First time setting up water, would like thoughts

herlin518 · Mar 15, 2014

Hi folks,

I have been doing a lot of reading on different forums and sites about setting up my first batch of Reef tank water and wanted to get your insights. I am getting ready to set-up my first tank. It's a 90 gal. I really don't want to buy a RO/DI System at this time, I just spent a lot of money on the tank and equipment. I have pretty much decided to have some dead rock as a base, then live rock on top of the base. I am debating on trying tap water or hauling RO/DI water from an LFS. The closest LFS is about 25 miles away. Hauling 90 gals doesn't sound like a lot of fun. I tested my tap water for phosphates and it sits around 3 or 4 PPM and from what I read on my city's water website, they definitely have chlorine in the water. So, what are you thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Darth Polymnus · Mar 15, 2014

DO NOT USE TAP WATER! You will regret it. Too many impurities in tap water and you will have an algae problem from hell. Invest in an RO/DI filter. You won't regret that.

Bad Company · Mar 15, 2014

I use tap water and have zero algae problems. I use a waterfall algae scrubber. No RO/di necessary. Seachem prime to remove chlorine and choloramine. Algae scrubbers remove nitrates and phosphates, as well as heavy metals.

mike007 · Mar 15, 2014

Been there done that you will have algae issues along the way with tap water. Unless your city water is free from phosphates you will have issues. If you can get ro water you need to get it.Why spent lots of money on your reef to have it fail due to the water?

Reefing Madness · Mar 15, 2014

I used tap water for a very long time, didnt' have alot of algae issues, but had a lot of weird sponge growth. Now, you can spend some more $$ and get a GFO Reactor, or spend alil bit of money and buy SeaKlear Phosphate remove, I believe that is what you will need to do, and a dechlorinator, that outta do ya.

SloppyJ · Mar 15, 2014

Wait until you can afford an RODI unit. It's not worth using tap water. Buying the water from a store would be at least half of what a new RODI unit costs.

DSP · Mar 16, 2014

I agree do not use tap water no matter what anybody says,rodi is one of the most important things when it comes to healthy reef tanks and one of the first things you should buy when setting up a saltwater tank, just wait until you can get an Rodi unit and I'm sure 99 percent of people will tell ya the same,Those that say just use some dechlorinater and gfo should know better lol, So many people quit this hobby because they didn't know any better and they started with tap water so they always had problems with there tanks and never enjoyed them.

AZDesertRat · Mar 16, 2014

Water is the single largest ingredient in a reef system and everything depends on its quality and its stability. If it is worth doing it is worth doing right the first time. With RO/DI you have untimate control over your water and your tank and inhabitants will thank you. I always advise any newcomer to buy a RO/DI or at least have a trusted reliable source of RO/DI from day one, it will save you a lot of headaches in the future.

I am a municipal water treatment plant certified operator and supervisor by profession with 39 years experience and would not hesitae to drink water about anywhere but never again will I put in in my reef tanks. I made the switch to RO about 20 years ago and o RO/DI about 15 years ago and have never regretted it for a minute.

rob92 · Mar 16, 2014

Listen to AZ he has posted on every thread I have started and has helped me out. He also does a good job explaining why you need what you need and why you shouldn't do some things.

NanaReefer · Mar 16, 2014

rob92 said:
Listen to AZ he has posted on every thread I have started and has helped me out. He also does a good job explaining why you need what you need and why you shouldn't do some things.

A++