Water, Tap, RODI, Demineralized, Distilled

[Hugh Mann]

I'm just wondering what is a good source of water to use? I initially filled with tap water, using Seachem Prime to treat it. I have a predator FowLR tank.

For my first water change I bought a jug of demineralized water from my grocery store, but a friend with a reef tank said both that and distilled water can leech calcium and whatnot from the bones of the fish. Insists that RODI is the way to go.

Unfortunately I don't have a RODI system, and payday is several water changes away. So my question is does the source of the water really matter, and if so, which is the best to use? Thank you.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Tap could have metals, Nitrate and especially prone to having high Phosphate levels. I would not use tap even for a fish only tank mostly because you have no idea what is in it. Our tanks all start with the water quality. Spring water in a jug is still basically tap water. Distilled is a great option and I used it for years when I lived in a studio apartment in Manhattan. Still some risk if they used copper in the process. RO/DI is the best if you can make it yourself. Even RO/DI from a fish store may not be what you expect if they do not change the filters often.

One thing you can do is pick up a TDS meter for about $20. Total dissolved solids. If you used distilled or RO/DI from a store, you want it to read at or near zero.

 

[NY_Caveman]

BTW, welcome to R2R!

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I'm just wondering what is a good source of water to use? I initially filled with tap water, using Seachem Prime to treat it. I have a predator FowLR tank.

For my first water change I bought a jug of demineralized water from my grocery store, but a friend with a reef tank said both that and distilled water can leech calcium and whatnot from the bones of the fish. Insists that RODI is the way to go.

Unfortunately I don't have a RODI system, and payday is several water changes away. So my question is does the source of the water really matter, and if so, which is the best to use? Thank you.

I hope distilled does not affect fish like that my entire tank is distilled due to high chloramine in my location

 

[William Mumford]

You want 0 tds (total dissolved solids) water so that all the nutrients that get added are of your knowledge. I would get a tds meter make sure that whatever water you are adding is 0 tds. Some say that if the water is collected on copper coils durring the distillation process it will be harmful to corals. I've never seen this or had anyone experience this being true. Rodi units is a suggestion to buy because it can give you water whenever you need it and you know it's good 0 tds water. Also it gets expensive and annoying to haul water from the store when you can just turn the tap on.

 

[Hugh Mann]

0

BTW, welcome to R2R!

Thank you, and thank you for the information.

You want 0 tds (total dissolved solids) water so that all the nutrients that get added are of your knowledge. I would get a tds meter make sure that whatever water you are adding is 0 tds. Some say that if the water is collected on copper coils durring the distillation process it will be harmful to corals. I've never seen this or had anyone experience this being true. Rodi units is a suggestion to buy because it can give you water whenever you need it and you know it's good 0 tds water. Also it gets expensive and annoying to haul water from the store when you can just turn the tap on.

Thank you. I'll definitely be getting a tds meter. And yeah, RODI is definitely the way to go, the unit I'm looking at can make $250 equivalent of store bought water in a day. It's just sourcing good water for water changes (new tank with preds, told I need to do more frequent changes for a while) until I can get a unit.

 

[Liberty Sailor]

Tap could have metals, Nitrate and especially prone to having high Phosphate levels. I would not use tap even for a fish only tank mostly because you have no idea what is in it. Our tanks all start with the water quality. Spring water in a jug is still basically tap water. Distilled is a great option and I used it for years when I lived in a studio apartment in Manhattan. Still some risk if they used copper in the process. RO/DI is the best if you can make it yourself. Even RO/DI from a fish store may not be what you expect if they do not change the filters often.

One thing you can do is pick up a TDS meter for about $20. Total dissolved solids. If you used distilled or RO/DI from a store, you want it to read at or near zero.

 

[Liberty Sailor]

I usually get my top off water and water for water changes to make saltwater along with some bought saltwater... but with this shutdown I an running low on fresh water for top off … I want to use distilled water any idea what brand is best? I see stop and shop brand looks ok...(acadia)…..I guess i should purchase a ro/di system eventually … any suggestions?

 

[NY_Caveman]

I usually get my top off water and water for water changes to make saltwater along with some bought saltwater... but with this shutdown I an running low on fresh water for top off … I want to use distilled water any idea what brand is best? I see stop and shop brand looks ok...(acadia)…..I guess i should purchase a ro/di system eventually … any suggestions?

I have used the distilled Acadia with no issues. I have an RO/DI system but always keep a couple gallons of the distilled around for emergencies.