How far can you push it before the SPS won't survive?

[kevensquint]

I met a reefer that is very proud of the fact that his softies and LPS are totally thriving, and he does this with very loose husbandry, using only NO fluoresents and straight tap water. He told me his wife thinks SPS look nice, so he's gonna throw on some MH lighting. I'm asuming that he will continue with the tap water and ocasional water testing. I suggested RO/DI and a more strict regime. Any chance this hard headed reefer can succeed? If he does I have been wasting tons of time and money.

 

[Brandon's Reef]

I say he should stick with what is working for him and not harm innocent animals cause he wont take the time to care for them

 

[wrassie86]

Heh,you never know,he might have the next tank of the month.
I had a 90 i was pretty loose with all softy and lps.it had cc/sand mix sustrait and a crappy skimmer that never worked.but it did have 20g refuge packed with grape algea.water changes were far and few,with a burnt out ro unit.needless to say that tank thrived for about 5-6 yrs intill it had to be broken down.
I think the key to that tank was,it was always left alone and never messed with other than top off.
But i dont know if sps would have thrived in it or not.

 

[10" Red Devil]

Well dude! Let me put it like this I have left a mushroom in a bucket of saltwater outside in freezing cold weather for 3 days and it survived. I just look at my sps wrong and they bleach! So no Id say he doesnt have a chance in hell. Although I hear montis are tough. But I still think they are not tough enough.

Also there is still Tap-water in this country that is extremely low in TDS and almost DI quality believe it or not.

 

[merlock116]

yup, the tap water here in San Francisco has a TDS of 37. Nice change from the 400+ I was getting in San Diego.

 

[kevensquint]

Around here the TDS of tap water varies between 160 and 240. I might be mean, but I don't like the idea of people cutting corners big time to get the same results as someone who put so much dedication into it. Especially when its not because your simply miss-informed, but because you think your the greatest reefer on earth. The dude gives me bad vibes.

 

[wrassie86]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6608332#post6608332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kevensquint
Around here the TDS of tap water varies between 160 and 240. I might be mean, but I don't like the idea of people cutting corners big time to get the same results as someone who put so much dedication into it. Especially when its not because your simply miss-informed, but because you think your the greatest reefer on earth. The dude gives me bad vibes.

have you ever checked to see what makes up that TDS as in a water report?If it is from limestone the water may be pretty good.

I may have listed my lazy days,but i can say i'm very strict now to the tank.But you know what none of strict tanks have come close to producing what the neglected tank did.

 

[10" Red Devil]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6607662#post6607662 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by merlock116
yup, the tap water here in San Francisco has a TDS of 37. Nice change from the 400+ I was getting in San Diego.

That because it is pumped in spring water from Hetch Hechy near Yosemite. Still 42 is higher then I would like my TDS to be for SPS. I like it as near zero as possible I get about 2 TDS just using a R/O.

 

[attml]

I have a friend and fellow reefer, TomD, in my club who has only ever used tap water for 10 years. Not everyone's tap water is the same. Some are high in TDS and some are low. We joke with him that he has his water change system hooked into his toilet and to do a water change all he has to do is flush It is hard to argue his results though!

 

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

very nice

 

[Psionicdragon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6607662#post6607662 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by merlock116
yup, the tap water here in San Francisco has a TDS of 37. Nice change from the 400+ I was getting in San Diego.

147 TDS further south of SF