What water do you use in SW tanks?

oli5 · 01/21/2007, 02:14 AM

I would really like to know what kind of water to use in my 75g SW tank, is tap water okay? And if you answer could you please say the word, not the abbreviation because I don't really know what they mean (yes, I am a newbie). Thanks for the help.

xxpipedreamxx · 01/21/2007, 02:22 AM

I used tap water for well over 6 months without a single issue (lps, sps, softies). I have a 29 gallon tank with a 10 gallon fuge. I had 2 65 watt power compacts on the tank at that time. Once I added a 150 watt Metal Halide, algae became an issue as I am now running 10 watts per gallon.

Last night I did a water change using RO/DI water for the very first time. I will see how it goes.

oli5 · 01/21/2007, 02:25 AM

This may sound and will sound dumb, what what is RO/DI....It's used everywhere and I have no idea what it means.

xxpipedreamxx · 01/21/2007, 02:27 AM

here ya go hun. this should help you out.

http://www.melevsreef.com/why_rodi.html

dmopar74 · 01/21/2007, 02:28 AM

i to am confused on this issue, my LFS uses tap water and said only bout 10% of their customers uses RO water. plus they said that RO water has all of the nutrients taken out, which isnt good for the fish. what gives? do you have to add supplements to RO water? can i use tap with a good declor. that also removes metals etc.?

xxpipedreamxx · 01/21/2007, 02:28 AM

No question is a dumb question. Ask all you need to get the information you want. I have been into saltwater for a year now so I am still pretty new myself, but I am learning the ropes quickly. I am here to help if need be.

xxpipedreamxx · 01/21/2007, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dmopar74
i to am confused on this issue, my LFS uses tap water and said only bout 10% of their customers uses RO water. plus they said that RO water has all of the nutrients taken out, which isnt good for the fish. what gives? do you have to add supplements to RO water? can i use tap with a good declor. that also removes metals etc.?

I used tap water treated with prime. I have never heard of ro/di being bad. I do not use anything except my kent marine calcium and alk. I tried to get away with tap water, but in the end it will get you in the behind. Test your untreated tap water with a TDS meter and freshwater tests for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. You will not be happy about what you find is in the water.

dmopar74 · 01/21/2007, 02:38 AM

is RO only necessary for sw fish? ive been using tap on my fw tanks for 2 years and i have grown some amazing fish in it.

xxpipedreamxx · 01/21/2007, 02:39 AM

My fw fish are fine in tap water. I did however use RO water for my Discus after a while. You really do not want tap water with corals. It has Lord only knows what in it that slowly builds up over time in the tank as in my case.

ricanboy57 · 01/21/2007, 02:42 AM

the big problem with tap water is the nutrients left in it cause algea problems. The water from a reverse osmosis unit has most of that stuff taken out. It's not nessary but it's a good thing to use if you want to keep your tank looking good.

dmopar74 · 01/21/2007, 02:43 AM

hey off topic but you like ur black clowns? i was thinking bout gettin one or two after i set up my tank.

xxpipedreamxx · 01/21/2007, 02:46 AM

I absolutely love them!

netboy · 01/21/2007, 06:08 AM

Do this, test your tap water for nitrates. When I did it my tap water tested through the roof. This convinced me to get a ro/di filter. If the water you mix with salt already has a high level of nitrates you are going to have problems.

billr · 01/21/2007, 06:25 AM

Boy is this interesting stuff

hmello@bermexin · 01/21/2007, 06:58 AM

My lfs supplies DI water. What are everyones thoughts on this?

rsneedjr · 01/21/2007, 07:15 AM

How much is it per gallon? $150 for a ro di unit. How long before your first gallon is free doing a 10 % water change weekly plus top off. I'm liking my ro di unit better and better by the week.

SaltyNovice · 01/21/2007, 07:30 AM

I've been using Tap for a year now and I'm beginning to really think about a RO/DI unit. I'm having a few algae problems - nothing too bad yet. The reason I'm thinking about it is I'm just now getting in the corals and at the price you pay and the investment I've got in everything - I do not want a crash. One question to everybody. I read the piece on Melv's page. It said drinking water can be taken before the DI unit - why is this? Is the DI unit really necessary?

danch · 01/21/2007, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by netboy
Do this, test your tap water for nitrates. When I did it my tap water tested through the roof. This convinced me to get a ro/di filter. If the water you mix with salt already has a high level of nitrates you are going to have problems.

Same with phosphates - my tap has 1 to 2 ppm phostphate.

danch · 01/21/2007, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dmopar74
i to am confused on this issue, my LFS uses tap water and said only bout 10% of their customers uses RO water. plus they said that RO water has all of the nutrients taken out, which isnt good for the fish.

So fish absorb disolved nutrients through their skin or gills? New one by me!

Anything that needs to be in the water you're going to add with your salt mix. Depending on your tap water, there may or may not be other stuff in there that could contribute to algal blooms.

Personally, I know that I have phosphates in my tap water, along with relatively high general hardness. This is fine in my planted tank (where I'm dosing phosphate ferts anyway), but I want my salt water to be salt water, not saltwater with a higher than designed level of hardness and an extra kick of phosphate.

kmf507 · 01/21/2007, 09:06 AM

I completely recommend a RODI unit. Coralife makes one for about $120 that has worked well for me. I have two rubbermaid tubs and use one for pure fresh water (for top off daily evaporation) and another that I have SW in. This is important so you do not have to add salt directly to the tank. Also keep any back up water aerated with airstones (sorry if this is info you already know). Anyway, if keeping coral I would want the purest water possible. Keep in mind many major cities add compounds to the water such as flouride that can be damaging to your expensive pets. You might get away with using tap water, but I would expect it to eventually decrease the life expectancy (maybe not by a noticable amount) and subdue coral/fish coloration from the slight stress it may bring.

Plus, you will burn things if you mix the salt directly in the tank.

michaeldaly · 01/21/2007, 10:54 AM

Here is a link to a similar thread

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1020297

drummereef · 01/21/2007, 11:16 AM

www.thefilterguys.biz

01/21/2007, 02:14 AM	#1
oli5 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 369	What water do you use in SW tanks? I would really like to know what kind of water to use in my 75g SW tank, is tap water okay? And if you answer could you please say the word, not the abbreviation because I don't really know what they mean (yes, I am a newbie). Thanks for the help.

01/21/2007, 02:22 AM	#2
xxpipedreamxx Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 543	I used tap water for well over 6 months without a single issue (lps, sps, softies). I have a 29 gallon tank with a 10 gallon fuge. I had 2 65 watt power compacts on the tank at that time. Once I added a 150 watt Metal Halide, algae became an issue as I am now running 10 watts per gallon. Last night I did a water change using RO/DI water for the very first time. I will see how it goes. __________________ The past never happened, the future will never come, and the present isn't real. Current Tank Info: Clownfish breeding, 46 gallon, 29 gallon, 15 gallon, three ten gallons, one 5.5 gallon, all with T-5 HO lighting for my BTA's

01/21/2007, 02:25 AM	#3
oli5 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 369	This may sound and will sound dumb, what what is RO/DI....It's used everywhere and I have no idea what it means. __________________ I think therefor I am Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 20g FW, 5g QT

01/21/2007, 02:27 AM	#4
xxpipedreamxx Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 543	here ya go hun. this should help you out. http://www.melevsreef.com/why_rodi.html __________________ The past never happened, the future will never come, and the present isn't real. Current Tank Info: Clownfish breeding, 46 gallon, 29 gallon, 15 gallon, three ten gallons, one 5.5 gallon, all with T-5 HO lighting for my BTA's

01/21/2007, 02:28 AM	#6
xxpipedreamxx Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 543	No question is a dumb question. Ask all you need to get the information you want. I have been into saltwater for a year now so I am still pretty new myself, but I am learning the ropes quickly. I am here to help if need be. __________________ The past never happened, the future will never come, and the present isn't real. Current Tank Info: Clownfish breeding, 46 gallon, 29 gallon, 15 gallon, three ten gallons, one 5.5 gallon, all with T-5 HO lighting for my BTA's

01/21/2007, 02:28 AM	#5
dmopar74 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: WA Posts: 222	i to am confused on this issue, my LFS uses tap water and said only bout 10% of their customers uses RO water. plus they said that RO water has all of the nutrients taken out, which isnt good for the fish. what gives? do you have to add supplements to RO water? can i use tap with a good declor. that also removes metals etc.?

01/21/2007, 02:38 AM	#8
dmopar74 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: WA Posts: 222	is RO only necessary for sw fish? ive been using tap on my fw tanks for 2 years and i have grown some amazing fish in it.

01/21/2007, 02:39 AM	#9
xxpipedreamxx Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 543	My fw fish are fine in tap water. I did however use RO water for my Discus after a while. You really do not want tap water with corals. It has Lord only knows what in it that slowly builds up over time in the tank as in my case. __________________ The past never happened, the future will never come, and the present isn't real. Current Tank Info: Clownfish breeding, 46 gallon, 29 gallon, 15 gallon, three ten gallons, one 5.5 gallon, all with T-5 HO lighting for my BTA's

01/21/2007, 02:42 AM	#10
ricanboy57 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UCF. Orlando Posts: 404	the big problem with tap water is the nutrients left in it cause algea problems. The water from a reverse osmosis unit has most of that stuff taken out. It's not nessary but it's a good thing to use if you want to keep your tank looking good. __________________ I was the classic newb. I went out and bought the smallest tank and a fish at the same time. Now I'm kicking myself wondering how could I have been so stupid. But I'm hooked now.

01/21/2007, 02:43 AM	#11
dmopar74 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: WA Posts: 222	hey off topic but you like ur black clowns? i was thinking bout gettin one or two after i set up my tank.

01/21/2007, 02:46 AM	#12
xxpipedreamxx Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 543	I absolutely love them! __________________ The past never happened, the future will never come, and the present isn't real. Current Tank Info: Clownfish breeding, 46 gallon, 29 gallon, 15 gallon, three ten gallons, one 5.5 gallon, all with T-5 HO lighting for my BTA's

01/21/2007, 06:08 AM	#13
netboy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bakersfield, CA Posts: 304	Do this, test your tap water for nitrates. When I did it my tap water tested through the roof. This convinced me to get a ro/di filter. If the water you mix with salt already has a high level of nitrates you are going to have problems.

01/21/2007, 06:25 AM	#14
billr Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Texarkana, TX Posts: 269	Boy is this interesting stuff

01/21/2007, 06:58 AM	#15
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	My lfs supplies DI water. What are everyones thoughts on this? __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

01/21/2007, 07:15 AM	#16
rsneedjr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bristol, VA Posts: 58	How much is it per gallon? $150 for a ro di unit. How long before your first gallon is free doing a 10 % water change weekly plus top off. I'm liking my ro di unit better and better by the week.

01/21/2007, 07:30 AM	#17
SaltyNovice Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Amarillo Posts: 292	I've been using Tap for a year now and I'm beginning to really think about a RO/DI unit. I'm having a few algae problems - nothing too bad yet. The reason I'm thinking about it is I'm just now getting in the corals and at the price you pay and the investment I've got in everything - I do not want a crash. One question to everybody. I read the piece on Melv's page. It said drinking water can be taken before the DI unit - why is this? Is the DI unit really necessary? __________________ SaltyNovice

01/21/2007, 09:06 AM	#20
kmf507 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 669	I completely recommend a RODI unit. Coralife makes one for about $120 that has worked well for me. I have two rubbermaid tubs and use one for pure fresh water (for top off daily evaporation) and another that I have SW in. This is important so you do not have to add salt directly to the tank. Also keep any back up water aerated with airstones (sorry if this is info you already know). Anyway, if keeping coral I would want the purest water possible. Keep in mind many major cities add compounds to the water such as flouride that can be damaging to your expensive pets. You might get away with using tap water, but I would expect it to eventually decrease the life expectancy (maybe not by a noticable amount) and subdue coral/fish coloration from the slight stress it may bring. Plus, you will burn things if you mix the salt directly in the tank.

01/21/2007, 10:54 AM	#21
michaeldaly Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Earth Posts: 2,009	Here is a link to a similar thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1020297

01/21/2007, 11:16 AM	#22
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	www.thefilterguys.biz __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system