Water Test Results

calvindo

calvindo

Member
Hi Everyone.
Just tested my tap water.... yes, straight from the faucet! my results are below. Can this be true? am i just lucky to have this quality of water where i live? Am i dreaming? I've tested the water with Salifert water test kits.
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 2
Ph = less then 7.8
:confused:
 
E

elan

Guest
yep.. got lucky. but you also have to check for alot of other elements to know how lucky you really are.
test for Phosphates, Silicates, Chlorine, and Chloramine, some of the more common elements in tapwater that are detrimental to your tank. Not sure how bad the metals are for your tank and wether you should check on them too. Copper (bad for reefs), Iron, and i am sure there is alot more in this list too.
But before you do that, run a cost analysis between the cost of "conditioning" your water with chemicals, and the cost of those test kits, and compair them to the cost of an RO unit. Usually, the RO unit ends up being cheaper in the long run no matter how good your tapwater is.
 
calvindo

calvindo

Member
ahhhh, i see.... i didnt realize there are so many other tests... but the tests that i've done are the major ones in reef deaths right?
 
E

elan

Guest
Those are the standard test kit to know if your tank is ready. After a while (6 months), you will probably end up testing for ammonia and nitrite once a month or two.. and switch to calcium and alk as your weekly testing since those too are very important to have in your tank.
Also, there is Strontium, Iodine, and Magnesium that are difficult to test for, but need to be in your tank. I add a two part alk/calc mix which supposed to add all the other essential elements.
As far as reef deaths, a high ammonia may be the result of the dieoff instead of the reason for the dieoff. For example, if copper ended up in your tank, your inverts would die off, creating an ammonia spike which could kill some of your other fish if it reached toxic levels. So in just testing the ammonia/nitrite, it may lead you to belive that is the reason for the dieoff, but in actuallity, its only the result. Waiting for the water to recover to all 0 readings still isnt enough if you want to add more inverts.
 
col

col

Active Member
Calvindo
I would do a Phosphate test if I was you.
I live in UK and
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphates - off scale.
It is taken for granted that it contains Chlorine and chloramine over here.
I would think that nobodies tapwater would contain ammonia???
Out of interest, what are typical readings in USA?
 
krowleey

krowleey

Active Member
depends where you live, when i live the LFS even use tap water due to the fact the water we use is straight off the bottom of the eel river and no phosphates, i have a TDS tester tho it tests out of my faucet at 87 thats really not that bad considering ro/di units get that to about 0-15 ro units about 25ish so my tap is good here really
 
calvindo

calvindo

Member
what is the main chemical that i should test for in tap water? with results like below. should i even bother getting an ro/di unit?
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 2
Ph = less then 7.8
 
karajay

karajay

Active Member

Originally posted by col
Calvindo
I would think that nobodies tapwater would contain ammonia???

I think chloramine shows up as amm. on a test (it did on mine). If you are using municipal water, try testing after it rains.
 
T

thomas712

Guest
Phosphates AND copper.
Good point about testing tap after a rain :cool:
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
Adding freshwater that contains nitrate - even at what seems to be a low value of 2 mg/L, over a period of time may raise you nitrate levels in your tank.
125 gallon tank = about 473 liters
If you added around 1/2 gallon ( about 2 liters ) of make up water per day containing 2.00 mg/L nitrate would be like adding 4 mg nitrate per day.
But the tank contains 473 liters of saltwater - so this amount would be quite diluted.
Somewhere around .0085 mg/L added nitrate per day.
Doesn't seem so bad when looked at this way.
 
E

elan

Guest
here is a pic. I am still trying to figure out how to best take the picture in order to get the correct colors. Although most of the picture (walls and canopy) didnt come out good, the color of the reef itself is very close to what i see.
 
calvindo

calvindo

Member

Originally posted by elan
here is a pic. I am still trying to figure out how to best take the picture in order to get the correct colors. Although most of the picture (walls and canopy) didnt come out good, the color of the reef itself is very close to what i see.

NICE.... Thanks!
 
calvindo

calvindo

Member
so i got an RO/DI system and have lived happily ever after
thanks broomer!
hope it gets into your head calvindo [/B]
hahahha, yep it sure did! i purchased a unit today. mo money.... :mad:
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
I went a long time without an RO/DI unit too.
That, along with some smart folks here is how I learned a couple few things about nuisance algae LOL
I'm still learning too :(
It's the evaporation of freshwater than needs to be replaced with only pure freshwater.
Anything else in the top off water accumulates over time.
My tapwater is so unpredictable, sometimes tested positive for both nitrate and phosphates - sometimes not - go figure.
Congrats on ordering your new purchase calvindo !!
and thanks Kip !
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member
Reefer44...
Check your tap water for Silicates...That's what causes the brown Diatom bloom you have in your tank...;)
:cool:
 
col

col

Active Member
Check your tap water for Silicates...That's what causes the brown Diatom bloom you have in your tank...
Doesn't every tank go through a Diatom Bloom, regardless of which water is used?
 
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