RO vs tap water.

[youbetyourwrasse]

Okay, I need real advice. I have a 30 gallon tank, fish and sponges, spreading polyps, duster, 1 soft coral. Also a 55, lots of fish, some sponges. Both have about 1#/gallon LR.
I have been using tap water for everything. The local water has tested 0 nitrate and 0 phosphates. pH high, between 7.8 and 8.0. I cure the water for at least a week and a lot of stuff precipitates out. dKH 9.5 and alkalinty 3.40 measured from tank. Is an R/O unit necessary? I've heard that such KH and TA measurements are desirable. I hate the thought of chemically adding stuff to bring these numbers up. I live in an area where the municipal water is mainly drawn from underground. I worry about pesticides and pollution, though my husband tells me if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
TIA,
Darlene.



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[Joez]

If everything is thriving, I guess you're OK. Hard to believe municipal water is so good. Isn't it treated with chlorine or other additives?

[DougL]

youbetyourwrasse;

If you have an old HOB filter, I would place a poly-filter in it to pick up whatever.
If it darkens quickly, its time to take other measures.

Just a random thought;

DougL

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http://sites.netscape.net/douglxyzzy

[hcs3]

every so often, tap water piping gets a good "flush". i've known of reefers that used their tap water for years without a problem, but one day did a WC on the same day as the "flush". everything died. off hand, i cannot remember the chemicals used in the "flush". maybe water experts can help out here. either way, i know for the small price of RO water vs. tap water, i'm not wagering my reef. what's another $150 in this hobby for peace of mind?

HTH

henry

[Joez]

You speak the truth Henry.

I know there are lots of opinions on purifying tap water; I use the Tap Water Purifier and have been satisfied with the results. I know some people have had problems with them, but I never have. I find it convenient, fast, and it produces good quality water.

[KASESQ]

Sounds like great tapwater to me-mine comes out with 50 ppm Nitrate and Lord knows what else. I have seen irrigation districts flush their systems with "bluestone" or copper sulphate, not something you want in a reef tank, but I do not know what is used for potable water supplies...

[Aquaman]

I have always bought my RO water from one of several LFS in town. Recently my wife gave me a spectra-Pure 75GPD RO/DI and after drawing about 75gals of water from the unit each of the cartridges are already turning color. Our house is down the street from a waste water treatment plant and after seeing how quickly my cartridges are burning up we now buy all our drinking water.

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Teach what you have known for years as if you learned it yesterday,
Teach what you learned yesterday as if you have known it all you life.
Life is short so Reef Hard

www.magicnet.net/~jwhite/aquamans.html (http://www.magicnet.net/~jwhite/aquamans.html)

[Outerbank]

That water sounds very good, but I just don't trust municipal water sources, at least where I live in south Texas.

One day the city's entire water was pink!! Another day brown! Usually the city states that someone (uhm...dahhh...) put too much of a chemical in the water. Now I think I know why my hair is falling out!!

If you can afford it, RO or RO/DI is the way to go in my opinion. You would likely break even or better down the road due to avoidance of problems. If your water is real clean, the filters are likely to last longer.

Make sure you check your dK and Ca level with your water changes when using RO. It can really lower your values (my unfortunate experiences in the past)

Scott

[This message has been edited by Outerbank (edited 12-07-1999).]

[youbetyourwrasse]

Tanks all for your replies.
I worry about chemical additives to get the GH and alkalinity back up. I have heard that tap water purifiers do no more good than good tap water bottled conditioners.
I use tap water conditioners for chlorine, ammonia, heavy metals etc. and let the water sit for 1 week before I add salt and allow another week with heater and aeration. I see huge amounts of precipitates in the tap water after a week. Is this okay? We do have hard water, and I have heard the precipitates are expected and normal. I test for nitrates and phosphates every time I start a new cycle of aging.
Darlene.

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[Doug1]

Darlene I'd second the Poly Filter on your source water, in case there are ickies in there it will remove em but leave the calcium etc

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I reefed,so I spent,it would have been cheaper to do it right the first time.........Doug@thereeftank
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