Using Glacier water for tanks

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by teen
i use mine outside when its not freezinbg out. i hook it up to the hose, fill up a 4 gallon jug like twice a week for make up water. for every 4 gallons of good water, i get about 5 or 6 gallons of waste. i just have that fill up another jug and use that for the plants.
in the winter, ill put it down in the basement and use the attachments down there. the same ones that the washing machine are hooked up to. i know a few people who use the waste water to do washes. im not sure how that works out, but i know its being done.
i had the same problem at my house. my kitchen faucet is old and doesnt have threads. the faucet in my upstairs bathroom is threaded, but its a small bathroom and there really isnt much room for 2 jugs and the machine.
I would want this under the kitchen sink so I can drink the water as well as filling pet water bowls. That is a good idea about using the waste water to wash clothes with!

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Tiberius
Hello Reefers,
I have always been using tap water and adding Amquel+ for water changes. Never really had any problems using it. I started using Watermill Express water which are those windmills in parking lots for top offs. It is R/O water and they use UV light plus a bunch of other treatments on the water. But, when I called the company about using it for my tank, they stated they don't recommend it. She just read some statement and couldn't give me a reason why.
Then, I found Glacier water which are those machines outside grocery stores. I called that company and they said they don't recommend it either. But, she said the reason being is their system removes all minerals from water. I would think that Coralife would add what is necessary to the water to maintain a SW tank.
So do you think I can start using this Glacier water for water changes as well?
This is their website:
http://www.glacierwater.com/products.htm
Oh and I did look into getting a R/O unit under my kitchen sink. It would take a couple of days to fill a container of water for a change. Plus, I would have to change the filters every other month. The price of the unit plus the filters plus having a container sit in the kitchen for a couple of days put me off on the idea.

The reason they are saying that refers to fresh water tanks, you really don't want to remove the minerals because they can be benificial for your fish. In saltwater, your salt replaces all your minerals. Salt you buy isn't just salt. It has other trace elements in it. You can by a high output ro/di unit and that will produce the water at much higher rates than the ones they sell for drinking water. And they are better. They remove more dissolved solids than your drinking water variety because you really shouldn't drink total pure water either. So the drinking water units allow some stuff to pass. You can use the waste water for whatever you want, laundry, dishes, watering plants. Giving it to your animals. (It still has run through a carbon filter in most 5 stage units) I changed my filters every couple months, but I made 5 gallons a day, plus water changes and the town I lived in has horrible water. But in average water districts you shouldn't have to nearly as often. The draw back to those water stations is that you have no clue if they are really changing their filters as often as they should. And if you do it yourself then you know. But they use ro units too.

 

[nemo_66]

glacier water could be a little cold. sorry, couldnt resist.

 

[reefstar22]

Originally Posted by Tiberius
I also read that for every 1 gallon is made another 4-6 gallons is wasted. Do you use your waste water for plant watering?
Mine just goes down the drain.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by Nemo_66
glacier water could be a little cold. sorry, couldnt resist.

 

[frankthetank]

Speaking of Glacier water... They have a digital date that the machine was last serviced. Seems to always be in the last 10 days.

 

[dansie]

i use my waste water in for washing machine..

 

[anonome]

I have a 100gpd RO/DI unit that I absolutely love. It will make about 1 gallon of clean water for every 2 gallons of waste water. This is during the hot days of summer. In the winter it is much faster, and less waste. This is why it tells you to hook the source water line up to the cold water side. I have a 30g drum for the water to go into with a heater and large airstone.
I change the filters once a year, and the DI unit every 2 years. But, I do test the water with a TDS unit periodically to be sure everything is ok.
I use the waste to water plants, but when not needed it goes into the drain. Here are some pics. It is in the laundry room/ mud room.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by Anonome
I have a 100gpd RO/DI unit that I absolutely love. It will make about 1 gallon of clean water for every 2 gallons of waste water. This is during the hot days of summer. In the winter it is much faster, and less waste. This is why it tells you to hook the source water line up to the cold water side. I have a 30g drum for the water to go into with a heater and large airstone.
I change the filters once a year, and the DI unit every 2 years. But, I do test the water with a TDS unit periodically to be sure everything is ok.
I use the waste to water plants, but when not needed it goes into the drain. Here are some pics. It is in the laundry room/ mud room.
The one I was looking at has 5 canisters. 1 membrane, 2 carbon, 1 sediment and 1 DI. So why do you have 6 canisters?

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by FranktheTank
Speaking of Glacier water... They have a digital date that the machine was last serviced. Seems to always be in the last 10 days.
I am going to go by the machine today and check it out. I do have those chlorine test strips and have used them to check the water from the windmills. I do need to get a TDS meter.

 

[frankthetank]

Originally Posted by Tiberius
I am going to go by the machine today and check it out. I do have those chlorine test strips and have used them to check the water from the windmills. I do need to get a TDS meter.
You'll be fine with this water... as I said, I've used this water at my nearest grocery store for a year now.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Tiberius
I am going to go by the machine today and check it out. I do have those chlorine test strips and have used them to check the water from the windmills. I do need to get a TDS meter.
I'm just guessing but I would think the biggest problem with grocery store water would be Phosphate, not chlorine.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
I'm just guessing but I would think the biggest problem with grocery store water would be Phosphate, not chlorine.
Doesn't RO water eliminate the phosphate? I do have a phosphate test kit since I have been using tap water. Must make you cringe!
Just bought a TDS meter on ----!!
I am still looking into getting that RO unit I seen but in the mean time....

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Tiberius
Doesn't RO water eliminate the phosphate? I do have a phosphate test kit since I have been using tap water. Must make you cringe!
Just bought a TDS meter on ----!!
I am still looking into getting that RO unit I seen but in the mean time....
If I'm not mistaken I think the di gets that.

 

[frankthetank]

Glacier water does not have phosphates. I've already tested it for that. RO water is purified of phoshpates. I promise it is good water for your tank.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Tiberius
Doesn't RO water eliminate the phosphate?
Nope. RO will remove some but not all PO4.
The effect of the extra PO4 depends on your specific setup and the amount. PO4 is in all food so don't think of it as a deadly poison, it's just that excess PO4 harms corals and feeds Cyanobacter.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by FranktheTank
Glacier water does not have phosphates. I've already tested it for that. RO water is purified of phoshpates. I promise it is good water for your tank.
I just went and filled up all my 3 gallon jugs. I tested the water and I got .5ppm on PO4. In my tank the PO4 is at .25ppm. I think it might be a little lower because of the cheato I have. Getting ready to do a big water change tomorrow. There are so many PO4 removers out there. I know I read on here somewhere that one is good and the other is bad because it leaches the PO4 back in the tank. I will see how my little Yuma is doing Monday after this water change. Could be just my NO3 being so high is making it small.