Tap Water or RODI water?

[Jekyl]

I'm not going to risk losing thousands of dollars worth of fish and coral because I tried being cheap on the $200 for RoDi. Not worth the gamble. There's a reason people have separate tanks to run copper. Once it's in the system it doesn't leave and accumulates over time.

 

[Radicalrob1982]

Yes, the amount of detritus in the substrate could be the cause. I once had a FOWLR in which I had the same problem; nitrates through the roof; and it turned out that the UG filter (this was way back in the day) I had in it at the time was trapping so much detritus that it was producing a lot of nitrate from the decomposition. After removing the UG, reducing the amount of sand, and thoroughly cleaning the substrate the nitrates went down.

I had a similar problem when my tap water for my planted tank was full of ammonia. I was doing 50% water changes per week and wondering my my nitrates were so high. I checked the tap water and it turned it green on my Api test kit. Right full of ammonia. I knew something had to be feeding the nitrates but couldn't figure it out.

 

[Uncle99]

Check your newly mixed saltwater for nitrate.
A water change would lower nitrate.
Unless the source has nitrate.

 

[Jedi1199]

My experience with tap water was disaster! It worked ok for fish only, but was basically instant death for any inverts I tried. I never tested the purity, but I can say that the tap water in the area I lived at the time was pretty much chemical soup. Too bad there wasn't a resource as good as this one back then so I could have known why I was killing everything I added. Even the LFS stores never told me about RODI...

I second the others above that you can buy a decent RODI for a fair price (I paid $140 for my 5 stage 75 GPH unit). There are enough other things to worry about with your tank without having to add in the extra worry about your source water.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

My experience with tap water was disaster! It worked ok for fish only, but was basically instant death for any inverts I tried. I never tested the purity, but I can say that the tap water in the area I lived at the time was pretty much chemical soup. Too bad there wasn't a resource as good as this one back then so I could have known why I was killing everything I added. Even the LFS stores never told me about RODI...

I second the others above that you can buy a decent RODI for a fair price (I paid $140 for my 5 stage 75 GPH unit). There are enough other things to worry about with your tank without having to add in the extra worry about your source water.

Cheers,
Steve

Did you by chance mean to say 75 GPD ?

 

[Pistondog]

So I have done some research, and where I live the chlorine level in my water is 0.85mg/l (<1ppm), and 56 - 73 (mg CaCO3/L) . In addition to treating my tap water with a water conditioner, what is the real danger in using tap water instead of rodi. If i am being extremely silly here please tell me, and explain what the benefits/need of RODI is, if treatment of tap water is an option. Please also explain why this is a bigger deal when discussing saltwater tanks and not freshwater (I have no coral yet and will definitely use rodi when i get there).

Yes you are being silly. Get a rodi, bulkreefsupply.com has nice ones.
You want to start your tank with pure saltwater and control the additives.

 

[Jedi1199]

Did you by chance mean to say 75 GPD ?

Woops... yes of course!! My bad.

 

[Jedi1199]

Yes you are being silly. Get a rodi, bulkreefsupply.com has nice ones.
You want to start your tank with pure saltwater and control the additives.

That is a little harsh. I don't think his question is silly at all.. he has tap water most of us would kill for.

 

[Radicalrob1982]

My experience with tap water was disaster! It worked ok for fish only, but was basically instant death for any inverts I tried. I never tested the purity, but I can say that the tap water in the area I lived at the time was pretty much chemical soup. Too bad there wasn't a resource as good as this one back then so I could have known why I was killing everything I added. Even the LFS stores never told me about RODI...

I second the others above that you can buy a decent RODI for a fair price (I paid $140 for my 5 stage 75 GPH unit). There are enough other things to worry about with your tank without having to add in the extra worry about your source water.

Cheers,
Steve

Ya I got a 50 gpd filter. I only have a 20 long. It's served me well since I started using it. Tap water is trash. And if I ever do another planted tank I'll be using r.o water as well. And a product like ro right to buffer it. I can't belive they say it's safe to drink and fish and corals can't live in it lol

 

[Pistondog]

That is a little harsh. I don't think his question is silly at all.. he has tap water most of us would kill for.

OP asked if he was being silly, I replied to that, didn't mean it as harsh.
In any case, his question is should he use his tap water vs rodi.
Rodi for sure, imo.

 

[Jedi1199]

OP asked if he was being silly, I replied to that, didn't mean it as harsh.
In any case, his question is should he use his tap water vs rodi.
Rodi for sure, imo.

I agree RODI is the way to go. I wouldn't even attempt a reef without it here. However, if my tap water read what his does, I would ask the same question

 

[Validator]

Hi I am new to saltwater tanks and had just placed my order for an aquarium a week ago so looking forward to it. I wanted to just ride on this discussion and hopefully get some ideas here. Incidentally I am in Singapore and our water is portable from the tap.

I was hoping to get a system that could also supply my family with drinking water at the same time. Most of the RODI systems I see do not connect to the tap. I was wondering whether devices like the one in the link below count as RODI systems because they were the ones that surfaced when I searched the internet.
Xeltro CT22 - Countertop Twin Water Filter - Filtech Singapore

 

[Radicalrob1982]

Hi I am new to saltwater tanks and had just placed my order for an aquarium a week ago so looking forward to it. I wanted to just ride on this discussion and hopefully get some ideas here. Incidentally I am in Singapore and our water is portable from the tap.

I was hoping to get a system that could also supply my family with drinking water at the same time. Most of the RODI systems I see do not connect to the tap. I was wondering whether devices like the one in the link below count as RODI systems because they were the ones that surfaced when I searched the internet.
Xeltro CT22 - Countertop Twin Water Filter - Filtech Singapore

Get the aquatic life R.o. buddie. It's what I have. Just need one fitting and it connects to your kitchen tap. Makes 50 gallons a day

 

[reeferKen]

A good 15 page thread here with some different info https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-many-of-you-is-not-using-rodi.789298/

 

[Spicy Reef]

So I don't have a problem purchasing a filter. What I do have a problem with is wasting 20 gallons of water/week on reverse osmosis...
Our water in Seattle is pristine, we drink off tap, the only things I have not tested for are the additives like copper fluoride etc... that are put in on purpose or by accident by the local pipes...
I have used a carbon whole house filter for years with my fresh water tanks coupled with 24-hour bubbler to rid of chlorine and dechlorinator if necessary. my water tests clean with all the redsea kits phosphate included.
so I'm curious I guess.
anyone else test clean water and forgo the RODI only to find problems later?

 

[cloak]

RO/DI is most likely your best bet, then again there are plenty of people out there that have used tap water for years on end without any problems. It's basically up to the owner/aquarist to make it right. GL

Do you know what the difference is between somebody that uses RO/DI water and has an algae problem is and somebody that uses tap water and has an algae problem is? Nothing...

 

[melonheadorion]

for quite a bit, i have used tap water. including with a couple corals. i have found that the water out of the tap does have more alk than rodi water, but other than that, the tap water isnt causing me any issues. it is one of those things that is dependent on your water source. some water sources will have better quality over others.

 

[MaxTremors]

Monitor CL/FB and here for a used system. I was able to pick up a 200gpd 6 stage for $150 that way.

I've since put $150 in upgrades into it but now it's one mean rodi machine!

I wouldn’t recommend this. Unless you’re planning on replacing all the cartridges and the membrane, you shouldn’t buy used. You just don’t know how much it’s been used, if it’s been properly stored, how old the membrane is, etc. After replacing all the cartridges, plus the cost of the used filter, you might as well just buy a new one. For the $300 you spent, you could’ve gotten a new high quality, high gpd filter and saved yourself the hassle.

 

[Uncle99]

The effects of using tap water in many instances is not felt for quite some time and then very difficult to correct.
There’s a reason people use RODI but impossible to convince those who don’t, to.
It took two years to catch up with me.
Then bottom fell out.
The ICP test indicated a build up of heavy metals.
There appears to be some cases where Tap water worked, so, It’s the aquarist choice.
Since doing weekly changes for years now, no longer is this an issue.

 

[Ro Bow]

ro/di is always better and good to have