Emergency Top Off Water

Casket_Case · Oct 20, 2020

I hate to use the emergency tag but this kinda is an emergency. I don’t have a RODI unit. I’m out of top off water and I don’t have my drivers license yet, and my mom can’t take me to the store so I have no way of getting it. A considerable amount of water evaporates from my tank daily. Is there any water I can use or prepare for my tank as emergency top off? I don’t have any tap water conditioner either and I’m wondering if bottled spring water processed by ozonation would be okay just to use a bottle or two of it? My specific gravity is just over 1.026.

P-Dub · Oct 20, 2020

If bottled spring water is what you have, I'd use that over tap and day. Throw some fresh carbon in there to help as well, JIC.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 20, 2020

IF. . . IF you must use tap - Use dechlorinator, Prime and even boil it then cool it before use

andrewkw · Oct 20, 2020

How long do you have to wait until you can get RO/DI?

Options I would consider:
Posting in local forum / group and see if someone can deliver some to you.
Cover your tank.
Just let it get to 1.027/1.028 if need be, as long as pumps are not running dry or rock and coral exposed to air you may be better off to let the salinity rise then add questionable water to the tank.

KorD · Oct 20, 2020

Put a call out on the Nextdoor app if you have it, maybe a neighbor is into saltwater and can get you some.

southerntnreefer · Oct 20, 2020

i second the above. In a Pinch the RO water from walmart or any grocery will get you by. Maybe someone local can make a run for you?

fishguy242 · Oct 20, 2020

can you order of bottles of distilled??

Hincapiej4 · Oct 20, 2020

Frigus Reef said:
I hate to use the emergency tag but this kinda is an emergency. I don’t have a RODI unit. I’m out of top off water and I don’t have my drivers license yet, and my mom can’t take me to the store so I have no way of getting it. A considerable amount of water evaporates from my tank daily. Is there any water I can use or prepare for my tank as emergency top off? I don’t have any tap water conditioner either and I’m wondering if bottled spring water processed by ozonation would be okay just to use a bottle or two of it? My specific gravity is just over 1.026.

Uber? Can call the LFS and explain...I dunno.

Mooses · Oct 20, 2020

Hincapiej4 said:
Uber? Can call the LFS and explain...I dunno.

I second this yet. Just Uber to a LFS or even Walmart. I wouldn’t add any questionable water.

chinw76 · Oct 20, 2020

Walk to the store and buy a couple gallons of distilled water. It will be alot more pure than RO water from the store. I know they shut down those machines in my state due to Covid.

Casket_Case · Oct 20, 2020

Update: Thank you all so much for the concern. I really appreciate all the replies, after prayer and explaining why I need top off several times I was able to get distilled water. XD I really didn’t think I was gonna be able to get any top off and my water evaporates SUPER quick. Every day it goes down a considerable amount and so by the time I got home from school tomorrow it’d probably have been 1.028 so from now on I’ll make sure no matter what I have an extra gallon on hand which should last me a little over a week. I’m looking into getting an RODI unit and an automated top off system. Again, thank you all for the replies!!! I’ll keep all of them on the back burner if God forbid I need and can’t get sweet water again

southerntnreefer · Oct 20, 2020

Frigus Reef said:
Update: Thank you all so much for the concern. I really appreciate all the replies, after prayer and explaining why I need top off several times I was able to get distilled water. XD I really didn’t think I was gonna be able to get any top off and my water evaporates SUPER quick. Every day it goes down a considerable amount and so by the time I got home from school tomorrow it’d probably have been 1.028 so from now on I’ll make sure no matter what I have an extra gallon on hand which should last me a little over a week. I’m looking into getting an RODI unit and an automated top off system. Again, thank you all for the replies!!! I’ll keep all of them on the back burner if God forbid I need and can’t get sweet water again

Glad it all worked out!! Happy reefing!!