People who DONT use R/O!

[zoogrl03]

I know it is recommended for people to use R/Oto do their regular water changes. My question is to people who don't use it. DO YOU USE A BUFFER CHEMICAL WITHOUT THE R/O? I Think this is the one thing thus far that i have done wrong with my tank. It has been running for almost four months now and i use water from the tap every time. til this day have not had any problems with the water and everything is testing out fine, but I just am wondering about the buffer because I do want to keep my water the best possible for the inhabitant of my tank. Please let me know your suggestions!

 

[camanuch]

Have your TDS checked in your water. TDS stats for total disolved solids. The lower the better. I live in new York. Bronx area and I test my RDS be4 each water change. But to I advised. I also have buffer if it is alittle high. For my future reef tank I will be using nothing but ro water.

 

[alix2.0]

i use nothing but RODI and now the thought of putting tap water in my tank, even with buffer, is scary.

 

[morval]

i use nuthing but tap water and i have no algae blooms and have not noticed any ill effects on my livestock. i would love to get a RO/DI unit but my budget will not allow it for somtime. but i can say that my tap water is very good quality, every 6 months the town i live in mails a report of the water chemistry done by a 3rd party so i no what is comming out of the tap. and all i add is dechlorinator

 

[scsinet]

Originally Posted by zoogrl03
http:///forum/post/2534181
I know it is recommended for people to use R/Oto do their regular water changes. My question is to people who don't use it. DO YOU USE A BUFFER CHEMICAL WITHOUT THE R/O? I Think this is the one thing thus far that i have done wrong with my tank. It has been running for almost four months now and i use water from the tap every time. til this day have not had any problems with the water and everything is testing out fine, but I just am wondering about the buffer because I do want to keep my water the best possible for the inhabitant of my tank. Please let me know your suggestions!
It's not that tap water or RODI is better or worse. It depends entirely on the quality of your tap water to begin with.
Being that you live in Milwaukee, you are lucky. Since the Cryptosporidium (sp?) outbreak a few years back, the treatment plants in your area produce VERY detailed reports of their water quality. If you are served by the Howard Avenue treatment plant, you're even luckier. That's the plant responsible for the ****** outbreak, after which they upgraded to bleeding edge top of the line purification systems. The water should be very good coming from there.
I lived in Oak Creek up until '96. The outbreak was like '93 or something and I remember all the upgrades that went into that plant. I have family still up there and I've heard reports that Milwaukee plants now use ozone instead of chlorine in the water so you shouldn't even have to worry about that. Of course, I'd test and use conditioners anyway.

 

[zoogrl03]

Wow! That is good to hear about he milwaukee water systems. I just moved here back in november so I didn't know about all of the issues. And I believe I am supplied by the howard ave. plant..i will look into that though. Thanks for the input! So as far as water conditioners go...how am i supposed to know what to get. If I have never added anything before I am afraid to add something to my next water change and have it affect the inhabitants of my tank because they have not had it in their water yet.

 

[buffett]

i know its kinda off subject but one of my lfs only uses tap water for all, reef, fowlr, fresh, and anything in between, this is practically the only fish store i will do business with.
just my 2 cents, sorry to interupt the thread, as for me i go to walmart and buy the rodi water (at least i think it is) from them for .25c a gal. but iam thinking about using only tap water from now on.

 

[zoogrl03]

You actually buy your change water from walmart???

 

[newsaltwater]

What water is it from walmart? Does it actually say on it RO/DI or is it called something else? I am thinking about buying from walmart and went to look at it today and could not find any that said RO or DI on it.

 

[zoogrl03]

Yes, I would def. like to know the answer to the wal-mart question!

 

[fats71]

My wal mart is culligann out of the machine. it also has a uv steralizer on it. I do not know however when the membrane was changed as it is not posted and that bothers me. I take my 5 gallon jugs in fill them and leave. it costs me .33 cents a gallon here and we also use it in our water cooler at home. tastes great smells clean but I do want to find out to check for tds...

 

[buffett]

Originally Posted by zoogrl03
http:///forum/post/2534920
You actually buy your change water from walmart???
yes i do, i thought everyone did lol

and i guess i should say that its a walmart market, i was talking to my lfs guy and he was telling me about it and so i went and bought some, he was talking to someone that told him about it and they tested the water and it was good to use, i do check when the stuff was changed out of the machine, but so far no problems as of now.

 

[fats71]

Originally Posted by Buffett
http:///forum/post/2536201
yes i do, i thought everyone did lol

and i guess i should say that its a walmart market, i was talking to my lfs guy and he was telling me about it and so i went and bought some, he was talking to someone that told him about it and they tested the water and it was good to use, i do check when the stuff was changed out of the machine, but so far no problems as of now.
Where do you see when it was last checked ? I qam getting pissed offf as I never see anything and I have looked it up and down. I am going to complain to managment about it as I am going thru 25 plus gallons a week of the stuff and never know when the membrane was changed... bah humph im irritated everyone gets to know but me...

 

[buffett]

Originally Posted by Fats71
http:///forum/post/2536285
Where do you see when it was last checked ? I qam getting pissed offf as I never see anything and I have looked it up and down. I am going to complain to managment about it as I am going thru 25 plus gallons a week of the stuff and never know when the membrane was changed... bah humph im irritated everyone gets to know but me...
on mine it located on the inside where you place your jugs

sorry i had to do it, its on the left hand side of the filling part of the station on the inside, and i would complain i think its a rule that they post when they change things out
hope this helps, and good luck

 

[jeffreyyy]

I work at a water store so I get my DI water free. Have you thought about trying a water store near you? It may be more expensive then Wal-mart but atleast you know your getting RO/DI water. They will deliver it right to your door or if your close to the water store you can go there and get it for a little cheaper. Just to give you an idea of what they charge here's what we charge...5 gal. $5.25 per btl delivered to your front door or $4.00 if you pick it up from the store.
Just a thought,
Jeff

 

[steve24]

i use walmarts distilled water and havefrom the beginning ... over two years now ...
this is from Bang Guy ...
This is from some research I did:
TDS levels
A - 105
B - 76
C - 12
D - 524
E - 360
F - 298
I posted them in the order of what I thought would be cleanest to dirtiest water. Am I the only one Surprised by the results?
A = Culligan RO/DI from a vending machine
B = Walmart Distilled
C = RO from my filter
D = Dannon Spring Water
E = My Tap Water
F = My Well Water
__________________

 

[cabin7882]

I have always used walmart bottled water but I pay like 69 cents a gal! It's the green label and says it is RO not DI but it works good for me and right now my tank is lookin really clear like all of a sudden!

 

[drtito]

I have made the change from TAP to RO/DI slowly and my tank is better off 4 it. Less algie and lots more growth in my coral. I used nothing but TAP for about 4 years then came the change.

P.S. watch out with brine corals they dont like tap water(test your water first)