How many of you is not using RODI??

[Hincapiej4]

Maybe the new guys don’t stick around to show you their nice tanks. They too busy enjoying their aquariums to worry about how passionate you are about rodi water.

Anyway. I have a friend that has a bunch of tanks. She used to use tap water because her's was somewhat decent. (Not a person with SPS anyway...probably couldn't do that with sensitive corals like sps) but she had a massive die off because the plant changed how they were cleaning the water. Ended up losing almost everything.

Just sayin.

 

[TeresaD]

things we don’t even test for, tap water can have from 90 to a few hundred TDS in the water, from arsenic to copper, the list is a long one, even if you have the lowest TDS tap water you do not know what those TDS are.

Not at all disagreeing with using RODI, but wanted to add that you should be able to find out exactly what is in your local water. Municipalities should provide an annual report, and if you aren't getting a report, you can search online with "[your water company/city] water report." Although the contaminants should be low and safe for drinking, we don't test our tank water for things like arsenic and uranium, and I'd assume any is too much for my tank.

 

[Familyman2010]

Hi All,

how many of you are not using RODI?
I have kept freshwater fish for few year and only use tap water with primer and heater to match the water temp as display tank. Never had any problem.
New to saltwater fish keeping world, many seem to emphasize the need of using RODI.
I just tested my tap water. Nitrates ppm was 1.8
For those who are you not using RODI, have you ever run in uncontrollable water parameter issue like algae boom?
please share your thought!!
Happy new year to All

I’m not using rodi but I live in Hawaii so location is a big factor

 

[Peace River]

We highly encourage healthy debate here and understand not everyone will agree on all issues. In fact, we value healthy and even lively discussion of hobby issues and questions...this actually leads to advancements in our hobby, so we ALL win through these debates. What isn't okay is the negativity, name calling, belittling attitude towards other members or the topics being discussed. Let's stay positive!

 

[xhxxh]

I’m not using rodi but I live in Hawaii so location is a big factor

Good for you

 

[HomebroodExotics]

Why wouldn't you want to use RODI?

1. If it isn't broken, don't fix it.

 

[Timfish]

Here's some of mine that have been running 5 - 23 years.

 

[>>klong<<]

I got to page 4 before skipping to the end. Following to see how long this goes on.

 

[ApoIsland]

Hi All,

how many of you are not using RODI?
I have kept freshwater fish for few year and only use tap water with primer and heater to match the water temp as display tank. Never had any problem.
New to saltwater fish keeping world, many seem to emphasize the need of using RODI.
I just tested my tap water. Nitrates ppm was 1.8
For those who are you not using RODI, have you ever run in uncontrollable water parameter issue like algae boom?
please share your thought!!
Happy new year to All

Is RODI better? Yes. Is it necessary? Not at all.

I'm a tap water guy. 10 year old tank with easy to keep SPS/LPS. I have a few tangs so nuisance algae is not an issue. I do get bryopsis in the sump which i pull from time to time and plenty of diatoms when I do a large water change. Those go away in a few days though. If I didn't have a tank large enough for tangs or rabbit fish, or if i was keeping higher end acros, I would use RODI as I'm sure it makes life much easier in that situation. In my current setup it makes no difference.

 

[xhxxh]

Is RODI better? Yes. Is it necessary? Not at all.

I'm a tap water guy. 10 year old tank with easy to keep SPS/LPS. I have a few tangs so nuisance algae is not an issue. I do get bryopsis in the sump which i pull from time to time and plenty of diatoms when I do a large water change. Those go away in a few days though. If I didn't have a tank large enough for tangs or rabbit fish, or if i was keeping higher end acros, I would use RODI as I'm sure it makes life much easier in that situation. In my current setup it makes no difference.

Do you treat the tap water before hand?
and do you have a build thread i can follow?

 

[KenRexford]

I use bottled water from Culligan. Got an analysis of the water from ATI. It showed 169 on silicon but everything else undetected or zero. So, other than silicon, it’s fine. I also do no water changes, only ATO. So, my levels of masters should increase to the point of nuking my tank if this is a problem. It seems fine. SPS growing like I expect. Mixed reef.

 

[ApoIsland]

Do you treat the tap water before hand?
and do you have a build thread i can follow?

I do treat with prime to dechlorinate. Sometimes before mixing the salt and sometimes after. Not sure it makes a difference there.

Unfortunately I joined the site after about 9 years in the hobby so my tank was built long before. I was thinking of pulling all the rock out to catch a fish though so I will probably do a build thread if I do that.

 

[Dom]

We highly encourage healthy debate here and understand not everyone will agree on all issues. In fact, we value healthy and even lively discussion of hobby issues and questions...this actually leads to advancements in our hobby, so we ALL win through these debates. What isn't okay is the negativity, name calling, belittling attitude towards other members or the topics being discussed. Let's stay positive!

In the end, it comes down to patience and not money.

The beautiful thing about this hobby is that a setup can be completed in stages. I'm all for RODI. And my success in the hobby didn't happen until I started using RODI.

So be patient, build your system, be disciplined and resist the urge to add livestock until you have everything in place to be successful in your geographic location.

 

[supernanoguy]

It might be 0 TDS coming out of your rodi unit. But what is it coming out of your top off container? Anyone measured it lately? I was guilty of not ever checking it. And when I finally did, it was 50 ppm. Lesson learned.

I luckily caught mine at 5TDS but moved to a more solid plastic.

 

[Fastpitch]

For many of us, if you were required to buy everything up front that some would mandate, you'd NEVER get in the hobby. I started with a 55 gallon and everything HOB. For me it is a process. I have been on tap for 3 years knowing that RODI was eventually the goal. I also know I will never do water changes. I just wont.

I just bought my first RODI filter two weeks ago. My municipal tap must be better than most because I never really have had algae issues. I sent my water to ICP analysis and it came back surprisingly clean. I think the only noticeable impact of tap for me is HLLE in my tangs. Having RODI on hand will also make quarantine a lot easier. In my case I am FOWLR so my margin for error is much greater than those who keep corals.

I think it is very interesting how hot this thread became in so little time. I think there are a TON of tap users out there who are RODI shamed!

 

[Timfish]

As mentioned above it shouldn't be difficult to get the tap water analysis from the local utility. ICP tests including tap water are available also. Here's ATI ICP tests including tapwater for the 90 gallon I posted above.

Tap Water



Aquarium Water

 

[Fastpitch]

As mentioned above it shouldn't be difficult to get the tap water analysis from the local utility. ICP tests including tap water are available also. Here's ATI ICP tests including tapwater for the 90 gallon I posted above.

Tap Water



Aquarium Water

Very similar to my tap results. Your mileage may vary. (by a lot)

 

[SaltISlife]

Who said you're giving advice?

You're endorsing a method by recounting your success with it.

That's how forums work.

Also, you literally just started a thread about how you're losing all your corals. I wouldnt call that success.

Tons of people when i nention no rodi suddenly i get post quotes saying ( its bad to give advice of not using rodi and using tap)

Directly quoting someone and saying that right there.. is putting words into their mouths. You right there just told me that im somehow recomending it when i never did.

Youre also saying i atarted a thread about losing ALL MY CORALS. Youre litterally AGAIN taking things out of context and taking small parts of the big picture and posting it to your satisfaction just to try to make me look stupid.

But youre wrong. I have 112 corals to ve exact. I lost 4. 2 recovered. 1 isnt. I hardly call that losing all corals. And the issue started after putting lace rock in or getting coral from an affected stores tank. That has nothing to do with tap water.

 

[Cell]

Read through half the thread. I think the take home lesson is tap water can vary greatly depending on many factors. Those that have tap water suitable for reefing are in the minority though so the general recommendation for RODI in this hobby is prudent and good advice.

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. But those that are running successful tap water reefs should understand they are the lucky few and suggesting others can have similar success with tap is likely folly.

 

[SaltISlife]

Read through half the thread. I think the take home lesson is tap water can vary greatly depending on many factors. Those that have tap water suitable for reefing are in the minority though so the general recommendation for RODI in this hobby is prudent and good advice.

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. But those that are running successful tap water reefs should understand they are the lucky few and suggesting others can have similar success with tap is likely folly.

I totally get it.. thats why when i move i do plan to go to rodi because im not sure what the water quality will be like where i move too.. but for now.. and for 20 years my water has been fine here.

Discus hans in baltimore uses tap water and he has discus he sells from a multimillion dollar business in germany. If the water was so bad the discus would be dying. Those fish are extremely sensitive