Water test strips and ro/di

[Melissa_chappell06]

I use tap water for my 75 gallon saltwater tank with a sump refugium. I have live rock, 2 clowns 1 blue damsel 1 blenny 1 tiger jawfish and 2 green crabs. I inherited this set up and I'm new to fish tanks and don't know much yet. Question 1 - it came with tetra 6&1 test strips that I have been using to test water quality. So far things have remained in safe zones. Are tetra test strips a good way to test your water? Also I accidentally ordered test strips for ammonia - should I keep these? Will they be beneficial with my salt water tank? Question 2- is RODI something you need only for corals? Or should I be using this now? I just purchased a protein skimmer but now I'm wondering if I should have purchased a rodi filter instead.

Thoughts?

 

[NanaReefer]

Test strips are IMO inaccurate. Majority of reefers will tell you, RO/DI is the only water to use for aquariums. With this I agree.

 

[Alex villa]

I've never used test strips so I can't attest to that but I live right next to Lake Michigan and the water here is exceedingly clean I ran a mixed reef for about a year with a conditioner. With that said I now run an Rodi set up and am really happy with it my parameters are always the same and algae outbreaks are now far and few in between

 

[gaz]

Protein skimmer will take the protein out of the water like fish waste uneaten food etc and the RODI is something completely separate from your tank that will make fresh water for water change and top off so you will need both unless you can purchase RODI water from a LFS. Test strips are rubbish. If your cycles over then ammonia and nitrite test kits are not needed.for a FOWLR you will only need po4 no3 test kit really

 

[Melissa_chappell06]

Thanks! There is so much to learn and we don't have any local LFS to go to for advice. Any recommendations on purchasing a RODI unit? Any thing I should look for or avoid? Thanks!!!

 

[Alex villa]

I've only had two a bulk reef rodi the basic version I think $150 but now I have an aquatic life ro buddie with Di attachment the bulk reef one was by far better since it produced more per day and filters needed replacing less often but I had to get this one due to where I needed to put it size wise this thing is tiny. I miss my bigger one but it just didn't fit where it needed to.