Do you have to have RO water?-HELP!

nbku3vm · 02/28/2010, 11:20 PM

So I just picked up a 240g for a steal off of craigslist. I have it set up now in my house and started making RO water. My RO system is only rated for 29 gallons a day. I'm picking up some livestock and rock from somebody who is moving this weekend. No room in my 20g. Can I use conditioned Tap water? Is it going to kill the soft corals that have been established for two years or am I just going to be dealing with lots of algea till my fuge can proccess all of the extra stuff in the water? Please HELP

Metal Man 1221 · 02/28/2010, 11:31 PM

i would suggest maybe getting a new membrane that can process more water, RO water is better to use, i used tap water when i set up my tank and iv been battleing nitrates for a while,
some fish stores sell RODI water and you could get some premade to start off with, or at least get enough made to submerge the rock and work on filling it up as you make the water

mcoomer · 03/01/2010, 02:39 AM

I'd call your LFS and ask them about buying some. If it was a small tank I might be inclined to go for it and do a series of water changes to get it all swapped out as soon as possible but in a big tank I think it would be best to start with RO.

BTW...you leak tested this tank before you put it in place in your house, right?

Mike

ludnix · 03/01/2010, 04:35 AM

Did you cycle the tank yet?

Buckeye Hydro · 03/01/2010, 05:22 AM

I'd use RODI water only to save yourself a lot of trouble with algae later on. You can install a higher capacity membrane and a matched flow restrictor. You are unlikely to find the higher capacity membranes (e.g., 75 gpd) used in this hobby at the local hardware store - likewise for the flow restrictor.

Russ

WhoDey64 · 03/01/2010, 05:53 AM

Unless you want to be quitting out of frustration in 6 months use RO/DI only imho.

Mariner · 03/01/2010, 06:16 AM

Many grocery stores and Walmarts have RO water dispensers. Around here you can get all the RO water you want for 33 cents per gallon at Walmart fromt their Culligan water dispenser. I used this for years before I finally got my RO/DI unit. TDS usually measured 3-13 or so. It's a good pure water source for emergency situations like yours. Much much better than tap,
HTH,
Mariner

rkb · 03/01/2010, 06:40 AM

RO only, no tap IMO. If you more water faster by the water at the LFS.

Tomaric · 03/01/2010, 07:27 AM

Sorry to say but if you think you can setup a 240 gallon reef tank in one week and then put live stock in it that fast you are going to have a massive die off. You might as well just through everything in the front yard and let it die. The tank will not have cycled in that amount of time and the unbalanced water is not a good thing.

Yes you should only use RO water or RO/DI.

Your best bet is to pick up some rubber tubs from HD or Lowes and put the life stock in there WITH YOUR BUDDIES WATER and move it in small qtys to your house. Put in a power head and heater and hope for the best while your 240 cycles, 2 to 4 weeks.

You could also take the water from his tank.

Please tell me you have had or currently are running a reef tank before??
Don't just through the livestock in an un-cycled tank.

Buckeye Hydro · 03/01/2010, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomaric

Sorry to say but if you think you can setup a 240 gallon reef tank in one week and then put live stock in it that fast you are going to have a massive die off. You might as well just through everything in the front yard and let it die. The tank will not have cycled in that amount of time and the unbalanced water is not a good thing.

Yes you should only use RO water or RO/DI.

Your best bet is to pick up some rubber tubs from HD or Lowes and put the life stock in there WITH YOUR BUDDIES WATER and move it in small qtys to your house. Put in a power head and heater and hope for the best while your 240 cycles, 2 to 4 weeks.

You could also take the water from his tank.

Please tell me you have had or currently are running a reef tank before??
Don't just through the livestock in an un-cycled tank.

Good point all!

Dtronic · 03/01/2010, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomaric

Sorry to say but if you think you can setup a 240 gallon reef tank in one week and then put live stock in it that fast you are going to have a massive die off. You might as well just through everything in the front yard and let it die. The tank will not have cycled in that amount of time and the unbalanced water is not a good thing.

Yes you should only use RO water or RO/DI.

Your best bet is to pick up some rubber tubs from HD or Lowes and put the life stock in there WITH YOUR BUDDIES WATER and move it in small qtys to your house. Put in a power head and heater and hope for the best while your 240 cycles, 2 to 4 weeks.

You could also take the water from his tank.

Please tell me you have had or currently are running a reef tank before??
Don't just through the livestock in an un-cycled tank.

Listen to this advice. Sounds like you are heading for a disaster. You need to slow down. Get the tank setup and running AND CYCLE before adding anything.

fishysteve · 03/01/2010, 10:48 AM

You should really listen to Tomaric and Dtronic. You need to slow down cowboy. Nothing good ever happens quickly.

lordofthereef · 03/01/2010, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metal Man 1221

i would suggest maybe getting a new membrane that can process more water

+1

Just your evap alone on hotter days is going to max out the capabilities of your current membrane. Not to mention it will take two days or more to make up enough water for a simply water change. You already have the RO unit in place, another 40-50 bucks on a membrane is well worth it IMO. Risking using tap water on 200+ gallons is not my idea of fun LOL.

nbku3vm · 03/02/2010, 01:07 AM

Thanks guys. All livestock is going in a 55 gallon drum for the time being. Rock and sand has been established for two years and hopefully will be just fine for a few weeks with a lot of water movement and weekly water changes. I have a pendant light that I'm going to set up over it till the big tank is ready. I was hoping that there will not be a cycle on the large tank due to only established rock and sand is going to be palced in it. I'll just have to see if a cycle will take place. I was able to get about half the tank full from the LFS and will let the rest fill with my RO system. Should take a week to get the rest full. I do have a 29 gallon that has been up and running for a little over two years now but is maxed out.

Frick-n-Frags · 03/02/2010, 04:45 AM

i was going to say something..then i noticed you are in Arizona.

maybe the worlds worst tapwater for a reeftank...my condolences...

ps: "established rock and sand" if you disrupt that established sand, youmay be in for serious nutrient problems. envision the undisturbed sandbed as one large organism..it has skin on top and guts down lower. all the sand grains are the cells and they all belong just where they are. Now how are you goingto move this organism without scrambling its cell structue and causing massive dyoff and things below that should never get to the water column...

generally, i would suggest taking all the LR, and a healthy skimming from the top inch of the undisturbed sandbed if you want starter sand. Leave the rest to be discarded in the final teardown or thoroughly cleaned to be re-used.

02/28/2010, 11:20 PM	#1
nbku3vm Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 124	Do you have to have RO water?-HELP! So I just picked up a 240g for a steal off of craigslist. I have it set up now in my house and started making RO water. My RO system is only rated for 29 gallons a day. I'm picking up some livestock and rock from somebody who is moving this weekend. No room in my 20g. Can I use conditioned Tap water? Is it going to kill the soft corals that have been established for two years or am I just going to be dealing with lots of algea till my fuge can proccess all of the extra stuff in the water? Please HELP

02/28/2010, 11:31 PM	#2
Metal Man 1221 FMMAS Executive Director Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Fargo ND Posts: 1,504	i would suggest maybe getting a new membrane that can process more water, RO water is better to use, i used tap water when i set up my tank and iv been battleing nitrates for a while, some fish stores sell RODI water and you could get some premade to start off with, or at least get enough made to submerge the rock and work on filling it up as you make the water __________________ "My advise is, always look at their aquarium before you take their advise. Because alot of people give advise and they havnt got a clue" ~David Saxby~ "Only after the last tree's cut and the last river poisoned only after the last fish is caught will you find that money cannot be eaten" ~Lamb of God~ Current Tank Info: 125g DT, 45g sump ---- 57g Illuminata, custom sump

03/01/2010, 02:39 AM	#3
mcoomer Rat Bastard! Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sammamish, WA Posts: 1,487	I'd call your LFS and ask them about buying some. If it was a small tank I might be inclined to go for it and do a series of water changes to get it all swapped out as soon as possible but in a big tank I think it would be best to start with RO. BTW...you leak tested this tank before you put it in place in your house, right? Mike __________________ Spending exorbitant amounts of money on this hobby since 1998! My wife thought the tank would be cheaper and easier to keep than a dog...no seriously! Current Tank Info: 180 gallon mixed reef; Reeflo Barracuda, Tunze 6105 (X3), 250W Radiums with dual HQI Blue Wave 7, Reefkeeper Elite controller, custom sump with ASM G4, carbon and GFO reactors

03/01/2010, 04:35 AM	#4
ludnix Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,031	Did you cycle the tank yet? __________________ -Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube

03/01/2010, 06:16 AM	#7
Mariner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: North Alabama Posts: 3,952	Many grocery stores and Walmarts have RO water dispensers. Around here you can get all the RO water you want for 33 cents per gallon at Walmart fromt their Culligan water dispenser. I used this for years before I finally got my RO/DI unit. TDS usually measured 3-13 or so. It's a good pure water source for emergency situations like yours. Much much better than tap, HTH, Mariner __________________ DESIGN DEMANDS A DESIGNER. ~The perception is that perception is reality, but the reality is that it isn't. Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef; 135g mixed reef

03/01/2010, 05:22 AM	#5
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	I'd use RODI water only to save yourself a lot of trouble with algae later on. You can install a higher capacity membrane and a matched flow restrictor. You are unlikely to find the higher capacity membranes (e.g., 75 gpd) used in this hobby at the local hardware store - likewise for the flow restrictor. Russ

03/01/2010, 05:53 AM	#6
WhoDey64 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ft Lauderdale Florida Posts: 1,311	Unless you want to be quitting out of frustration in 6 months use RO/DI only imho.

03/01/2010, 06:40 AM	#8
rkb Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Western Hemisphere Posts: 578	RO only, no tap IMO. If you more water faster by the water at the LFS. __________________ Current tank: Eleventy billion gallon tank with a DSB of rainbow gravel and one tiny blue tang...

03/01/2010, 07:27 AM	#9
Tomaric Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 239	Sorry to say but if you think you can setup a 240 gallon reef tank in one week and then put live stock in it that fast you are going to have a massive die off. You might as well just through everything in the front yard and let it die. The tank will not have cycled in that amount of time and the unbalanced water is not a good thing. Yes you should only use RO water or RO/DI. Your best bet is to pick up some rubber tubs from HD or Lowes and put the life stock in there WITH YOUR BUDDIES WATER and move it in small qtys to your house. Put in a power head and heater and hope for the best while your 240 cycles, 2 to 4 weeks. You could also take the water from his tank. Please tell me you have had or currently are running a reef tank before?? Don't just through the livestock in an un-cycled tank. __________________ Life, 90 Reef, 30 fuge, 20 Sump 48 Freshwater and an acre pond in my back yard! Concentrate on what you're doing not how you are doing. Ars longa, vita brevis

03/01/2010, 10:48 AM	#12
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	You should really listen to Tomaric and Dtronic. You need to slow down cowboy. Nothing good ever happens quickly. __________________ On a break

03/02/2010, 01:07 AM	#14
nbku3vm Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 124	Thanks guys. All livestock is going in a 55 gallon drum for the time being. Rock and sand has been established for two years and hopefully will be just fine for a few weeks with a lot of water movement and weekly water changes. I have a pendant light that I'm going to set up over it till the big tank is ready. I was hoping that there will not be a cycle on the large tank due to only established rock and sand is going to be palced in it. I'll just have to see if a cycle will take place. I was able to get about half the tank full from the LFS and will let the rest fill with my RO system. Should take a week to get the rest full. I do have a 29 gallon that has been up and running for a little over two years now but is maxed out.

03/02/2010, 04:45 AM	#15
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	i was going to say something..then i noticed you are in Arizona. maybe the worlds worst tapwater for a reeftank...my condolences... ps: "established rock and sand" if you disrupt that established sand, youmay be in for serious nutrient problems. envision the undisturbed sandbed as one large organism..it has skin on top and guts down lower. all the sand grains are the cells and they all belong just where they are. Now how are you goingto move this organism without scrambling its cell structue and causing massive dyoff and things below that should never get to the water column... generally, i would suggest taking all the LR, and a healthy skimming from the top inch of the undisturbed sandbed if you want starter sand. Leave the rest to be discarded in the final teardown or thoroughly cleaned to be re-used. __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB