Tap Water Reef Tank

[AquaArtist]

I dont check my local water. But if its good for plants and discus then it should be fine for salt water. So i just used the tap when i started and i had no issues.

I have two reef tanks setup my biggest is my 135g with 80+ different corals. No problems. I have tons of acros, bubble corals one thats bigger than a basketball. Other lps and zoanthids. And sps.

In fact my corals grow really fast, so fast i just bring in the large colonies of lps to my local stores and get store credit for more corals. I dont pay for corals anymore lol.

I also use 3 emperor 400 hang of back filters. Three koralias power heads. One is 800 one is 1150 and another 1500gph. I use a uv sterilizer. And no sump and no skimmer. I dont premux ny water ina 80 gallon witch cauldron with a pump or heater like people do either... i dump it right ina 5 gallon bucket turn the sink on and mix it and when its full i dump it right in.

Wont post a billion pics but this is my tank its about 2 years old now

Absolutely stunning!!!!
I would love to buy one of your colonies when the time comes!
They would fit in very nicely in my prime treated tap water 5 gallon bucket hand mixed Reef tank!

Your tank is great looking!

 

[AquaArtist]

I've use tap water with prime for 12 years, no issues because of the water, almost every issue I've had is due to no quarantine, or not being a good husband..lol
Im not sure what my tap water is measuring, but it's crystal clear after I mix a bucket, I do 15 gallon WC every week or 2 at the most.
You can check out my build page, enough evidence there to show it can be done.

I'd love to get an RODI system, but I can't for the life of me want to throw the dirty water (which I hear is quite a bit) down the drain, especially when I pay for all the water. Just my opinion

I feel you on not wanting to waste water.
Maybe collecting it and giving it to the out side plants could help with the thought.
If I ever get around to doing an RO that’s what I plan on doing.
Plants love a lot of the junk the RO system filters out.
My interest with RO and trying it at some point so I have a complete view of both sides.
Who knows maybe I am missing out and leaving some growth and color on the table.
On the other hand RO water is pretty stripped of everything so it’s more vulnerable to swings.

 

[AquaArtist]

Oh geez. That's funny!!!

I've been debating whether to try tap water or to invest in a RODI system. I've seen people's successes with tap including yours. I live in Toronto and we have good water so I'm going to compare ours to yours and if they're close then that will give me the confidence to try tap water for my setup.

Very good way to go.
I live in Fate tx you can look up 2019 water results.
The water here has been the best I have worked with so far.

 

[Karen00]

Very good way to go.
I live in Fate tx you can look up 2019 water results.
The water here has been the best I have worked with so far.

Awesome. Thanks for this. It's good to have a couple water samples from different cities to compare to. I'm so happy to see this many successes with tap water. I have renewed hope I can make it work with mine (fingers crossed).

 

[Coralsdaily]

some of you are lucky with quality local water. My city water is contaminated with PFAS from National Guard and not safe for human consumption nor fishtank use.

 

[G Santana]

In the early 80's before I had even heard of an RO unit, I ran a 75 gal on tap water, now I live in Jersey but if I'm not mistaken, our system is fed from the NY aquifer and it's pretty clean water.
Initially I had a pretty bad ugly phase, but when the tank matured, it was fine and I had enjoyed it for 6 years before I transitioned to RO water.
Now I started the tank with about 100 lbs of live rock which is different than today's tanks.
Can you do it, sure you can, but I think success will vary depending on the obvious, who supplies your water!!!

 

[vetteguy53081]

It is said that Lake Michigan has some of the purest water and having a whole house carbon filter along with softener was what I used with my past 360g. No algae or dinos, in fact very few issues.

360g on tap water with occasional 5 gals of water from Walmart :

 

[Chlorinated]

20 gallon been running Tap/IA Marine Conditioner for 5+ years

 

[KenO]

I agree with @Devaji the water source quality can vary dramatically depending on where you live. Ive read some areas have upwards of 500ppm TDS!! Luckily here in NYC I'm seeing around 42ppm tops out of the tap, but still use RODI.

I live in N Scottsdale, AZ. My TDS is 650. Liquid rock.

 

[NashobaTek]

Been running saltwater tanks since way back on and off. Hang on back filters and powerheads. Never have a issue. My corals are doing great and growing. Fish are growing piggies.
I add conditioned tap water for top off, and rarely do water changes. I also don't worry about having a spotless tank. I have algae growing in spots for the Tangs and pinnatus. Feather duster is making his home where it wants. Nems are happy. Mini brittle stars stay busy. I even had my cowrie snails spawn.
It can be done and like the op said it used to be the only way.

 

[Timfish]

Here's one of my systems that get's tap water treated with dechlorinator. Saltwater is mixed at the time of water change and sits only long enougt to wipe algae off glass and siphon water out.


And here's one that gets RO/DI




Here's a ICP test for the system getting tapwater

 

[Cali-Saltwater-1st-Timer]

I dont check my local water. But if its good for plants and discus then it should be fine for salt water. So i just used the tap when i started and i had no issues.

I have two reef tanks setup my biggest is my 135g with 80+ different corals. No problems. I have tons of acros, bubble corals one thats bigger than a basketball. Other lps and zoanthids. And sps.

In fact my corals grow really fast, so fast i just bring in the large colonies of lps to my local stores and get store credit for more corals. I dont pay for corals anymore lol.

I also use 3 emperor 400 hang of back filters. Three koralias power heads. One is 800 one is 1150 and another 1500gph. I use a uv sterilizer. And no sump and no skimmer. I dont premux ny water ina 80 gallon witch cauldron with a pump or heater like people do either... i dump it right ina 5 gallon bucket turn the sink on and mix it and when its full i dump it right in.

Wont post a billion pics but this is my tank its about 2 years old now

Albeit unconventional that is really impressive.

 

[BackToTheReef]

My first two tanks (90g and 75g, plus maybe a handful of smaller 30g and down) tanks were all tap water and conditioner. That was back in the day when RO units were still rare (and out of my price range with what I was making) and considered by most around me only things doctors and lawyers bought for their nice tanks. I only had some zoas, GSP, and a few mushrooms so nothing fancy but they all thrived and grew.

Back then I lived in areas where the local water was pretty good and I wouldn't bat an eye about putting the water in a tank on face value. Where I live now I would not trust the water at all. I buy bottled water to drink and cook with b/c the local water is so disgusting and full of...something. While it is "city" water we are rural and you can tell the difference in the water when it rains. Hello run off. I'm guessing it would eat up RO membranes.