Can I use tap water?

[Dymond]

Can I use tap water to make my saltwater for my aquarium if I boil it first? If so, how long should I let it sit before I do my next water change??

 

[EmdeReef]

Can I use tap water to make my saltwater for my aquarium if I boil it first? If so, how long should I let it sit before I do my next water change??

Boiling will only eliminate some bacteria, parasites etc.

The risk of using tap water comes from chemical contaminants.

 

[jerrod]

Can I use tap water to make my saltwater for my aquarium if I boil it first? If so, how long should I let it sit before I do my next water change??

Boiling water will not get rid of any metals or chloramine in the water. Generally fish stores have RO water for pretty cheap if you don't have one.

 

[SPR1968]

You really need to get a RODI system as good water is the basic requirement for keeping a saltwater tank to remove contamination. Or buy it from a LFS but make sure it’s 0 TDS water

And welcome to R2R as well!

 

[Crabs McJones]

Personally I wouldnt. Boiling water does not remove heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, copper ect.. I would either use RO/DI water or run to your local groceries store and pick up RO or Distilled water. Or if there's a local fish store near you, some sell RO water or already made saltwater. Last ditch effort ask a reefer near you if theyll borrow or sell you some RO water.

 

[AdamW0611]

I'd suggest no, boiling won't remove things like chlorine, etc.

 

[Auquanut]

Agree with above. Additionally, as the water evaporates from the boiling, the contaminates will be slightly concentrated.

 

[Phildago]

No. Boiling will do nothing beneficial for your tank, unless its contaminated with tons of bacteria...

At minimum you should be using reverse osmosis and deionization. Most people include some pre-filtration like sediment and carbon before the reverse osmosis though.

 

[LadyMac]

I tried this at first. A resounding no is the answer.
I mean technically you can. But salt has minerals and such and you adding minerals to minerals in your tap is going to cause you to have a ton of hair algae and such. You can get the water from Walmart that’s in the green label. It works well.

 

[WVNed]

No

 

[Dymond]

Thank you everyone for your response. I also read that using Prime would help I’m getting rid of the chlorine and some of the harmful things in water. Has anyone tried it that way??

 

[Murica]

I don’t have chemicals in my water and there’s no issues with contaminants, so i used tap for years. End result, the TDS accumulated in my system so much that i got a hair algae outbreak that seemed to last forever. I think over time, the phosphates got trapped in my live rock. I went rodi and after a few weeks of small water changes i never had issues again. I’d say it’s definitely worth it.

 

[Dymond]

Boiling will only eliminate some bacteria, parasites etc.

The risk of using tap water comes from chemical contaminants.

what if I used a water conditioner?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Thank you everyone for your response. I also read that using Prime would help I’m getting rid of the chlorine and some of the harmful things in water. Has anyone tried it that way??

Prime will only neutralize chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. The heavy metals and other contaminants are left

 

[Dymond]

I don’t have chemicals in my water and there’s no issues with contaminants, so i used tap for years. End result, the TDS accumulated in my system so much that i got a hair algae outbreak that seemed to last forever. I think over time, the phosphates got trapped in my live rock. I went rodi and after a few weeks of small water changes i never had issues again. I’d say it’s definitely worth it.

I want to go to RO water eventually, but the nearest store near me that sells it is over an hour away. I only need to use the tap water temporarily. Not as a permanent/ long term thing. I have Prime water conditioner that I’ve read helps.

 

[EmdeReef]

what if I used a water conditioner?

As above, it won’t help.

At the very least you should use a carbon filter (like Brita). But over time RODI unit is a must for almost all reefers unless you plan to buy purified water or one of the premixed products.

 

[Tamberav]

I want to go to RO water eventually, but the nearest store near me that sells it is over an hour away. I only need to use the tap water temporarily. Not as a permanent/ long term thing. I have Prime water conditioner that I’ve read helps.

You can use distilled water. Walmart has it for less than a dollar. I am sure a grocery store or somewhere there must have gallon jugs of distilled.

Some people use tap successfully but you pretty much have to know what it is in it and it can change seasonally and such.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I want to go to RO water eventually, but the nearest store near me that sells it is over an hour away. I only need to use the tap water temporarily. Not as a permanent/ long term thing. I have Prime water conditioner that I’ve read helps.

Is there any reason why you cant wait until your able to get an ro unit?
Did you get livestock in already?
Just curious

 

[PatW]

Some people get away with using tap water especially in fish only systems. But doing so is taking a big risk. My tap water has nitrates at about 2 ppm. It has phosphates at .3 ppm.

Also because copper plumbing is common, I would think that copper contamination is very common.

Getting an RODI system is almost mandatory in this hobby.

 

[Dymond]

Is there any reason why you cant wait until your able to get an ro unit?
Did you get livestock in already?
Just curious

yes. I already have livestock. The store I was going to start did not tell me everything I needed. Basically just sold me a tank and some fish. So I’m trying to figure it all out before everything dies.