Survey Tap Water

[payton 350]

Just a quick survey to see if people who use ro/di water have just as much algae problems as people who use tap water........
I am just wondering because whenever someone has an algae problem first thing people think is phosphates in the tap...but it seems to me that algae problems are not so much different between tap water and ro/di water

 

[lubeck]

when i used tap water I would have to clean my glass EVERY DAY due to top off. I have to clean every 5 days now. among other things... my live rock always had alot of hair algea as well. My tap water reads 30ppm in nitrates... i have not tested for anything else but sure it has some nitrites as well.

 

[drewsta]

I say NO to tap. You have to worry about phosphates, copper, ammonia, nitrates + many others just go RO or better yet RO-DI its worth the investment

 

[bcott]

What if you use that tap water conditioner stuff?

 

[payton 350]

well i'm assuming if you are using tap water ...you are using a conditioner and or faucet filter but ro/di water is supposed to be 99% pure water...as long as your filters are working properly..........i'm sure many hobbyists on here are using tap water but don't admit it

 

[petjunkie]

I use tap water because I can't afford to buy 18 one gallon jugs of distilled (all I can get here) for .50 to $1.00 a jug every week. My tank has been set up a year and I'm just now started to have hair algea problems but we did upgrade the lighting and slightly overstocked the tank. I have now cut back on my feeding and I bought a protien skimmer so hopefully that will help. However my other two tanks have no algea problems and no cleaners. If I could use ro water I would but I can't really complain about my tap water yet, my nitrates are always below 10 even with crushed coral.

 

[nygel]

i use tap, but my town used to be famous for its water, so i guess its just my water, i've had absolutly no problems. i use distilled for water changes though

 

[puffer9006]

this might be a stupid question but where can i pick up ro water. or how much is it to buy a ro filter

 

[reefreak29]

i am fortuate to have excess to pure di water at the lab i work at , if i had to buy it i wouldnt have a salt water tank.

 

[payton 350]

this is good to know because i know a lot of people can't afford the extra spending on ro/di water at 50 cents a pop.....since i live in chicago my water is pretty decent but i was curious with others....most in this hobby seem to almost scare others that if you don't use RODI water don't bother with the tank......
Puffer you can get rodi water at a walmart/jewel store or at your local LFS

 

[drewsta]

go to the big auction site and type ro-di you want to get a 6 stage system it will run you about $100 and replace the media once a year for $40. That way you will know you have the best quality water for your tank and you can also drink it too so its a double poitive

 

[puffer9006]

its only $100 i was told they were more like $600. would the ones off of this site work. i was thinking of purchasing one which one would be the best

 

[promisetbg]

I don't think you can blame algae problems on RO/DI water. If filters are kept changed and TDS is measured and kept at 0, the algae problem would come from another factor in the person's husbandry...not the water. Every time you add food to the tank you are adding phophates,if you are overfeeding, there is'nt enough or the right kind of clean-up crew, the skimmer you have is'nt working efficiently or it is just a bad product, water changes are not being performed, the tank is overstocked, bulbs are out of spectrum and need to be replaced, the flow is insufficient.....too many possibilities.

 

[unleashed]

i started off my tanks using tap water conditioned with prime for 3 1/2 yrs never once having any major algae issues my tanks are fed heavy weekly water changes ect.when i set up a reef i decided to try ro so i purhased the whole unit (i didnt want to risk outbreaks)my first week of adding ro water I ended up with hair algae tg my fish eat it.i started adding prime to my ro water and no more algae problems.i didnt find any advantanges with using ro water other than i higher water bill.than using my tap water .but i think alot has to do with your areas water supply.how well it is filtered .and yes i do use ro water for the most parts.

 

[jaybird101]

Originally Posted by puffer9006
its only $100 i was told they were more like $600. would the ones off of this site work. i was thinking of purchasing one which one would be the best
Lowes sells RO filters system for starting prices of $150. Plus getting it from a home improvement center makes it easy to find replacement filters.

 

[promisetbg]

Originally Posted by jaybird101
Lowes sells RO filters system for starting prices of $150. Plus getting it from a home improvement center makes it easy to find replacement filters.
They are not even close to the same quality filters.

 

[puffer9006]

i went to my lfs and the had one for $350. it looked like a good one. but i dont know if i want to spend that.

 

[dragonzim]

You DEFINITELY dont need to spend $350 for an RODI unit. I just gor t a 4 stage unit for $140. You can certainly find them cheaper if you look around.

 

[mellow1]

So what's the alternative for the folks who don't have the money to spend on a RO/DI unit?

 

[phishface]

I use tap, for now, but i let it age 2 days before i use it. I also plan on a unit, but dont know where to look or what is a good one , what should they cost etc......