Can you make garden hose water reef safe?

Dj City · Jun 28, 2020

I have an RO/DI unit.
I also have a 1000L water container that I want to use for continous water change.

1000L is a lot of water! It's a whole lot for RO/DI with all the waste water.

Anyway I can get garden hose water to be good enough?

Fred2482 · Jun 28, 2020

People do, however I strongly recommend against utilizing water with no filtration. It's just another way to reduce possibilities of issues. It also really depends on what's in your water. Will you have coral in the tank?

There are many articles discussing this on r2r, here is a more recent one:

Tap Water - What's the big deal??

I am just getting back in the hobby from taking 8 years off. It's starting to be a struggle now but I am sure I will get through it. I used to have a 65, 75, and a 150 gallon in the past. I never used RODI water. I only used tap water for my water changes and salt water mixes. I used a water...

www.reef2reef.com

Dj City · Jun 28, 2020

Fred2482 said:
People do, however I strongly recommend against utilizing water with no filtration. It's just another way to reduce possibilities of issues. It also really depends on what's in your water. Will you have coral in the tank?

There are many articles discussing this on r2r, here is a more recent one:

Tap Water - What's the big deal??

I am just getting back in the hobby from taking 8 years off. It's starting to be a struggle now but I am sure I will get through it. I used to have a 65, 75, and a 150 gallon in the past. I never used RODI water. I only used tap water for my water changes and salt water mixes. I used a water...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks.
I have a 180g display and it will have coral in it.
I have an Apex and 2x DoS. I have Very high flow with 4 Wav's and 2 Gyre 350's.

I'm trying to avoid wasting alllllllllllll that water.
I will read the post you pointed out and I hope more people will chime in on this discussion.

User1 · Jun 28, 2020

Aww.... Here was thinking you are asking how to get water from your container to your tank and using a garden hose

. I moved my mixing station and need a longer run of hose. The flex silicon is pretty expensive

On topic people do use tap water but you have to use the prime solution to dechlorinate. I still would not trust it although I ran my 29 and 40 gallon using it for a while. Only recently with my upgrade did I add a proper rodi unit.

BarSnackz · Jun 28, 2020

use the RODI waste water for something productive so it just doesn’t go down the drain if you’re afraid of wasting it. There are a couple threads on here where members give ideas on what to use it for.

NashobaTek · Jun 28, 2020

I use tap water with prime, however I did test the water to see what I would be putting in the aquarium. It's not as bad as some big city water systems. I have had zero issues with it.

Rolrod39 · Jun 28, 2020

It's not worth the risk to use unfiltered water. All the work to get your tank to level you want to see it go down. Also if the cost is not in your budget to run a system that big you shouldn't get it. Having a r/o system is the way to go. The inhabitants in your tank will love you for it. I also want to have a super large system but I know a larger system will take more time, money, maintenance and water. Good luck and my the force be with you.

Caseyoidae · Jun 28, 2020

Not running rodi will cause more headaches than it’s worth. Use the waste water for your pool, garden ect

tautog83 · Jun 28, 2020

Rodi water is pretty much essential , not to mention you already own it. Lol

Dj City · Jun 28, 2020

BarSnackz said:
use the RODI waste water for something productive so it just doesn’t go down the drain if you’re afraid of wasting it. There are a couple threads on here where members give ideas on what to use it for.

I can't think of anything to do with THAT much water and I have nowhere to put it.
I'm open to suggestions.

Dj City · Jun 28, 2020

I wish i had a pool. I only have a large reef tank.

It's going to kill my water bill and take days to fill but i'm probably going to use my RO/DI.
I was hoping something came along that would let me safely use tap water for my salt and RO/DI for ATO.

Biglew11 · Jun 28, 2020

What's the tds of your incoming water?
Do you have a single or two ro stages.
You can plumb the waste line of the first into the input of the second. This will cut your waste by almost half.

This video shows how if it's not set up this way already.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...BMAF6BAgJEAM&usg=AOvVaw1vrFPDijZbaYKQeco3T6RK

DaddyFish · Jun 28, 2020

Run some filtration experiments using a 1-micron sediment, Carbon Block filter and then a DI filter. See what your TDS and pH are after those passes. It's not 100% guaranteed that you must use an RO membrane stage and generate waste.
If you do settle on needing RO, concentrate on incoming water pressure and temperature. Setup a system that will give you approximately 80F incoming water at 80-90 psi. With sediment, and Carbon Block filtration ahead of that, your RO membrane should get you in the 1.4-1.7:1 Waste:RO ratio, then a final pass through the DI and you are gold!

Brian_68 · Jun 28, 2020

No way would I use tap water for my tanks, the tds at my house is 170-250 year round. Not sure what are the biggest hitters in there but I am not going to find out.

reefiniteasy · Jun 28, 2020

Dj City said:
It's going to kill my water bill and take days to fill but i'm probably going to use my RO/DI.
I was hoping something came along that would let me safely use tap water for my salt and RO/DI for ATO.

A good RODI setup will get you a low waste to product ratio. Look up your city’s water rate schedule. The water might not be as expensive as you think. It’s more of a fear than a reality. Here is the water rates for Orlando for example.

Biglew11 · Jun 28, 2020

DaddyFish said:
Run some filtration experiments using a 1-micron sediment, Carbon Block filter and then a DI filter. See what your TDS and pH are after those passes. It's not 100% guaranteed that you must use an RO membrane stage and generate waste.
If you do settle on needing RO, concentrate on incoming water pressure and temperature. Setup a system that will give you approximately 80F incoming water at 80-90 psi. With sediment, and Carbon Block filtration ahead of that, your RO membrane should get you in the 1.4-1.7:1 Waste:RO ratio, then a final pass through the DI and you are gold!

I agree on 80 90 psi water pressure, most of us can't adjust our incoming cold water temperature easily. You don't want to use any water from your hot water. Although warmer water will increase productivity in the membrane, it will also allow slightly more tds through the product water.

User1 · Jun 29, 2020

Alex Sadowsky said:
A good RODI setup will get you a low waste to product ratio. Look up your city’s water rate schedule. The water might not be as expensive as you think. It’s more of a fear than a reality. Here is the water rates for Orlando for example.

You should try California...

Cory · Jun 29, 2020

Do not use a garden hose. The rubber has chemicals inside that may not be safe. Use a python nos spill clean and fill. However id use ro/di personally. Elimination of any doubts.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 29, 2020

Garden hose not safe to use as it retains bacteria and mold and leaches petroleum distillate which is part of it’s construction

Viking_Reefing · Jun 29, 2020

Dj City said:
I wish i had a pool. I only have a large reef tank.

It's going to kill my water bill and take days to fill but i'm probably going to use my RO/DI.
I was hoping something came along that would let me safely use tap water for my salt and RO/DI for ATO.

Unfortunately this is one of those cases where just relaxing and taking the hit is your best option.