water question
- Thread starter morales67
- Start date
weberian
Member
You should find out how much phosphate is in your tap water before you use it. My City Water Dept had tests on file that showed average levels of 0.3?? So I decided to purchase an RO/DI filter system.
But if you're going to use tap water, I don't see anything wrong with the procedure you described. A bare tank has nothing alive in it for the chlorine to hurt. Then you're going to add a chemical to neutralize the chlorine.
High Phospate levels cause lots of algae, too much algae. Not that you can avoid algae altogether, it's just going to cause you more work to keep it under control. Lots of scraping and changing filter cartridges or sponge rinse-offs and what-not.
Maybe your tap water has less phosphate than mine. Good luck.
But if you're going to use tap water, I don't see anything wrong with the procedure you described. A bare tank has nothing alive in it for the chlorine to hurt. Then you're going to add a chemical to neutralize the chlorine.
High Phospate levels cause lots of algae, too much algae. Not that you can avoid algae altogether, it's just going to cause you more work to keep it under control. Lots of scraping and changing filter cartridges or sponge rinse-offs and what-not.
Maybe your tap water has less phosphate than mine. Good luck.
ruaround
Active Member
Do not use tap unless you absolutely have to...it is full of all sorts of nasty stuff you dont want to introduce to your tank...Use RO or RO/Di... they sell RO water at most grocery stores via a machine that you fill your own empty jugs...
Put the water into a large container mix the correct amout of salt (match your tanks salinity or SG and pH) airate for 24+ hours...
Put the water into a large container mix the correct amout of salt (match your tanks salinity or SG and pH) airate for 24+ hours...
barelycuda
New Member
Have you checked with your LFS for RO/DI water? The one near my house sells it cheaper than the grocery stores do. They also sell it premixed with salt for a very reasonable price. My tap water has a lot of minerals in it that I don't want in my tank. Also some local water supplies introduce fluoride in the water also. Don't know if it is good or bad for the fish but I'm not worried about their teeth being white...
T
tizzo
Guest
My opinion differs from theirs... During initial tank fill up, I think it's OK to use tap water. Some things to look out for... As Weberian stated, you don't wanna add phosphates, that alone would be worth using RO. Another is if your house is old and you have copper pipes... I wouldn't risk it then either.
Water dept. add a lot less chlorine in the winter months, so that's not that big of an issue.
I would premix the saltwater in 15 gallon tupperware storage bins in order to get an accurate salinity, so you don't hafta teeter totter back and forth. Or you can post the inner dimentions of your tank and we can tell you EXACTLY how many gallons it is, so you will know how much salt to add. If you do that, only give the verticle dimension from floor to where you want your water level to be, not the top of the tank.
Water dept. add a lot less chlorine in the winter months, so that's not that big of an issue.
I would premix the saltwater in 15 gallon tupperware storage bins in order to get an accurate salinity, so you don't hafta teeter totter back and forth. Or you can post the inner dimentions of your tank and we can tell you EXACTLY how many gallons it is, so you will know how much salt to add. If you do that, only give the verticle dimension from floor to where you want your water level to be, not the top of the tank.