Making changes

[Yesevil123]

Honestly when I started my hobby with saltwater fish I just guessed the whole way through it. My tank was only 13 gallons, and it was a whole entire ecosystem. I had to only do water changes once a month and it was thriving.

Now, I'm basically starting over, i kind of messed up in a sense. I sold my two live rocks that were COVERED in GSP because it completely TOOK OVER my tank. It was super pretty but it was growing everywhere. Now, I have a 20 gallon tall tank with new live rocks, new sad, new everything besides for the fish and invertebrates I had in the 13 gallon.

Long story short, I'm trying to do this the right way now and need everything to be perfect so it can get back to being an ecosystem again. I use to use tap water, but I never had a problem with it. But I moved to a different town, and I think this water is much different.

What can I use for water instead of tap??
How do I get rid of the amount of diatoms in my tank??
What fish can I even put in my 20 gallon tall tank that won't be too big, pretty, peaceful, and reef safe?

(I have 1 clown, a pistol shrimp, watchman goby, a few hermit crabs, a mandarin goby, a snail or two, and a tuxedo sea urchin. I did have an anenome but it got sucked up into my filter)

 

[Uncle99]

Another clown, maybe a royal gramma, maybe a bangaii cardinal.

Invest in a small 4 stage RODI unit.
Tap water is like a time bomb. Works until it doesn’t then too late for recovery.

You never know what’s in Tap.
I rather start from zero.

 

[Yesevil123]

Another clown, maybe a royal gramma, maybe a bangaii cardinal.

Invest in a small 4 stage RODI unit.
Tap water is like a time bomb. Works until it doesn’t then too late for recovery.

Okay!! Okay, any recommendations on RODI units??
Can I use tap water today for my water change and change it in a few days once I get the RODI unit?

 

[lil sumpin]

rodi buddie is your buddy, i have a small tank and after a year of water changes and making top off water, I just replaced the sediment cartridge. Back to 0 tds again

 

[Uncle99]

I use a cheap three stage Amazon unit that screws right onto my tap and I add a DI filter to polish the water TDS to zero.

Maybe $100 bucks.

With that I make 40 gallons a week for 8 weeks before I need to change the DI filter resin, the carbon filter and sediment filters I replace every 6 months cause they are cheap.

The big filter, the RO, this removes 95-99% of the TDS in water, I replace every two years.

It’s the cheapest way to get consistent water.

This makes enough water to service my 300g system.

 

[Yesevil123]

How about my other question, i don't get paid until 9pm. And I already took like 1/4 of the water out of my tank and dumped it already. Can I use the 5 gallons i have already made and then change it when I get the RODI unit??

 

[00W]

Yes.
You're going to have to.
Using it every once in a while is not going to hurt as long as it's chlorine free, etc
I don't imagine anyone on here can say they have NEVER used tap water in a pinch or emergency.
I know I have.
And if they never have, more power to them.
As for the first question, I use an RO Buddy. Amazon. Easy to install and relatively inexpensive.
I use the 3 stage, add a DI cartridge, change them all every 8 months or so.
In line TDS meter and water pressure gauge all for about $100.
Best money I spent on my tank.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Okay!! Okay, any recommendations on RODI units??
Can I use tap water today for my water change and change it in a few days once I get the RODI unit?

I use an aquaFx 4 stage rodi, little pricey but the quality is worth it imo. I would not advice using tap water in your tank, it contains chemicals that can be harmful to your tank

 

[kevgib67]

How about my other question, i don't get paid until 9pm. And I already took like 1/4 of the water out of my tank and dumped it already. Can I use the 5 gallons i have already made and then change it when I get the RODI unit??

Buy a gallon of distilled water from your local grocery or convenience store, $.99. You can use distilled until you get your Ro/Di and it works just as well.