How many of you is not using RODI??

HomebroodExotics

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For reference: Also, if it isn't about the money, why not just do it and make life easier? Feeling like this thread is more of a "i know I should, but I'm feeling guilty for not, make me feel better". Dude, just use RO/DI, (or not) i think this debate is long dead. Waste of time at this point since you don't listen.
 
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Galliente

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I tested my tap with a TDS meter and it came out to 376 ppm - who knows what that could be. TDS is total dissolved solids and could be anything from heavy metals to other inorganic compounds. All sorts of nasty stuff you don't want in your tank.
Mine is SoCal was over bordering the "not for human consumption" level last time I checked the tap. Hahah
 

Edison Coltro

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741d89fa-7547-4ab4-9f10-f43bfd783555.jpg


Hey guys.

Here's my 1 and 1/2 Year old tap water tank. Only problems I had as a newbie was with an anemone that got sucked by the power head.
I'm not saying don't get an RODI unit but I think it can be done, depends on where you live.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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From the title the OP wanted to know who's not using RODI, not why he should use it.

Yes, but folks do not always know what questions to ask, and in the case of tap water, it is extraordinarily important to understand that not all tap water is the same, even within a single neighborhood. Thus, if the advice on using tap water comes only from 50 people that used it successfully, the answer will be "OK, sure, 50 people use it, so I'm going to go for it".
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Here's my 1 and 1/2 Year old tap water tank. Only problems I had as a newbie was with an anemone that got sucked by the power head.
I'm not saying don't get an RODI unit but I think it can be done, depends on where you live.

Without question tap water can be used, with the critical caveat "depending on where you live" .

The huge problem is knowing if it is OK in any specific case. And if it is OK one day, will it be OK a few months later.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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is there a tolerable amount that youve found or is it always a crap shoot? thanks.

In a solid added to the tank? There is no rule as it depends on whether the material dissolves.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Wouldn't that make something like copper more soluble at least in the short term?

You mean dissolving it from pipes? Yes, that could be, if there was EDTA in the tap water. Not sure why that would be.. But it is so tightly bound to the EDTA that it makes it less toxic too.
 

Soryu

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I live in the Detroit area which is blessed with great water (not to be confused with the Flint water disaster). My tap water tests around 40 TDS and I wouldn't even consider using it due to the contents of the water. But the water from the tap is not a constant, even if I knew from a test what was in it, the plant could have to make a change depending on what's happening in the system that could cause an issue. The risk is not worth it if you really want any sort of success.
 

attiland

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I'm telling you that we dont have filtered sewage water to use for drinking or otherwise. Out water comes from an upstate reservoir and our sewage is treated only to be released into the ocean. Simple.

My TDS is about 40 and I have not used RODI water in over a decade but I am limited to keeping softies - never had a problem and many here do same. You have to know your limitations and I am well aware.

That said, if you're doing SPS and want to start with a clean slate so you can't blame your water for failure due to other factors by all means you should use it. On my new build I plan to do more of a mixed system and so I am starting to build an automated RO unit that will serve my ATO and AWC.
Have you heard of the intensional space station. What do you think they drink?
 

Midrats

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We drink mineral water out of the tap here too. Makes great coffee, trying to mix up salt water with it, not so much, a cloudy mess.
 

attiland

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Have you heard of Vienna, Austria? They drink mineral water out of the tap. What's your point?
We had the same in Budapest. Cichlids loved it not sure about reef tanks. I haven’t tried it and now I live in the UK so I won’t.

Never mind. The comment was about recycling waste water.
 

Jax15

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Use RODI. It’s a no brainer for a reef tank.
 

ApoIsland

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I feel it’s only in the beginning. Once your set up and your not going crazy with equipment it’s relatively cheap.

I feel this hobby gets a bad rep expense wise. I would imagine reef keeping for financially stable adults who are relatively active is one of the cheaper hobbies. If you annualize it I have spent much more $ on just travel for other various hobby related sports / activities. The one week trip I took to the great barrier reef cost more than all my tank/equip/coral/fish combined.

Like most things in life this hobby can be as cheap or expensive as you want to make it. Plenty of good deals on used tanks/equip and plenty of free corals to be had if you can get out and make friends in your local groups.
 

Macbalacano

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I feel this hobby gets a bad rep expense wise. I would imagine reef keeping for financially stable adults who are relatively active is one of the cheaper hobbies. If you annualize it I have spent much more $ on just travel for other various hobby related sports / activities. The one week trip I took to the great barrier reef cost more than all my tank/equip/coral/fish combined.

Like most things in life this hobby can be as cheap or expensive as you want to make it. Plenty of good deals on used tanks/equip and plenty of free corals to be had if you can get out and make friends in your local groups.
Well said, and I think this might be of interest to you too (if you haven't seen it yet):

 

taylorcarr19

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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 run a 15 g with tap water from southern Ontario it comes out 130 and i can view the water chemistry for the city in in online. I have low stocking (2 damsels) but keep a few varieties of palys zoas gsp mushroom Xenia leather and frogspawn and a massive chaeto clump.
 

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