Is tap water safe?

[Nathan2585]

I am setting up my 55 gal tank and I was going to use tap water and salt with a water conditioner. Is this going to be safe for many fish and coral? I'm am going to let the tank cycle for about a month with the filter and water and sand before I add anything and then start small with a fish and a cleanup crew on the sand.

 

[Ringo®]

I would strongly recommend against it

 

[mike007]

Tap water is not good for a saltwater tank. It contains a lot of things in it that will cause issues in the long run. You need to use ro di water.

 

[mcarroll]

People do it, but I'd consider it for experts only or if you're broke, or if you happen to be a rare soul with excellent tap water.

There are issues such as adjusting your dosing for the calcium in your tap water....not insurmountable, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Buy RODI water or an RODI filter to make your own - that's the easiest way to succeed.

-Matt

 

[Nathan2585]

Then can I use the glacier water machines you buy the water out of? I've looked them up and reverse osmosis is part of their process and its only .30 a gal

 

[rako1]

What do you plan on using for top off is another question, If you are going to get into this hobby you should do it right so your tank and new frends dont suffer, buy a ro system it is a small expense compared to the price of loosing all your corals and fish do to shortcuts

 

[702]

+1 for sure

 

[mike007]

Then can I use the glacier water machines you buy the water out of? I've looked them up and reverse osmosis is part of their process and its only .30 a gal

Yes Glacier water will be a lot better choice for you. Most cities add phosphates to their water which in turn will cause algae problems. You will have better results using ro water.

 

[Nathan2585]

Ok yea ok I'm going to go with the glacier water for the initial setup and order a RO filter for Water changes. I wasn't trying to take shortcuts there just aren't any suppliers around here that have RO water.

 

[BR549]

A few years ago I was workin forty eight hour shifts. I got lazy and put tap water with dechlorinater in my auto top off. Came home two days later to dead snails, melting soft corals, and a horrible stank. Few days after that I lost 4 fish to ich despite several large water changes. I had a giant frogspawn that fought for two weeks and ultimately gave up the ghost. Ammonia was off the charts. So... Ya. It may work with tap waterfrom some areas but I wouldn't risk it I almost gave up after that incident.

 

[gojk]

When I didn't have my rodi system I just used distilled water from Walmart. I tried using water from a water place and it sparked my algae problem that was almost impossible to get under control.

 

[saltyfish]

If you have no other options, then I guess you could go with the glacier water, but you should look for water that has also gone through a de-ionizining filter also. If you just used reverse osmosis water, there is still going to be harmful elements in the water that will harm your reef. There is an LFS here that sells rodi water for $.30 a gallon. I would just look around a bit more.

 

[brian.romkema]

Those machines are a last minute emergency only option... They only put out good clean water (for saltwater aquariums) about a month after the filters are changed. Think about it.. Have you ever seen someone changing the filters on a glacier machine? I haven't. I wouldn't use them. If your concerned about the cost of ro water maybe this isn't the hobby for you.

 

[Nathan2585]

Are you serious? I never said I was concerned about the cost of RO water I said I don't have a local dealer near me that Carries it. Why don't you read before you post.

 

[awais98]

Only RO is not enough to keep corals. It may be ok for fish only.
You will need RODI water. The cheapest way is to get a brs rodi filter.

 

[Arnie]

I am setting up my 55 gal tank and I was going to use tap water and salt with a water conditioner. Is this going to be safe for many fish and coral? I'm am going to let the tank cycle for about a month with the filter and water and sand before I add anything and then start small with a fish and a cleanup crew on the sand.

What filter? Will you be setting up a sump/refugium system or canister filter?

 

[Arnie]

How long can you store ro water for after making some?

 

[AL1]

Are you serious? I never said I was concerned about the cost of RO water I said I don't have a local dealer near me that Carries it. Why don't you read before you post.

My $.02 look into buying your own RODI unit, make it urself...at the end it just boils down to being better safe than sorry. A $189 rodi unit can save lots of grief.

 

[marcoacontreras]

When i started my nano tank I did the same mistake. Tap water I ended dealing with algae a lot of Cyanobacteria and high phosphates a lot of stuff happend for using tap water learn my lesson know I buy rod already made! At the end it's cheaper this way.

 

[duromega]

Wait until you can get a RO/DI filter

Wait
Wait
Wait

Trust me and all those post above