode made me quickly realize that even if we have pristine, perfect water on one day, it could change the next and we wouldn't even know it until we started seeing the effect weeks or months later. By that time, the water might be "perfect" again, and we'd never know what happened. I swore off tap at that point.

In this case there is a right answer. Save up and get an RO unit or get water from your local LFS. Don't use any water that you can't track how it came to be.

rfgonzo · 12/20/2013, 11:51 PM

I see you live in Michigan, take a look at a company called (water to go) you can get RO water from them for like $.06 a gallon not sure if they have RO/DI water but you could call and find out. They are a drinking water CO. Don't use tap

CoralReeForrest · 12/21/2013, 12:53 AM

It's an investment in your enjoyment of the hobby. I stick with you don't want to have to feel like you're constantly having to battle unknowns in your tap water. That will make it more of chore.

12/20/2013, 06:20 PM	#26
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Don't temp me... When I use tap water and something goes wrong, that's understandable. When you use RO/DI and something goes wrong, well,,, It's not me, it's U... This is a hobby, and just like every other hobby out there, some people are just better at it than others. Unless you have a "horrible readout" on your tap, don't knock it just cuz... JMO, GL. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/1/chemistry Last edited by cloak; 12/20/2013 at 07:06 PM.

12/20/2013, 06:25 PM	#27
ucdcrew Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 563	I bought an RO/DI. My tap water is really bad though, TDS over 400. I'm not even sure I should drink it..... __________________ If it weren't for gravity and law enforcement, I'd be unstoppable! Current Tank Info: 25g nano, working on new 65g

12/20/2013, 06:32 PM	#28
GainesvilleReef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 200	Two best pieces of advice I got, was to buy an RO/DI unit and a tank controller. Both will make things a lot easier on you.

12/20/2013, 07:25 PM	#29
Paden Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 43	I would go RO/DI.. To many variables.If you ask your water plant will give you a report.Some cities go with 2 different wells a year. Good luck

12/20/2013, 07:48 PM	#30
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Can you define "variables?" This thread might get locked, but I want to know what to look out for... Copper threads, haven't seen one in a LONG time... Phosphates,,, Ok... Other $h!t,,, MMM... Just saying... (learning at the same time)

12/20/2013, 11:26 PM	#32
kurt_n Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: WA Posts: 2,592	As with most things in life, there really isn't a right/wrong answer that works for everyone. Will RO/DI minimize issues that would come from unknowns in the water? Absolutely. Do you need RO/DI for your tank? Not necessarily... plenty of folks have nice tanks using their tap water. Maybe it's not the same as your tap water, but it works for them. I'll just share a story of when I set up my tank. Take what you want from it. I started my tank 7+ years ago using filtered tap water using a Kold-Steril unit. TDS from the tap (municipal water supply, not a well) is around 80, so my water isn't terrible. I tested my tap water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate using an API test and it was all zero. Great! No problems! Tank cycled, fish added, coral added, and I start seeing an increase in my nitrates. Thinking it's my husbandry, I do more frequent and bigger water changes. The nitrates go higher. I finally trace the increase in nitrates to my freshly made Reef Crystals saltwater and the "filtered" water that I'm using. Using the API kit, I'm seeing 15+ppm nitrates coming out of the tap. I call my local water district and luckily have a nice chat with someone there that doesn't think I'm nuts. They understand that even though I'm just a hobbyist with hobby-grade test kits, these kits are giving numbers that exceed the Federal mandates for supplied water. They send a tech out to my house and take a sample from my tap and send it out for independent testing. Nitrates came back less than 0.5ppm - totally acceptable. After several discussions with them, we concluded that the sudden increase in what I was seeing as nitrates was due to the water district switching their sources from one watershed to another. We were having some local flooding at the time, which was causing turbidity in their normal water source. They switched to a different well system and figured the change I was seeing was due to this. Even though they determined what I was seeing as nitrates wasn't actually nitrates, we could never figure out what it was. Originally when I tested my water, it showed 0.0 ppm nitrates but now something was showing up as 15.0ppm nitrates. Never figured out what it was. Did I want it in my tank, whatever it was? That episode made me quickly realize that even if we have pristine, perfect water on one day, it could change the next and we wouldn't even know it until we started seeing the effect weeks or months later. By that time, the water might be "perfect" again, and we'd never know what happened. I swore off tap at that point.

12/20/2013, 11:51 PM	#34
rfgonzo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,280	I see you live in Michigan, take a look at a company called (water to go) you can get RO water from them for like $.06 a gallon not sure if they have RO/DI water but you could call and find out. They are a drinking water CO. Don't use tap

12/21/2013, 12:53 AM	#35
CoralReeForrest Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Redding,Ca Posts: 1,010	It's an investment in your enjoyment of the hobby. I stick with you don't want to have to feel like you're constantly having to battle unknowns in your tap water. That will make it more of chore.