Tap to rodi water

[blaise]

So I did a fishless cycle on my 40 gallon with tap water, but then I just decided to go ahead and get a rodi filter so eventually I can get corals and inverts. My question is how many water changes over what time should be enough, to be able to cycle out the tap water, and be able to get inverts

 

[Michael71]

How big is the tank?

 

[dedragon]

hard to say. if fish and corals are happy then continue5-10% water changes a week til the numbers are good.

 

[dedragon]

tap water is more of an issue for heavy metals and chlorine/chloramine

 

[Michael71]

If it were me, i would just change out the water with salt mix made with the rodi. Tap from city water can also be very high in phosphates. Which could cause a really nice algae bloom

 

[Speedys_Reef]

Heavy metals would be the only thing to worry about in my opinion. This depends what kind of pipes does your house have? Galvanized pipes can get pretty rusty. Well water or municipal? Personally, I would do a few 25-50% water changes spanning a week. During that week I would run some poly filters or some cuprizorb to help absorb any heavy metals. The rock and substrate could leech metals back into the system. You could do an ICP test before or after or both. That the best way to know if your coral ready.

 

[KrisReef]

So I did a fishless cycle on my 40 gallon with tap water, but then I just decided to go ahead and get a rodi filter so eventually I can get corals and inverts. My question is how many water changes over what time should be enough, to be able to cycle out the tap water, and be able to get inverts

The water in Tulsa Oklahoma isn't a hazard as the levels of contamination are very low. I would just start using the RODI and three 25% water changes I would forget that I ever used tap.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

It is also just 40g... I would just change it all out. The majority of the bacteria is in the sand and rocks, not the water. I would also add some carbon. Which in reality that is all you really need to do to pull out any metals etc.

 

[Australian_Reef]

40g definitely just do a 100% change. May not need to but it’s no hassle to do it. If you really don’t want to then throw in poly filter

 

[mfinn]

The water in Tulsa Oklahoma isn't a hazard as the levels of contamination are very low. I would just start using the RODI and three 25% water changes I would forget that I ever used tap.

I agree with this. Maybe add a carbon reactor of appropriate size and move on.

 

[blaise]

How big is the tank?

40 gallons

 

[blaise]

40g definitely just do a 100% change. May not need to but it’s no hassle to do it. If you really don’t want to then throw in poly filter

Ok I'll probably do that, thanks

 

[KrisReef]

Ok I'll probably do that, thanks

Actually, if you have elderly plumbing in the house the presents of lead and or copper contamination could be a reality, but again not very likely since you are just starting up this tank and have presumably only filled it once.

The suggested use of a polyfilter is not a bad idea for people who are living in an older dwelling.

Testing for copper and lead would probably rule out contamination in the OP's case, but just for the sake of folks who may search and find and read this thread, testing and treating with absorbtive media if contamination is discovered it the proper way forward.

Absorptive media can also be used to remove copper from old QT treated rocks and tanks, again not applicable to the op's situation.

 

[blaise]

Ok I'll probably do that, thanks

Actually, if you have elderly plumbing in the house the presents of lead and or copper contamination could be a reality, but again not very likely since you are just starting up this tank and have presumably only filled it once.

The suggested use of a polyfilter is not a bad idea for people who are living in an older dwelling.

Testing for copper and lead would probably rule out contamination in the OP's case, but just for the sake of folks who may search and find and read this thread, testing and treating with absorbtive media if contamination is discovered it the proper way forward.

Absorptive media can also be used to remove copper from old QT treated rocks and tanks, again not applicable to the op's situation.

I don't think there is a lot of heavy because the house is not that old. I think only like five years.

 

[mcarroll]

So I did a fishless cycle on my 40 gallon with tap water, but then I just decided to go ahead and get a rodi filter so eventually I can get corals and inverts. My question is how many water changes over what time should be enough, to be able to cycle out the tap water, and be able to get inverts

Unless your tap water is close to sewage in quality, it should be ready right now.

I suspect you're trying to be worried about algae and not corals/inverts. You might be adding some pro-algae chem's with the tap water depending on your area. (Farms have runoff, etc.)

If you're mostly algae free (should have SOME, not none) then IMO your tap water is fine – no need to wait or do anything except proceed with normal maintenance (but using RODI in place of tap).