Can i use tap water for top offs.

[Obsessed with fish]

I have a pico reef so top offs will need to he done regularly. I am using 100% ro di water, but just for top offs can I use tap water? I have already mixed my salt in my ro di water and I really don't want to poUr all 9f 8t out and get more, because it is 0re mixed so I can't use it for top offs.

 

[neonreef3d]

heck no

 

[Salty2021]

Wouldn't unless you want algea in your tank

 

[Tamberav]

Depends on the tap. You would need to test it and find out if it contains chloramines and copper such. How much nutrients there are… what about silica.

however if you are using rodi for salt then I don’t see why you would ruin that by using tap for top off.

Basically everyone’s tap is different and some okay and some is not. No one can tell you on this forum.

Why don’t you just make some in a different container for top off? Or buy more or distilled or what not.

 

[Geebs19]

I wouldn’t do it. Too many contaminants In tap water. In my 75 gallon I burn trough 3-4 gallons a day in the winter. That’s a lot of tap water to replace.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Allright ill get a sperate container for top offset.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Ok, I just bought a separate smaller container, got fw ro and I'm gonna use that for top offs, thankyou all!

 

[PatW]

I would not advise it.

My tap water has 1 ppm nitrates and .1 ppm phosphates. Also tap water can have all sorts of nasty stuff in it. One common contaminant in tap water is copper. It is not a problem for people but it is REALLY toxic for marine invertebrates. And it is possible to have exotic contaminants like pesticides and even petroleum.

You will save a little money. But you can buy an inexpensive and dependable RODI system for around $275. And you can use it to mix your own salt water.

 

[LPS Bum]

I have a pico reef so top offs will need to he done regularly. I am using 100% ro di water, but just for top offs can I use tap water? I have already mixed my salt in my ro di water and I really don't want to poUr all 9f 8t out and get more, because it is 0re mixed so I can't use it for top offs.

Of course you can, but that defeats the purpose of using RODI water in the first place.

Especially given the low volume of water, it’s best to use RODI water for all applications, both water changes and top offs.