Can you use grocery store water for your reef tank?

[Grumblez]

I like many other reefers lived hours away from the closest LFS that sold RODI water for a while. Renting makes a at home RODI setup a hassle as well. So I used the bottled 5 gallon jugs from the grocery store. You hopefully shouldn't have any of the contaminates you might worry about in just straight tap water like copper or worse something like lead but do you have phosphates?
So I decided to test 3 different bottled options and to my suprise none of them had any detectable phosphate!
I just spoiled the whole video but hopefully you'll still maybe watch it or at least subscribe I have a Laptop review page that's more popular for obvious reason but enjoy making videos about reef stuff more

 

[PeterC99]

Does the grocery water have chlorine or anything other types of preservatives?

 

[Reef.]

I like many other reefers lived hours away from the closest LFS that sold RODI water for a while. Renting makes a at home RODI setup a hassle as well. So I used the bottled 5 gallon jugs from the grocery store. You hopefully shouldn't have any of the contaminates you might worry about in just straight tap water like copper or worse something like lead but do you have phosphates?
So I decided to test 3 different bottled options and to my suprise none of them had any detectable phosphate!
I just spoiled the whole video but hopefully you'll still maybe watch it or at least subscribe I have a Laptop review page that's more popular for obvious reason but enjoy making videos about reef stuff more

Remember po4 is not the only substance you don’t want in your tank.
Distilled water from the supermarket should be as good as rodi water, just watch it doesn’t have extra minerals added to make it taste better for drinking as some do.

The Hanna checkers for marine are designed for salt water, if you have used plain distilled water that could affect the results.
You could make up salt water with it and then test but make sure the Salt doesn’t contain po4 as some of them do.

 

[Grumblez]

Remember po4 is not the only substance you don’t want in your tank.
Distilled water from the supermarket should be as good as rodi water, just watch it doesn’t have extra minerals added to make it taste better for drinking as some do.

The Hanna checkers for marine are designed for salt water, if you have used plain distilled water that could affect the results.
You could make up salt water with it and then test but make sure the Salt doesn’t contain po4 as some of them do.

I used the Hanna low range phosphate checker, it's for marine and fresh. You are correct the ultra low range is only for salt water.
Yes the 5 gallon jugs normally have a small amount of calcium and other trace elements added to them but even in my basically fowlr tank it was never enough to cause any parameters to go out of walk.

I actually talk about both off these things in the video

 

[Reef.]

I used the Hanna low range phosphate checker, it's for marine and fresh. You are correct the ultra low range is only for salt water.
Yes the 5 gallon jugs normally have a small amount of calcium and other trace elements added to them but even in my basically fowlr tank it was never enough to cause any parameters to go out of walk.

I actually talk about both off these things in the video

If that is correct then you are good…where did you read that as mine says ‘marine’ with no mention it’s good for plain water in the manual.

I would be uncomfortable using anything but 100% distilled water with no additives.

Good work!

 

[Grumblez]

If that is correct then you are good…where did you read that as mine says ‘marine’ with no mention it’s good for plain water in the manual.

I would be uncomfortable using anything but 100% distilled water with no additives.

Good work!

Phosphate Low Range Colorimeter HI713 Hanna Checker - Fresh & Marine Water

Why does BRS recommend this? The Hanna Phosphate Checker is an awesome little tool that will give you accurate easy to read results. If you have bad eyes or have a hard time with color change test kits, the digital readout on the Hanna checkers is super easy to read. The biggest key with Hanna...

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If yours says Marine its probably the Ultra lowrange

 

[KenRexford]

I have used bottled water delivery for years. Sent a sample off as RODI check through Triton and came back good.

This also has a non-obvious upside or two.

The smaller opening designed for water bottle dispensers helps with pouring not being so rushed and messy. The smaller hole also allows for an easier placement of the water change hose without moving around. Makes for easier measurements of 5 gallons because 5 gallons actually fills it, rather than a bucket where you seem to be just short of 5 or spilling. The lip of the spout sits nicely on my ATO reservoir drawer.

I have thought of RODI being homemade, but delivery is so much more convenient, and the water tests fine. Only marginally high silicates.

 

[Tim McLellan]

All I've ever used is grocery store distilled water and real ocean water. Tank is coming along quite well, no water issues at all 5 months in. Ready to add my first coral in one week.