Who uses/ has an RO system... who uses tap water? BE HONEST
- Thread starter hairtrigger
- Start date
wingsrte
New Member
I use RO/DI only, but then again my water is kinda scary. I looked up the water content online and came up with a list of nice little additives already in my local water like aluminum, fluoride, uranium, copper, lead, chloride, maganese, sulfate, boron, calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphate & radon. The way I look at it is I wouldnt want to drink it so I dont want my fish and corals to have to breath it. Plus when I think about the kind of investment I have in my reef tank the last thing I want to do is loose anything due to poor water quality.
hairtrigger
Active Member
Ok... I am getting pretty convinced about the benefits of RO. Price still frustrates me though. See, each water change I take out about 50 gallons. At that rate, it's a new filter each water change.
So, what are the price ranges on some of the RO units yall have?
And what are the filter replacement prices/ gallons before replacement?
So, what are the price ranges on some of the RO units yall have?
And what are the filter replacement prices/ gallons before replacement?
E
eight2178
Guest
i, along with buzz just buy gallons of distilled water from vons...very convenient....not too sure about this Los Angeles tap water, although i must admit i have been using tap water for the last three months with no problems...i boil it, let it cool, and add some amquel...anyone else do this??
marine qa
Member
Slightly off the subject of fish, but related to public water supplies, I recently read that lower conception rates in the last 20+ years are partially due to excess birth control medication in the public water supply.
Only about 20% of the birth control medication is ingested into womens' bodies and the rest is released into sewer systems. This excess medication remains after the water is treated and then we all ingest it when we drink public water.
I have no idea what this would do to a fish tank.
BTW I have used Brita filtered well water for the last couple of years. I would consider a better filter if I had a true reef tank.
Only about 20% of the birth control medication is ingested into womens' bodies and the rest is released into sewer systems. This excess medication remains after the water is treated and then we all ingest it when we drink public water.
I have no idea what this would do to a fish tank.
BTW I have used Brita filtered well water for the last couple of years. I would consider a better filter if I had a true reef tank.
S
simm
Guest
I use my well water and Iv had it professionaly tested and in my area the water seems very clean. So I use well water with PRIME declorinator. Sometimes its hard to maintain a good Ph but a little buffer and Im ok.
i like fish
Member
what size is your tank that you need 50 gallon water changes?
marine qa
Member
Slothy,
This is not the same article I read, but it discusses the same issues.
http://www.win-water.org/win_news/012302caarticle.html
This is not the same article I read, but it discusses the same issues.
http://www.win-water.org/win_news/012302caarticle.html
cliffrouse11bas
Active Member
Did use tap.. algae breakout. switched to ro still trying to get rid of the algae. Much better though. My phosphate in my tap water tested over 2.0. My ro water from wal mart tested at .1 is this good?
snakes'n'fish
Member
I started my tank with tap but , Now i use RO from the LFS, I did a test with my aggressive tank, I used tap water in it for water changes for two months. Nothing but algae problems here. (red slime) My water has a high phosphate content and as of late there have been ammonia's as well. RO ALL THE WAY NOW !!
reefkeypr
Member
RO
I also have a pet Cockatoo that I rescued from a not so good home. He would pluck his feathers. After several hundred dollars of vet bills there was no change. I wandered across a website called pet medicine chest. After a few emails with the owner, she thought my bird may be suffering from metal poisioning. I switched the entire house to filtered water and gave Angel ( my cockatoo ) some herbs to flush his system. Amazing! He is much better. I have learned that most big cities add flouride to tap water. Fluoride is actually a by-product in aluminum manufacturing. With that said, I will never use tap water to eat with, drink, or fill my reef tank!!!
I also have a pet Cockatoo that I rescued from a not so good home. He would pluck his feathers. After several hundred dollars of vet bills there was no change. I wandered across a website called pet medicine chest. After a few emails with the owner, she thought my bird may be suffering from metal poisioning. I switched the entire house to filtered water and gave Angel ( my cockatoo ) some herbs to flush his system. Amazing! He is much better. I have learned that most big cities add flouride to tap water. Fluoride is actually a by-product in aluminum manufacturing. With that said, I will never use tap water to eat with, drink, or fill my reef tank!!!
finland
Member
I use RO water, even though my well water parameters are 0 trates and phosphate,with a ph of 7.6, straight out of the faucet. The way I figure it, Why take the risk with a very expensive saltwater setup. I want to know what I am putting in my tank. In my freshwater tanks, I use tap and have had no problems.
brianf01
Member
I have a RO unit installed in the sink. Its $15 a month, but they replace it every year or so and you can use it whenever you want to drink and for the fish. THe holding tank is only 3 gallons though, but Its good for water top offs, I think it does like a gallon an hour if you wanted to just let it run constantly. for My 45 gal Fresh water, I just added a few gallons a day until it was full. I go to my fish store to get the salt water, its already mixed. $4.75 with tax. Its worth it for the convience.