Using Glacier water for tanks

[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.

 

[teen]

my RO machine does 50 gpd. why would it take a few days to fill up a jug for a water change? it says in your profile you have a 110gallon. i doubt you change more than 50 gallons per water change?

 

[frankthetank]

I've used Glacier RO water since the beginning of my last tank (12 months). I've never encountered a problem.

 

[reefstar22]

If you have a big tank like most of us, I would suggest you just buy an RO/DI unit. - They're not horribly expensive, and you'll save yourself ALOT of time and effort. - Not to mention save money in the long run.

 

[bang guy]

Buy a TDS meter and test the water yourself.
You want water with all minerals removed.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Reefstar22
If you have a big tank like most of us, I would suggest you just buy an RO/DI unit. - They're not horribly expensive, and you'll save yourself ALOT of time and effort. - Not to mention save money in the long run.

+1

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by teen
my RO machine does 50 gpd. why would it take a few days to fill up a jug for a water change? it says in your profile you have a 110gallon. i doubt you change more than 50 gallons per water change?
I read that it can take 3 to 6 hours to make 1 gallon. You must have a really big R/O unit.
I normally fill a 30g garbage container. I am one that doesn't do water changes every month. The corals never complained! So that would mean that I would have to buy another 30g container since I normally drained and fill the same day.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by FranktheTank
I've used Glacier RO water since the beginning of my last tank (12 months). I've never encountered a problem.
Cool Beans!!! That is what I wanted to hear!
Thanks

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
Buy a TDS meter and test the water yourself.
You want water with all minerals removed.
Well they did state that all the minerals are removed. But I wonder why they stated that it would be bad for tank water then?
I just heard about this TDS from another thread. Reason why I don't think I want to use the Watermill Express water since on their website they state that their TDS never gets higher then 50ppm.

 

[reefstar22]

I have a total of 270ish gallons, I replace 4 gallons of top off each day. - I run some serious lighting...so thats expected. - But seriously an RO/DI until is your BEST friend when to time and money for your hobby. - I remember when I first started, I was making 3 trips to walmart a week. - Each trip was like 45 minutes and $7 bucks. -Thats not even including my water CHANGES. - I was spending like $35 a month on water. - The RO/DI I bought for $175. - Had it now for a year. - I would NEVER go back. - We even use it for drinking water. - I just have a different container for that.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by FranktheTank
I've used Glacier RO water since the beginning of my last tank (12 months). I've never encountered a problem.
Have you ever used a TDS meter on that water? I will be buying one for my next supply delivery.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by Reefstar22
If you have a big tank like most of us, I would suggest you just buy an RO/DI unit. - They're not horribly expensive, and you'll save yourself ALOT of time and effort. - Not to mention save money in the long run.

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?

 

[rappa]

I just filled a 3 gallon bucket to top off my tank and it took 30 minutes. I have a basic R/O. You have some bad info there...

 

[teen]

agreed. i have a cheap coralife unit. payed like 50 bucks for it, it makes 50 gallons a day. the waste water i use to water plants outside or around the house. they say the filters need to be replaced every 10-12 months i believe.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by Rappa
I just filled a 3 gallon bucket to top off my tank and it took 30 minutes. I have a basic R/O. You have some bad info there...
I found another one that can do 100gpd for less then $175.
I still wonder about the waste water.
I looked at all those connections and I would have to get someone to hook all that stuff up.
This one stated that the filters needed to be changed every 6 months. That is better then every other month. I do realize that it depends on how bad the tap water is and how much is on the output.

 

[rappa]

I drilled a whole in my drain under the sink and used the supplied fittings for the waste water. The waste water goes right down the drain. And I am also going on 2+ years on the same R/O filters and my TDS is only 4ppm. Mine makes 100 gpd. And I also use it as my drinking water.

 

[digitydash]

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?
I put my salt water on my palm trees from water changes an they love it.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by teen
agreed. i have a cheap coralife unit. payed like 50 bucks for it, it makes 50 gallons a day. the waste water i use to water plants outside or around the house. they say the filters need to be replaced every 10-12 months i believe.
So do you have a hose that attaches to your kitchen faucet and that goes into a container? If so, then that would mean that I would have to get a new kitchen faucet. I don't like this one anyways since that

[hr]
thing on the end doesn't come off because I tried when I first bought the house to clean it.
So the waste water goes into a separate bucket? How much waste water do you get for every gallon?

 

[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.

 

[tiberius]

I just seen one where the hose line comes off the DI unit and is long enough to go in a bucket. I would just have to connect the line before the DI unit to a faucet to get drinking water.