Is DIY tap water filter sufficient because i dont have R/O

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Low tech is still a thriving thing. But even at low tech, aquarists still test their tanks for a lot of elements. Just knowing what's in the water column is a huge leap forward. Whether the hobbyist wants to take action is completely up to them.
I think the advances have allowed reefers to push the challenges of harder, even impossible to keep corals and fish in a closed system. Just a couple decades ago (so I've heard from seasoned hobbyist) breeding fish in captivity was a huge thing. Now it's happening more often with a variety of species.
You could be successful with the diy system you made, there are a LOT of reefers who just add prime to tap water. Then there's some who just go tap water straight up. But not knowing what's in the water to begin with is was a lot of people debate about.
You can use non ro water, but there are chances your taking when doing so.
Agree...and well said.
Thank you.
 

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I’ve been using tap water for 3 years now, for me is a personal choice just like everything else in this hobby. even though tap water is not recommended the only thing that annoying me is that people that like to express the importance of 0 TDS Don’t really know anything further than that.
 

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It's that simple people, all said in one sentence.


All very true - assuming the chemicals, and the concentrations of these chemicals don't change.... The sanitizers in my tap vary greatly between seasons - both with composition, and concentrations. How do the chemicals in your tap water vary?

While it's anecdotal, I have read through numerous threads with catastrophic issues traced back to changes in chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, etc.... And seemingly very few hobbyists who have maintained their reefs long-term using tap water.

What it actually boils down to is all in this sentence:. If you are charging your municipal water supplier with providing quality water to your pets who are relying on you to keep them alive and healthy - overwhelming odds are stacked against you ( and so much more unfortunately) your pets.

To the seasoned scientists/hobbyists advocating (or at a minimum, supporting) the use of tap water for new hobbyists: it is very important not to take for granted your intimate knowledge of the ecosystems you care for, your exponential level of experience, or your detailed understanding of chemistry and biology.... For the novice, there are likely large gaps in knowledge of these areas.

I also have noted that there are several members who have contributed to this thread with very strong statements, assumptions, false logic, and unsound theory, who are brand new to the hobby themselves. Just because "tap water works" for them and their "reefs" (which coincidentally - or incidentally? don't contain sensitive invertebrates or corals) through the entirety of their systems three-month lifespan, doesn't mean it works - and it certainly cannot be translated to "well then it must work for me too". Before you drink the Kool-Aid, make sure you do your due diligence. Know the hobbyists whose advice you're following.

Lastly, it's astounding to me the amount of time and effort that is spent trying to avert water changes, and other sound, basic, and proven methods - such as a simple 5-stage water filter. Assuming the tank, and 2 x power filters are new, and the rate at which you will go through your poly-filter, (and with the time you have spent trying to justify their use) you could have purchased an RODI Filter and installed it.

:)
 

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Far enough - I´m only interested how you handle the problem with uneven distribution of trace elements (including heavy metals) in salt mixes - now when you have done so much work to bring the TDS down to zero. Next step - mixing the salt can do all of this total unnecessary IMO.

I´m not saying - not use RODI - I do use RO by myself - I´m saying use it when it is needed and their is other ways to solve the main problem.

Sincerely Lasse
 
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No one mentions...
Decreased ph and alkalinity of the water...
Increased corrosivness of the water...
Chlorines ability to destroy the membrane and greatly reduce its effectiveness...
Among other things.
All increase costs.
If we talk about somthing...lets talk good and bad like we do about every other subject.
Not glorify things and leave out the potential downfalls.
Saying both sides is extremely important for those just starting out.
Read the actual link, there is more.
Im not writing it all...lol...thats the purpose of the link
 
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If we are going to bash the negative aspects of everything else, then lets be fair and do the same with everything...
 
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As fast as my poly filter and carbon will wear out with bad water, is as fast as an RO units carbon and resin will wear out with bad water.
Carbon effectivesness wanes, chlorine gets through to the RO membrane...uh oh...now the membrane may be damaged...
 

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Everyone talks about "cost of buying" of RO
No one talks aboit potential maintenance and problems it can have that greatly increase the cost and wear out membrane and chambers much faster than expected.

I don't think maintenance costs come to much. Much cheaper than food, electricity and test kits. I have been using an RO system with a DIY resin chamber for probably 40 years and I only have to change the membrane like after 6 or 7 years. The resins are more money as they only last about 6 months depending on whats in your water. So I figure it cost me about $50.00 a year to maintain the thing along with the resins.
I spend almost that on food every month and spent three times that on dinner yesterday. :cool:
 

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let’s add some more facts to this thread...

is 0 TDS water good to go? No all the pen is saying is that you were successful at removing trace elements, Your water could also have heavy metals like lead, or other contaminants like pesticides, pharmaceuticals, or hexavalent chromium. The TDS meter will not pick these contaminants up. Only an icp could tell you that.

Antibacterial are bad for a reef

Does anyone on here knows that most antibacterials used in tap water are not effective at the ph levels a reef tank is normally run at? They designed for low ph once in the reef they loose effect.

tap water will give you algae.

really? never seen this happen to someone using rodi

Silica

most tanks actually benefit from silica, I for example need to add silica in all the top ups too keep my tank needs.

just a few facts
 
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I don't think maintenance costs come to much. Much cheaper than food, electricity and test kits. I have been using an RO system with a DIY resin chamber for probably 40 years and I only have to change the membrane like after 6 or 7 years. The resins are more money as they only last about 6 months depending on whats in your water. So I figure it cost me about $50.00 a year to maintain the thing along with the resins.
I spend almost that on food every month and spent three times that on dinner yesterday. :cool:
Thats a good thing if you can keep it that low in your area.
Im sure your diy resin chamber helps a lot in that
 

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let’s add some more facts to this thread...

is 0 TDS water good to go? No all the pen is saying is that you were successful at removing trace elements, Your water could also have heavy metals like lead, or other contaminants like pesticides, pharmaceuticals, or hexavalent chromium. The TDS meter will not pick these contaminants up. Only an icp could tell you that.

For the book. A TDS meter will detect all ions - including all metal ions. An ion is a atom or compound with positive or negative potential. All compounds in the water without electrical charge will not be detected. As an example a chloride ion will be detected (Cl- ) but chloride gas (Cl2) will not be detected.

Sincerely Lasse
 
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And what this whole discussion seems to boil down to, is, at this time there is no perfect system. And that is exactly why we need discussions like this.
 
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And now that discussing all of this has me thinking about all kinds of different filtration methods, maybe I can improve upon my own tap water tank method by adding a freshwater refugium in my tank to remove more things naturally before I even use the water. All I really need is a slotted hang box for inside the tank and a cheap sunlight bulb
 

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And what this whole discussion seems to boil down to, is, at this time there is no perfect system. And that is exactly why we need discussions like this.
There is a perfect system if implemented right Rodi will be the safest way to implement for most aquarist using also icp, encouraging tap water use is definitely not the best thing to do as too many variables are involved. I just like to add to the thread some more facts as I often see people just quoting brochures.
 

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Maintenance costs once again come down to expectations. There is simply no way to have your cake and eat it too here.

the cost of running a complicated multiple staging filter system involving holding tanks with carbon filtration, employing other levels of sediment and chemical removal of metals via resins, as well as freshwater plant tanks will be high from my perspective. If you’re able to break even on the annual cost of sediment, carbon, and DI resin replacement (for those of you blessed with 100> TDS and no chloramines, you then have the unpleasant task (to me) of maintaining those systems, plumbing them, as well as the tremendous space (to me) something like that would take up.

Avoiding putting words in someone’s mouth, I would simply perhaps encourage someone stand by the conviction that doing it this way is simply the enjoyment of the process and their excellent quality tap out of the faucet is able to facilitate it. It is simply down to an individuals personal enjoyment of their process.

Maintenance cost will be present in any system. Be it physical or monetary. Most often the difference between methods is splitting hairs on a 5 year plan. I accept the maintenance cost on replacing metal halide bulbs. Why? Because I like them. I like the way they look and I like the way my tank performs with them. On a 5 year schedule would I break even using top shelf LED’s? Probably. Not the point.

I accept the up front cost of a calcium reactor over 2 part dosing. Why? Because the maintenance cost in effort of 2 part dosing is undesirable to me. I would rather that aspect handle itself without needing frequent intervention.

I do regular water changes and accept the ongoing cost of it. Because frankly the zero water change system has not worked for me even short term. Every tank is unique. Maybe it’ll work on a future tank. Certainly doesn’t work on this one. The effort involved in monthly ICP testing and managing of individual elements is unattractive to me. I don’t want my tank to run my life.

It comes down to what we value with our time and what level of enjoyment we derive. Not really saving $10 over the course of 2 years
 
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Maintenance costs once again come down to expectations. There is simply no way to have your cake and eat it too here.

the cost of running a complicated multiple staging filter system involving holding tanks with carbon filtration, employing other levels of sediment and chemical removal of metals via resins, as well as freshwater plant tanks will be high from my perspective. If you’re able to break even on the annual cost of sediment, carbon, and DI resin replacement (for those of you blessed with 100> TDS and no chloramines, you then have the unpleasant task (to me) of maintaining those systems, plumbing them, as well as the tremendous space (to me) something like that would take up.

Avoiding putting words in someone’s mouth, I would simply perhaps encourage someone stand by the conviction that doing it this way is simply the enjoyment of the process and their excellent quality tap out of the faucet is able to facilitate it. It is simply down to an individuals personal enjoyment of their process.

Maintenance cost will be present in any system. Be it physical or monetary. Most often the difference between methods is splitting hairs on a 5 year plan. I accept the maintenance cost on replacing metal halide bulbs. Why? Because I like them. I like the way they look and I like the way my tank performs with them. On a 5 year schedule would I break even using top shelf LED’s? Probably. Not the point.

I accept the up front cost of a calcium reactor over 2 part dosing. Why? Because the maintenance cost in effort of 2 part dosing is undesirable to me. I would rather that aspect handle itself without needing frequent intervention.

I do regular water changes and accept the ongoing cost of it. Because frankly the zero water change system has not worked for me even short term. Every tank is unique. Maybe it’ll work on a future tank. Certainly doesn’t work on this one. The effort involved in monthly ICP testing and managing of individual elements is unattractive to me. I don’t want my tank to run my life.

It comes down to what we value with our time and what level of enjoyment we derive. Not really saving $10 over the course of 2 years
Agree completely...
 
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Maintenance costs once again come down to expectations. There is simply no way to have your cake and eat it too here.

the cost of running a complicated multiple staging filter system involving holding tanks with carbon filtration, employing other levels of sediment and chemical removal of metals via resins, as well as freshwater plant tanks will be high from my perspective. If you’re able to break even on the annual cost of sediment, carbon, and DI resin replacement (for those of you blessed with 100> TDS and no chloramines, you then have the unpleasant task (to me) of maintaining those systems, plumbing them, as well as the tremendous space (to me) something like that would take up.

Avoiding putting words in someone’s mouth, I would simply perhaps encourage someone stand by the conviction that doing it this way is simply the enjoyment of the process and their excellent quality tap out of the faucet is able to facilitate it. It is simply down to an individuals personal enjoyment of their process.

Maintenance cost will be present in any system. Be it physical or monetary. Most often the difference between methods is splitting hairs on a 5 year plan. I accept the maintenance cost on replacing metal halide bulbs. Why? Because I like them. I like the way they look and I like the way my tank performs with them. On a 5 year schedule would I break even using top shelf LED’s? Probably. Not the point.

I accept the up front cost of a calcium reactor over 2 part dosing. Why? Because the maintenance cost in effort of 2 part dosing is undesirable to me. I would rather that aspect handle itself without needing frequent intervention.

I do regular water changes and accept the ongoing cost of it. Because frankly the zero water change system has not worked for me even short term. Every tank is unique. Maybe it’ll work on a future tank. Certainly doesn’t work on this one. The effort involved in monthly ICP testing and managing of individual elements is unattractive to me. I don’t want my tank to run my life.

It comes down to what we value with our time and what level of enjoyment we derive. Not really saving $10 over the course of 2 years
But for the record, i only use 1 tank with dual small filters and a uv sterilizer.
If i add a small freshwater refugium, it will be a passive one that works off the flow in the tank with a plexi hang box.
I am basically using the extra small tanks and filters i had lying around anyway.
My electric bill didnt move an inch from hooking it up...maybe a dollar a month...but i didnt even notice any change to it.
Im not trying to be overly elaborate...
As simple and cost efficient and passive as possible.
 

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