Tap Water Condtioner

[billyg]

I FOUND OUT THAT I NEED TO ADD THIS TO MY WATER AS IN WATER CHANGES TO A 150 GAL TANK,MY QUESTION IS IF I PULL OUT :help: :help: LIKE 15-20 GALS ON A PARTIAL WATER CHANGE DO I MIX THIS INTO THE WATER THAT IM PUTTING INTO THE TANK OR WHEN I TOP OFF MY TANK POUR THIS TAP OFF CONDTIONER RIGHT INTO THE TANK? IM USING THE PYTHON CLEAN & FILL SYSTEM SO THERE,S NO NEED FOR ME TO USE BUCKETS.SO WHEN I USE THE CHEMICAL I CAN,T USE THE THE PYTHON.IM REALLY CAUGHT ON THIS ONE. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPLYS

 

[mandarin w]

You don't need that at all. Just use RO (reverse osmosis) water.
This is best for your tank. tap water contain many harmful chemicals, minerial. and other things, that the "water conditioner" can't take care of. This is intended for use with fresh water tanks. Not saltwater.

 

[billyg]

OK THANKS MANDRIN,NOW THIS MEANS I GOTTA SHELL OUT BIG BUCKS FOR A R/O UNIT? :scared:

 

[mandarin w]

Sorry, I am just the messenger.

You can find a desent RO unit on the aution sites, Water General are a good unit. Look for something around 75 gallon per day. And get one that has a DI. RO/DI is what you really want. I've seen them for about $130. some a little less, some a little more. But when you think about how much you will have invested in your tank, fish, corals etc. Making sure you have the best water you can, $130 isn't that much.

 

[mike22cha]

RO systems are not neccesary for a saltwater aquaruim. Yes they are helpful and you eventually want one but it is not essenctial. Buying spring water(about 69 cents a gallon) and mixing it to make saltwater is also an option. It is a pain to go into a store and come out with 20 gallons of water but it is a cheaper option. Spring water may not be as clean but it does not have harmful stuff in it opposed to tap water. I have used spring water to mix and both of my aquariums have been running great and the fish are doing fine. I have also heard to use spring water from a manager of a fish store who I also bought my 125g from.

 

[mandarin w]

Originally Posted by MIKE22cha
RO systems are not neccesary for a saltwater aquaruim. Yes they are helpful and you eventually want one but it is not essenctial. Buying spring water(about 69 cents a gallon) and mixing it to make saltwater is also an option. It is a pain to go into a store and come out with 20 gallons of water but it is a cheaper option. Spring water may not be as clean but it does not have harmful stuff in it opposed to tap water. I have used spring water to mix and both of my aquariums have been running great and the fish are doing fine. I have also heard to use spring water from a manager of a fish store who I also bought my 125g from.
You say the springwater is the cheaper option, but do the math, Even using your numbers. 20 gallons at 69 cents is what $12 or $13 dollors and week, if you do your weekly waterchanges. in a month that is $48 dollars or even more. Then add in water for you top offs. and it will be even a little higher. In two months you could have bought the unit, and had much better water for your tank, Not to mention "Spring water" is not Reverse Osmosis water.

 

[mike22cha]

I never said it was a better or worse idea. I just said it was an option and an RO system is not neccessary.

 

[skyman]

I Just put in my ro-di unit last weekend. $105.00 delivered. Tap water 450ppm water out of ro-di unit after burn in 0ppm. Now I don't have to go to the store to fill a five gal jug for drinking water. (was using tap water for tanks) Oh yea our dogs don't drink tap water we would fill there water jug at the store. Of subject but ever wonder why pets (cats and dogs) live longer in Europe? Chemicles in the water and dog food maybe? Go to the bidding website get a ro-di unit and if it says it is reef safe expect to pay 100 dollars more. You are just paying for that label so pretty much any ro-di unit will work just read about them. Get one that has dual di filter = 0ppm

 

[mandarin w]

I can't tell you the number of times I thought the lids were on tight enough, and driving home, then some kids ball in the street, dog runns in the street. car in front slams his brakes because they decide they want to turn here. and my water jugs go flying off the seat, and the lids pop off. Not much you can do when you are in the drivers seat with your seat belt on, how much water do you have left by the time you get back there. How much damage are you going to have in your car with 15, 20 or even 30 gallons of water on the floor. Get yourself the RO/DI unit, and save your self the headache. They really aren't that much when you break it down.

 

[geridoc]

OTOH - I saw this thread, and immediately knew I was in trouble. I had set my RODI to fill a 3 gal carboy 2 hours ago. It is a 75 gph system - you do the math. The flood wasn't too big, but I have to go mop a while. Otherwise, I couldn't do without my RODI system.

 

[billyg]

THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT INFO THAT I WAS AFRAID THAT I WAS GONNA GET INTO IN BUYING A R/O D/I,ONE QUESTION IS THAT CAN THIS BE PLUMBED DIRECTLY IN MY SUMP OR TO THE MAIN TANK.IM THINKING OF THIS HUGE SETUP OF THIS SYSTEM SCREWED INTO MY LAUNDRY TUB FAUCET EMPTYING INTO A 55 GAL TRASH CAN WITH POWERHEADS AIR STONES BUCKETS TO :jumping: GET THE WATER TO THE MAIN TANK WHEW THIS IS A LITTLE MORE THEN I BARGINED FOR FOR THE PRICE OF THIS HOBBY,BUT IT SEEMS ITS THE ONLY WAY TO GO. AGAIN FELLOW MEMBERS THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT I WOULD NEVER ASK MY LFS THESE TYPES OF QUESTIONS SINCE THEE LFS IN MY AREA IS A CHAIN OPERATED UNDERKNOWLEDGED STAFF THAT I EVEN HATE TO GO INTO TO BUY FISH FOOD FROM. SO I GUESS ITS TIME TO SURF THE NET ON THIS UNIT ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHICH ONE WOULD BE THEE BEST TO ELIMITATE MY WATER PROBLEMS.

 

[mandarin w]

As stated before Water Generals are desent. They are not mega bucks. Look for a 75GPD (gallon per day) unit, I would say a three stage with duo DI's, should be about $110.- $130.
You don't really want to plumb the RO straight to your sump. The temp difference might be too much. You can however, have your water go to a storage container. and from there you can send it to your sump, but this would work just for topping off the tank.Not the water change water.

 

[billyg]

MANDARIN THANKS AGAIN SO WHAT DO I DO IN THE CASE OF A 10% WATER CHANGE THEN? IF IM JUST USING THIS UNIT TO TOP OFF MY TANK?

:thinking:

 

[anonome]

Originally Posted by skyman
I Just put in my ro-di unit last weekend. $105.00 delivered. Tap water 450ppm water out of ro-di unit after burn in 0ppm. Now I don't have to go to the store to fill a five gal jug for drinking water. (was using tap water for tanks) Oh yea our dogs don't drink tap water we would fill there water jug at the store. Of subject but ever wonder why pets (cats and dogs) live longer in Europe? Chemicles in the water and dog food maybe? Go to the bidding website get a ro-di unit and if it says it is reef safe expect to pay 100 dollars more. You are just paying for that label so pretty much any ro-di unit will work just read about them. Get one that has dual di filter = 0ppm
Buying one that doesn't say reef safe will cost less, but please do yourself a favor and buy a TDS meter to go with this unit. This way you can check to see just how pure your water is that is coming out of the unit. You will be amazed, test your tap, then test the ro-di water and it will blow you away on the difference. The TDS meter will cost about 25 bucks.

 

[mandarin w]

You do not really need to use the unit just to top off. That was what you could do if you wanted to plum it into the sump. Personnally I don't like that.
What I would suggest is get your place where you want to have it set up. If it is next to the washer, then get one of those "Y" things from the hardware store.Attach it to the cold water spiket. One side is for your washer, the other for you RO. then when you want to use it, just turn the flow thing on the conector to go to your RO unit. I run my RO into a 32 gallon Brut trash can, That would work for you. You can put a maxi-jet powerhead in the bottom of the brut container to pump your water in to what ever contain is easier to handle. See the pictures to give you idea.

That way if you only need 1 gallon for your topoffs then just get a gallon out. You don't need to drag around 5 gallon buckets for no reason.
For water changes. If you use a 5 gallon bucket, then just fill her up and do what you need to do.
I would suggest when you are not needing to get water out of the brut, just take the hose off the powerhead so the water can circulate. When the Brute is full just switch the water at the "Y" back to the washer.

 

[larryndana]

An ro/di unit is on my list of things to get. For now i'm buying water. I would recommend distilled water and not spring water. You can check your local water bottle delivery guys, it is a bit more money but its delivered to your door.

 

[billyg]

HEY MANDARIN THANKS AGAIN,THE IDEA I HAD A FEW WEEKS AGO IS COMING INTO EFFECT,I COULD HAVE THIS PLUMBED UP RIGHT NEXT TO MY TANK, THATS IN THE BASEMENT RIGHT OFF A COPPER SUPPLY LINE,I,VE TALKED TO A WELL EXPERINCED PLUMBER THAT RE DID ALL 4 OF MY BATHROOMS & LAUNDRY ROOM SO HE KNOWS THE LAYOUT OF THE HOUSE,SO NOW THAT IM INTO LOOKING @ EITHER THE WATER GENERAL OR ANTOHER ONE CALLED A DYONEB,THERE ARE SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM, I,LL JUST PUT MY MIND & MONEY TOWARD THE BEST ONE & FOR THE GENTLEMAN YOU REPLYED ABOUT THE GAUGE THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA ALSO.THIS HOBBY SURE HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST 20-25 YEARS SINCE I HAD MY TANKS SET UP. WHEN ALL THIS FILTERATION & SUMP, WET DRYS SYSTEMS CAME INTO PLAY THATS WHEN I GOT OUT ALL I HAD WAS A UNDERGRAVEL FILTER 2 POWERFILTERS & SOME POWERHEADS,THEN WHEN THE CHANGE OVER WAS GETTING GOING I JUST GOT OUT FROM IT,NOW THAT I GOT THIS 150 WITH OVERFLOW BOXES,A UV A SUMP TANK72" ORBIT LIGHT,I THOUGHT I WAS PRETTY WELL SET WITH THE KNOWLEDGE I HAD,BOY WAS I WRONG. I KNEW ABOUT THE UV, I BIUGHT IT I HAD MY HUNCHES ABOUT THE R/O & AFTER DOING SOME WATER TESTING IM NOT HAPPY WITH MY NITRATES? THE TEST IS READING IN THE ORANGE AREA THATS WHY I BOUGHT THE TAP WATER CONDTIONER. THANKS PEOPLE FOR ALL YOUR HELP & IF MY WIFE IS GONNA LET ME SPEND THE MONEY TO DO THIS OR I,LL HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE WHILE ON THIS.

 

[mandarin w]

Just give her a little more lovin,
As a woman I can say, We can't say no while we are getting a great back or foot rub.

:jumping:

 

[billyg]

MANDARIN I SHOULD BE MARRIED TO YOU :jumping: IT DON,T MATTER WHAT I DO TO THAT EFFECT WHEN IT COMES TO MONEY SHE IS THEE MOST COST WORTHY GAL AROUND & IM SAYING THAT IN HERE IF I WAS OUTSIDE THE BOARDS YOU WOULD HEAR SOME OTHER CHOICE WORDS,ALL NICE OF COURSE,BUT I DO WHAT I NEED TO DO & HEAR ABOUT IT LATER.I TELL HER ALL THE TIME LOVE WILL BE PAID IN OTHER WAYS

 

[kainex]

Water general is great..you can get your ro/di and good drinking water at your faucet for under 110.00 I love mine....
let me see if I can dig up some pic's