Anemone keepers: Do you use tap or RO water?

[garygb]

In Joyce Wilkerson's book, Clownfishes, she has a section on anemone husbandry and she references the "anemone survey" she did several years ago. She found that those respondents that use tap water are 6 times as likely to successfully keep an anemone alive 2 or more years. So, I wanted to ask those of you with anemones more than 2 years old whether you use tap (dechlorinated/dechloriminated) RO, DI, RO/DI, distilled, or some other variation such as water sent through a water purifier for human consumption?

[RONCGIZMO]

I used tap a LOOONG time ago with a Condy (FOWLR ) and this thing got huge fast...but that was also my first SW tank.

[ViPeR_930]

I had an RBTA over 2 years with all RODI.

[tpdpercula]

I started out using Tap when I first got into the hobby and had NO success with anemones. Since then I have progressed to using RO/DI and have had great success.

[GSMguy]

I think RO/DI is a must for a reef tank.

[Toddrtrex]

7 year old Haddoni
9 month old Haddoni
7 year old BTA ( recently sold )
1 year old LTA

RO/DI the whole time.

[Engine 7]

RO/DI here. Chicago water is great but not good enough for a reef tank.

[Toddrtrex]

Originally posted by Engine 7
RO/DI here. Chicago water is great but not good enough for a reef tank.

I agree, but sure makes the RO/DI filters last a long time.

[garygb]

Thank you all for the responses, appears RO/DI is winning. Anyone else?

[JamesJR]

I think phender kept a H. crispa for years using tap water.

[AquaReeferMan]

Ive been using water from my local spring. TDS reads 47ppm.

haddoni - 2.5 years
gbta - 1.5 years

I recently switched to a Kold Ster-il Fin-L-Filter System so we will see how that goes.

[JDS]

I did use RODI water for a wile but my tap water reads 53ppm so I stopped using it.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by garygb
In Joyce Wilkerson's book, Clownfishes, she has a section on anemone husbandry and she references the "anemone survey" she did several years ago. She found that those respondents that use tap water are 6 times as likely to successfully keep an anemone alive 2 or more years. So, I wanted to ask those of you with anemones more than 2 years old whether you use tap (dechlorinated/dechloriminated) RO, DI, RO/DI, distilled, or some other variation such as water sent through a water purifier for human consumption?

I took part in that survey. I won't publicly comment on it here.
I've always used RO water in my reef aquarium(s). Not only am I keeping anemones alive, but they're reporoducing in my systems.
Since the quality of tapwater can (and does) vary from time to time it's seems foolish to risk using it.


Macrodactyla doreensis spawning in my aquarium

[garygb]

Again, thank everyone that has responded. It seems the consensus on here points toward the use of RO/DI for success in keeping anemones long-term, though success can also be had with the use of tap directly. With tap it is so variable depending on locale and even within a given locale there can be variations in water quality depending on weather, etc. Thanks again and any other responses are welcome.