Facebook Reef Question. RO Water and Walmart?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

From an R2R Facebook Fan:

I don't have an RO system, and can't presently afford one, but I have to get away from tap water as all of my live rock is overtaken with hair algae. Walmart has a Culligan RO drinking water dispenser which mechanically filters, passes water through RO membrane, and then UV's it. It's only $1.11 per 3 gallon refill. My question is does this RO process remove the city chlorine, and would this be better than my conditioned tap water?

 

[lpslover]

Should remove all the chlorine as well as a bunch of other minerals and metals from the water. This is how I get mine when I don't have time to run to the LFS for RO/DI. Well, not from Walmart, Whole Foods or Target actually, but a similar system. If you want to be paranoid you might get a TDS test pen and a copper test and check that both read zero on your proposed water source. If the unit hasn't been well maintained or was plumbed with copper piping after the filters you could get less than clean water. But I've checked about five sources I use regularly and have never had a problem.

For those of us who need five gallons or less a week, it is a cheap and easy alternative to having our own RO/DI units. RO/DI water is a must if you want to do a live reef. Corals are just too sensitive to even slightly unbalanced mineral levels. With a FOWLR it may not be worth the expense, and you may want to keep using conditioned tap water and look elsewhere to solve the hair algae issue. For example phosphate/nitrate removal or export strategies and decreased photoperiod.