Adjusting pH of Bottled Water

K

krazy_ivan

New member
I was recently given a saltwater tank from a friend and want to avoid the problems I've read about using tap water in the tank.

I want to use bottled water for now until I can buy a RO system. But I have tested some bottled distilled water and its pH is low under 7. What should I do to treat this water for top offs and water changes?
 
Hey RI whats up!!!

I hear alot of people talking about walmart water, though ive never tried it. There are Ph increasers you can buy that arent pricey.

Hopefully someone will chime in about the walmart water.
 
The Walmart distilled water with the purple cap is what I just tested. The pH was at 7.4 or lower the test kit stops at 7.4.
 
The pH of the bottled water is most likely irrelevant. The salt mix will set the pH, unless the bottled water contains a lot of chemicals. I'd try mixing some up and seeing what happens, or you could look into a TDS meter to test purity.
 
Maybe I am just lucky, but my tap water's ph is pretty much right on. And yeah, the salt itself should regulate it. I think the less chemicals you add, the less stress this causes on the fish.
 
My tap water is also right on 8.2, but I have read many other places that using tap water directly (after chlorine treatment) can be harmful over a long period of time. Leading to algea breakouts and heavy metal buildups.

I will try mixing up some of the Walmart water with some salt and see what happens.
 
Im in cranston, I did the whole jump into this hobby before I knew anything and I used tap water for almost a yr and half before I even knew what RO/DI was. The only problems I had was algae, I couldnt stop it from growing. Eventually with alot of money lost I worked it out. Ive only lost 2 fish one was crushed under a rock and a second became food for my eel.
 
i started my tank with tap also.. i havent had any problems.. thats why im seeing what the big deal is with it... no big algae problems or anything
 
I used only RO/DI for a while from a friend with a typhoon III. He has sensed moved out of state. Now I use part RO/DI and part tap water until I can buy my own Typhoon III which will be in April
 
No I havent. If you need to use the tap water it can be done. Get some powerheads and a decent cleanup crew. I didnt specify, my algea did go away before I switched to ro/di. Like I said I jumped in to the hobby, I had no powerheads, cleanup crew, or protien skimmer. Once I did some reading and joined a few marine forums I learned I made huge mistakes. I stuck with the ro/di only because everyone here says its the best to use for the tank.

If you are going to use tap you will be fine until you get your ro/di unit
 
Ya well I think I'm in the same situation that you were in. I also jumped into the hobby as my friend didn't want his tank any more he told me on monday and on saturday I was picking up his tank and bringing it home.

I dont have a powerhead or much of a cleanup crew (only 2 scarlet hermit crabs) but those are the next items on my list of things to get.

I will try out the Walmart water tomorrow and see what pH it goes to when the salt is added. If not I will probably just stick with tap water for now.
 
How big is the tank? any LR

I didnt even have LR when i started just a little cave i built from base rock

Well if i get my ro/di unit before ya your welcome to free water.
Good Luck with your new tank.
 
The tank is 10 gallons. It has about 8 lbs of live rock in it and a few inch sandbed. The fish seem to like it but I think it needs a few more crabs and some snails to clean up the sand.
 
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