Question about water quality

slitwin · 01/15/2007, 03:31 PM

Can anyone recommend the best method for getting the water to good enough quality to begin introducing livestock into the tank? I am assuming there is some additive to tap water? How often does the tank need a water change?

Thanks much,
Scott

rooroo · 01/15/2007, 03:37 PM

Best option for consistent good water quality is an RO/DI filter. You will not get good consistent water quality from your tap water, and there is a possibility that your tap water may contain heavy metals in it that are safe for you to drink but in any quantities are not safe for your tank. Take a quick read of this article on Tap Water in Reef Tanks to understand what I mean.

But to answer your question, if you use tap water you need to use a chemical that removed chlorine and chloramine. Use something like Tetra Aquasafe or Seachem Prime. Both should be available at your local petsmart. Otherwise, there is nothing that you can add to the tap water to instantly make it "good quality" for your tank.

BurntOutReefer · 01/15/2007, 03:38 PM

IMO...dont use tap water.
please read about cycling a tank as thats what needs to happen before you can introduce lifestock in your tank. as far as water changes, really depends on bio-load...I do 10% weekly.
If you must use tap, then make sure you get some Detox or Prime or similiar product.....but IMO spend the extra time and get some RO/DI water from a store, or buy a RO/DI unt.
read/research.

BurntOutReefer · 01/15/2007, 03:38 PM

what rooroo said....just beat me to it

rooroo · 01/15/2007, 03:40 PM

For good quality inside the tank, it of course starts with the quality of water you put into the tank, which I talked about above.

You need to be sure to let the tank cycle first with some live rock. Watch with your test kits for the ammonia spike, then nitrite spike, then a slow rise of nitrates. Once you get the slow rise of nitrates, you are ready for your first water change. After that, keep up water changes on a weekly to bi-weekly schedule, changing 10 to 15% of the water during each change. I change 10 gallons of water every 2 weeks in my 65 gallon tank.

rustybucket145 · 01/15/2007, 03:50 PM

Either get some RO/DI water from the LFS or go ahead and bite the bullet and buy a unit. It will in the long run save you time, money and many many many headaches trying to get your tank looking right.

kdison · 01/15/2007, 05:00 PM

What is RO/DI and LFS? I don't understand what these mean?

kass03 · 01/15/2007, 05:45 PM

RO/DI is reverse osmosis/deionized water so that it's pure.

LFS is your local fish store

kass

AZDesertRat · 01/15/2007, 07:07 PM

A reverse osmosis/ deionization (RO/DI) unit is the very best investment you could possibly make for a reef system. Water is the single largest ingredient in any aquarium so you need to provide the very best, most consistent supply possible. Tap water is fine for human consumption but hte needs of a reef are different than the needs of a person.
There are several Reef Central sponsors who are also reef hobbyists and know the needs of a system. They include:
www.spectrapure.com
www.purelyh2o.com
www.buckeyefieldsupply.com
www.thefilterguys.biz

WaterKeeper · 01/15/2007, 07:31 PM

See RO/DI FAQ for the story in a nutshell. With water being the MOST important ingrediant in any tank, you want the very best.

And what the Rat sez----

Oh and

To Reef Central

pcurry18 · 01/15/2007, 07:37 PM

the filterguys is where i got mine.....$125 shipped. Excellent service with them. My watergeneral is perfect for my needs. I would recommend their 6 stage any time. GL.

slitwin · 01/17/2007, 09:55 AM

Thank you everyone for the information. I am a newcomer to this hobby and am trying to get as much information as possible before I dive in and start going down the wrong path.

Thanks again.

01/15/2007, 03:31 PM	#1
slitwin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Birmingham Posts: 119	Question about water quality Can anyone recommend the best method for getting the water to good enough quality to begin introducing livestock into the tank? I am assuming there is some additive to tap water? How often does the tank need a water change? Thanks much, Scott

01/15/2007, 03:50 PM	#6
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Either get some RO/DI water from the LFS or go ahead and bite the bullet and buy a unit. It will in the long run save you time, money and many many many headaches trying to get your tank looking right. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

01/15/2007, 07:31 PM	#10
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	See RO/DI FAQ for the story in a nutshell. With water being the MOST important ingrediant in any tank, you want the very best. And what the Rat sez---- Oh and *To Reef Central* __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

01/15/2007, 07:37 PM	#11
pcurry18 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Wheatland Ca. Posts: 399	the filterguys is where i got mine.....$125 shipped. Excellent service with them. My watergeneral is perfect for my needs. I would recommend their 6 stage any time. GL. __________________ 29g BioCube, Saltwater 85 Gal Hex Fresh Water 100 Gal Corner Salt Water I Golf, I Party, I Work, in that order! Current Tank Info: Fresh and Salt! I go both ways!

01/15/2007, 03:37 PM	#2
rooroo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Market, MD Posts: 406	Best option for consistent good water quality is an RO/DI filter. You will not get good consistent water quality from your tap water, and there is a possibility that your tap water may contain heavy metals in it that are safe for you to drink but in any quantities are not safe for your tank. Take a quick read of this article on Tap Water in Reef Tanks to understand what I mean. But to answer your question, if you use tap water you need to use a chemical that removed chlorine and chloramine. Use something like Tetra Aquasafe or Seachem Prime. Both should be available at your local petsmart. Otherwise, there is nothing that you can add to the tap water to instantly make it "good quality" for your tank.

01/15/2007, 03:38 PM	#3
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	IMO...dont use tap water. please read about cycling a tank as thats what needs to happen before you can introduce lifestock in your tank. as far as water changes, really depends on bio-load...I do 10% weekly. If you must use tap, then make sure you get some Detox or Prime or similiar product.....but IMO spend the extra time and get some RO/DI water from a store, or buy a RO/DI unt. read/research.

01/15/2007, 03:40 PM	#5
rooroo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Market, MD Posts: 406	For good quality inside the tank, it of course starts with the quality of water you put into the tank, which I talked about above. You need to be sure to let the tank cycle first with some live rock. Watch with your test kits for the ammonia spike, then nitrite spike, then a slow rise of nitrates. Once you get the slow rise of nitrates, you are ready for your first water change. After that, keep up water changes on a weekly to bi-weekly schedule, changing 10 to 15% of the water during each change. I change 10 gallons of water every 2 weeks in my 65 gallon tank.

01/15/2007, 05:00 PM	#7
kdison Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1	What is RO/DI and LFS? I don't understand what these mean?

01/15/2007, 05:45 PM	#8
kass03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kaukauna, Wi Posts: 2,937	RO/DI is reverse osmosis/deionized water so that it's pure. LFS is your local fish store kass

01/15/2007, 07:07 PM	#9
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	A reverse osmosis/ deionization (RO/DI) unit is the very best investment you could possibly make for a reef system. Water is the single largest ingredient in any aquarium so you need to provide the very best, most consistent supply possible. Tap water is fine for human consumption but hte needs of a reef are different than the needs of a person. There are several Reef Central sponsors who are also reef hobbyists and know the needs of a system. They include: www.spectrapure.com www.purelyh2o.com www.buckeyefieldsupply.com www.thefilterguys.biz

01/17/2007, 09:55 AM	#12
slitwin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Birmingham Posts: 119	Thank you everyone for the information. I am a newcomer to this hobby and am trying to get as much information as possible before I dive in and start going down the wrong path. Thanks again.