Is it ok to use my tap water??

[fangelillo01]

I just cant keep up on the evaporation in my open top. I usually use ro water but i cant keep going to the store to get it as much as i should. I have a well that i use for my house. Would it be ok to temporarily use this well water in the tank??

 

[meowzer]

Have you ever tested it? When I use to have a well...I dreaded drinking the nasty stuff.....
Have you looked into an ro/di? Depending on your size tank, you may not need a big one

 

[jstdv8]

I think you are going to get a resounding NO! on this one.
If you don't want to keep going to the store get yourself an RO/DI filter. it doesnt have to be elaborate just working.
I paid $110 for mine. not too bad considering the usefullness I get out of it.

 

[beaslbob]

depends on the tank and its inhabitents.
For a fo tank or even a fish and soft coral tank fully balanced and stabilized with macro algae your tap would be fine. Just use the cold water faucet and let it run for a minute before collecting the water.
But you would have more of a problem if you have delicate sps corals.
my .02

 

[fangelillo01]

right now i just have sum zoa's and button polyps i've used my brita water jug for emergency's hahaha but it takes forever to do it

 

[reeftanker84]

you ever think to keep the jugs that you buy water in and use the brita filter and filter out the water and put it in the jugs,i do that for mine,i always have about 5 gallons made up at any given time,i know its not the same as ro/di but it works in a pinch

 

[fangelillo01]

does it matter if my water is slightly hard?? I'm alittle behind on putting salt into my water softner

 

[gill again68]

The answer to your question is really only answered after you get your tap water tested. You may have good water but probably not. If you cant get around using it then I would suggest getting the best filtration filter you can afford. If you can get up to a RO/DI then absolutley get that. But if you cant do that then at least a water filter of some sort. I would imagine if you are buying RODI water then just a couple of water changes worth would get you into some level of water filtration. Thats my .02.
Remember if you dont know what your putting in then how can you know what issues it could cause. If you use the cold water then maybe your have cold solids you would be putting into the tank. Thats the other .02 for a total of .04

 

[fangelillo01]

LOL ok well i know this is stupid but i put my test strip into the tap water and its coming up no chlorine, a ok alkalinity, a ph of high sevens and a semi hard color for hardness. i dont know what to do i'll be here for hours filling up my brita hahahahahah

 

[jstdv8]

Gill said it best IMO. If you are having trouble down the line with algea or whatever having a good RO/DI unit eliminates a possibillity of where it might be coming from. just makes it easier to diagnose down the line even if your water was great.

 

[fangelillo01]

My issue is will i be able to get away with it for a couple days cause thats when i'll be able to get RO again

 

[gill again68]

I just dont know. When you really look at risk I wonder if the chance is worth it. I mean how much do you have invested in your tank. Just how much could be at risk.

 

[acrylic51]

I would say in a pinch you could get away with it....but down the road IMO your gonna have some issues.....I'd run a good series of water tests on your well water and see what you come up with. If you honestly think about it.....how often you get RO water and the cost and time and energy wasted an RO/DI unit would pay for itself, and it could double or drinking water around the house as well....

 

[beaslbob]

Hard water from the ground hard is usually because of dissolved calcium carbonate and magnesium from limestone aquifers. Which is what we dose for our corraline, hard corals and algae, and clams.
IMHO adding small amount for top off in a tank balanced out with macros algaes will not degrade your tank. At most it will just require less dosing if you are using something like the diy 2 part.
Obviously any nutrients like ammonia/nitrate/phosphates will be much less then the bioload and rapidily consumed by the algae.
Small amounts of any real toxins (like say--- copper) will be bio accumulated by the algae. Again assuming you are just adding a small amount for top off.
Now for a 50% water change you might have problems. But for routine water changes no.
my .02

 

[fangelillo01]

Yeah its just to top it off until i get paid and can go to the store. I am also looking at getting a unit i can use for tank water and possibly to drink. Lastnite i mixed water half from the tap and half from my brita filter. It took forever but it got done.