Keeping SPS help!!!

[Fob_Reefer]

Hi, I have been trying to grow sps for over a year now and doesn't seem to have any good luck with it. Can some one give me some pointers...
Btw, i am not using RO water. I know that is "needed" for sps, but i know someone and he only use tab water and had great success with it.

tank size: 125G
alk: 7.8-8.0
mag: 1470-1500
pH: 7.8-8.03
cal: ~390

Thanks

 

[Geebs19]

Do you have any idea whats in your tap water? HAve you ran a TDS meter on it? This could be huge reason you are not having success. Tap water in a reef tank is a joke, you even acknowledge that you know it is needed.

 

[Fob_Reefer]

Do you have any idea whats in your tap water? HAve you ran a TDS meter on it? This could be huge reason you are not having success. Tap water in a reef tank is a joke, you even acknowledge that you know it is needed.

TDS on my water is around ~240ppm

 

[marlinmon]

TDS on my water is around ~240ppm

Typical for city water. The chlorine in it alone will harm most coral

 

[acer]

RODI is nearly 100% necessary to have good luck with ACRO's/SPS. Even with the RODI many , including myself, have trouble.

 

[Geebs19]

TDS on my water is around ~240ppm

Well most of us reefing community are using 0 TDS water, so have something 240x what others are using might be an issue. Does your city provide what is in your water? Do you know what your phosphates are?

 

[Guttersnipe]

I’ve been in the hobby since 2004 and l have killed lots of corals. What I learned is you can’t skimp on lighting, flow, rodi, ato, skimmer.

 

[Hemmdog]

Most definitely your water. Get a RODI unit, your issues should improve.

 

[Fob_Reefer]

Well most of us reefing community are using 0 TDS water, so have something 240x what others are using might be an issue. Does your city provide what is in your water? Do you know what your phosphates are?

I had it ran thru a regular house water filter that removes chlorine/chloride/chloramine and some hard metals...

 

[tsav87]

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/4-stage-value-ro-di-system-bulk-reef-supply.html

 

[Geebs19]

I had it ran thru a regular house water filter that removes chlorine/chloride/chloramine and some hard metals...

Im not trying to be a jerk here, but you yourself said you know that RODI water is needed and somehow your friend miraculously keeps SPS with tap water, I Find hard to believe unless its super super clean water. You seem to be wanting to completely push away a huge factor that we know causes issues in tanks. This is what I would start with and see where to go from there.

 

[Biocube32]

240ppm? Get an RODI

 

[Niknak36]

Agreed your reading should be 0 in the TDI, water quality must be an absolute. Send your water in to aquaforest for a complete evaluation best way to understand what your dealing with.

 

[Kevin Duprey]

FWIW, I ran an RO (no DI) system in my house for years before I started reefing. I used it for drinking water as well as in my brackish cichlid tank for years. When I switched to SW, I figured it would be fine. What could the DI really impact? The water out of the RO read 2-3 on the TDS meter. Good enough, right? I will tell you after almost a year of no success with SPS, I finally broke down and got a dedicated RODI system for the water changes. I've had success ever since. Full disclosure, I did change a few other minor things, but the RODI definitely seemed to have an impact. Do yourself a favor and get one NOW!

 

[OCReeferr]

Im not trying to be a jerk here, but you yourself said you know that RODI water is needed and somehow your friend miraculously keeps SPS with tap water, I Find hard to believe unless its super super clean water. You seem to be wanting to completely push away a huge factor that we know causes issues in tanks. This is what I would start with and see where to go from there.

^^^^^ listen to this guy. You already know your problem.

 

[Fob_Reefer]

Got it.. thanks all.
Besides the RO water, any other critical pointers that I should keep in mind.

 

[Geebs19]

What do you have for lighting and what have you tried to keep? I started with stylophora first before moving to Acros. This was also a tip from my LFS that if I could keep my stylos thriving then I could move to harder SPS.

 

[jda]

We have tap around the mountains with TDS of about 20-24 and I still do not use it. It is mostly salt too, according to the city.

You might have learned the hard way why you bet on the rule and not the exception. While you know one guy who did it OK, you surely could have bought a RO unit by now with the cost of all of your losses. Trying to be an outlier is not a good idea.

To help with more, need more info like bio load, filtration, lighting, etc.

 

[SeaDweller]

It’s not not “needed” it’s NEEDED, absolutely. You’ll find better success with the right tools to begin with.

 

[hart24601]

Since you have been using tap water it might be worthwhile to send for ICP test to see if you have any metals or other elements that are outside NSW even if you have been running it through other filters.