Tap Water

fender

fender

Active Member
Also on the tap water issue, most cities are using chloramine these days. If I understand correctly most additives used to break down chloramine leave ammonia as a by product (please correct me if I am wrong). Ammonia as we all know is toxic and is broken down by bacteria into Nitrates.... so even source water that tests negative for nitrates out of the tank, will add nitrates once in the tank and "cycled". Once again this is just a pondering in me little head and may not be a real concern.
Ediit: just confirmed chloramine is a chlorine and ammonia compound.... So getting rid of the chlorine leaves ammonia in the water still... Or do additives rid the water of ammonia as well? And if they do, where does it go?
Please someone correct me if I am wrong in these ponderings....
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator

Originally posted by beaslbob
I contend the copper in tap is not a concern to begin with.
And perhaps this is why your corals die.
 
jgonier

jgonier

Member

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Hi, I just took a peek at the water system reports for St. Paul.
The Copper content is 700ppb above the EPA guidelines as of 2002. This is a Copper level of 2.0ppm which is approximately 2,000 times higher than the level determined to be harmful for many marine organisms.
I just though you might want to know that.
Bang
Although my profile says I'm from St. Paul, I am really from an outer suburb. I just use St. Paul as my location because it is easier for people to figure out where I live. Everyone knows or has heard of St. Paul Minnesota.
 
fender

fender

Active Member

Originally posted by beaslbob
And perhaps that is why they live also. :D
Gee could NO lights, high nitrates, a 50% waterchange, tang and coral beauty eating them, and a disasterous move by contributing factors as well?
Darn those little buggers that just forgot to die. :D
Sounds to me like your own methods aren't working out so well. ;)
Try RO/DI water for the nitrate problems as well as an efficient skimmer.
As for the NO lights, well, I believe Kip told you so....
Waterchange? I didn't think you did or recommended those....
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator

Originally posted by JGonier
I just use St. Paul as my location because it is easier for people to figure out where I live.
Gotcha :) I do the same occationally myself. Thanks for the clarification.
 
jgonier

jgonier

Member
Bang Guy,
I just noticed in your profile you have a 900 gal. lagoon?
:eek: :eek:

Like is this in your house or your backyard, or is this something you maintain at like a zoo or something? If this is at your house, I would love to see some pic's of this if you have any posted online to see how you set something like that up at home.
I can't even afford a tank larger than a 20 gal.

All these nice big tanks I see everyone has makes me :mad: that I can't afford one.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator

Originally posted by JGonier
I would love to see some pic's of this if you have any posted online to see how you set something like that up at home.
Try this link ---> Lagoon
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
I'm sure that once the rest of your fish & corals die your Nitrate level will fall to nearly zero. Good Plan!
For the rest of us we'll continue to prescribe to the proved way by not dosing Copper and other toxins in the first place.
Interesting that you were able to change 50% of your water and Nitrates stayed the same, perhaps your tap water has just a bit of Nitrate in it. Just a thought.
 
fender

fender

Active Member

Originally posted by beaslbob
I did a 50% water change and nitrAtes did not change and some corals died. So the conculsion must be that 50% water changes do not lower nitrates and kill corals.

Obviously using bad source water full of nitrates isn't going to reduce the nitrates in your tank. And if a 50% water change didn't bring down your admittedly high nitrates....it would obviously mean your source water is the problem not your bioload. So yes I would agree completely with your assumption that a 50% water change (that is an excessive amount, 10-20% is the usual recommendation unless your tank is really messed up) with bad source water (tap) can kill corals and won't lower nitrates.
So you have some first hand experience that tap water is bad and yet you still advocate it's use. :notsure:
 
drkdweller

drkdweller

Member
What are you tring to figure out about my tank.
If its about copper. i never said i had copper in my tank.
I said if he was going to use tap water to make use the pipes arent copper. The pipes at my home arent copper. But they love the tap water i've had major growth on some things. that bubble i got was 4" open when i first got him he is now 11" open
the clam is 5"
I'm running 370Watts of pc seaclone skimmer, tapwater 10 water change every 2 some thime 3 weeks. wet/dry filter rated for a 125, Additives are the usual trace, iodine, strone, liquid calcuim, coral vite. 13 fish 38 different corals
PH 8.2
nitrites 0
nitrates 80
Am 0
Cal 420
Unfortunatly I run my tank the worst way you can, but the corals love it. Dont fix what's not broken
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator

Originally posted by DrkDweller
What are you tring to figure out about my tank.
....
Dont fix what's not broken
Sounds like you've done your homework and you know what's in your tap water. It would appear you have a thriving tank. I see no problems and agree that you shouldn't fix anything because nothing is broken.
Someone on the board is telling new hobbiests that tap water is better than RO/DI in all cases even though they are having a terrible time with their fish & corals. Perhaps he just wants some company in his misery.
 
drkdweller

drkdweller

Member
I have a friend with all the hardwareyou can get kalk reactor, MH, ROdi water, ect nitrate 0 and he still has problems with his corals. Some times its not your fault. Some times its the coral. Each coral piece is different and will act different to each tank. Take xeinas for example they grow like crazy in some tanks in others they dont grow at all, and some tanks they even die off for no reason. No one knows why they just do.
I agree that rodi water is better but some ppl cant afford one.
im just a cook at outback this hobbie is expensive on a cook hourly wage. IMO tap water is fine IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN IT
Some corals like nitrate. I have a couple leathers. I've heard nitrates help them shead witch is good becasuse they shead for growth. Clams as well like nitrates. so dose macro algae.
I feel the most important maintance a hobbies has to do is watch his tank for a couple mins a day. You need to know your tank. I can tell when theres something's wrong with my tank. Any of you agree
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator

Originally posted by DrkDweller
Any of you agree
Completely. I believe Xenia is another Nitrate loving coral. I don't know of any stonies that do well in high nitrates though. Perhaps there are a few but it's mostly limited to the softies. many of the Softies don't do well with Phosphate though.
Keep in mind though that tap water parameters often change drastically without notice.
Good luck to you.
 
drkdweller

drkdweller

Member
bang guy I just recently got a 10gpd ro kent barebones for that reason, and to start dripping kalk. But i figured my tap is good so I really dont need a 65gpd 6stage rodi. This lillte guy is perfect i just turn him on the day before i want to do a water change. Makes just the right amount and i fill another 5gal jug to dose kalk.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Steve Weast has the most incredible Reef I have ever seen and we had over six inches of snow here on Sunday. I don't understand why you can't see the connection Skilos.
 
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thomas712

Guest
Somewhere in a small village of Huntsville,AL someone is laughing, right next to his uncle Forrest, but even Forrest had enough sence to run.
 
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