Tap water users: Read this.

[cdness]

This is a good indication on the use of tap water in our aquariums. We never really know when they are doing maintenance or when there is an increase in chemicals used for treatment. I know personally I ran through 3 sets of RO sediment and carbon filters in a week due to West Fargo doing a "flush" on their system causing massive ammounts of sediment and rust to flow freely through the faucets of my house (it was brown, yuck)...

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/ma ... city-water

Remember, as we get closer and closer to the "flood" season, treatment facilities need to use more chemicals to treat the contaminents in the water washed in by running flood waters and melting snows.

 

[AZDesertRat]

This is something I have said for years. Glad to see others catching on and hopefully not the hard way.

I have a series of photos of catastrophic failures of both treatment plants and distribution systems including the flooding of the plant in Atlanta a few years ago to hydrants being knocked off by cars to parallel water and sewer lines being damaged at the same time allowing raw sewage to enter the potable drinking water system in a major municipality. Even the best operated and maintained systems in the world can and dio have problems occasionally and most are beyond their control.

The bottom line is you have absolutely zero control over your water quality without the use of a RO/DI system. I not only use RO/DI for my tanks but have RO plumbed to the refrigerator, ice maker, drinking water faucets and for pet watering. I love the peace of mind!