My LFS's display tank - defies rules of reefkeeping

I have only ever used tap water on mine, dont have the space for an RO unit along with the barrel that would be needed. Sometimes its just not something everyone can fit in.

In saying that mine is a FOWLR tank with the exception of a single leather coral I adopted from a friend in trouble.

Peter
 
Some tap water is better than R/O. Sometimes high in calcium and alk. I only use DI for my tanks, but I do have a few customers with tap water reefs and they are wonderful. The key is maintaining a balance using whatever you have available.
 
I love how so many amateurs come on here talking about how tap water is so horrible. This just goes to show how little some people know about the hobby they're in. Next thing people will start saying SPS will die under PC's.
 
irishtrig1 said:
I love how so many amateurs come on here talking about how tap water is so horrible. This just goes to show how little some people know about the hobby they're in. Next thing people will start saying SPS will die under PC's.
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For most people tap water is horrible. Every city and home is different, but most* do not have water conducive to reef keeping.

Again, SPS will die for almost everyone under PC's. Sure you could put some SPS an inch off the surface with hundreds of watts of PC's shining down for 14 hours a day, but that wouldn't be too smart and you shouldn't be telling others to do so. Being alive and thriving are 2 different things as well....
 
LOL Your joking right?!?!?!? You dont need to put it an inch under water under hundreds of watts of PC's. Montis and pocillipora growing and encrusting theyre plugs would be considered thriving and not just surviving under 2 36" PC bulbs. Thats the problem with forums is people can say whatever they want and people who dont know any better take it as gospel. Nonstopfishies get your facts straight please. If you need pictures (which I'm sure you'll be demanding them at this point) I'll try my best.
 
Many sps will do fine with powerful PC lighting- I wouldnt keep acropora an the ilk, but the porites, seritaporas, poccies, and montis will grow well with them. No question. In fact I have a elderly lady customer that has a vollyball sized pink birdsnest in a tap water tank with PC lighting! And its her first tank- still has the original fish from when I set it up for her five years ago.
 
Wow this thread has gotten crazy!!! Lol..... seems like it has became a discussion about overstocking and or using tap water. I'm curious to see how many people out there do only use conditioned tap water. Here's some pics of my 180 mixed reef. All the water in my system is conditioned tap water.

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Those are just a few pics. I do have sps as well, montiporas, acros, and millis that have insanely great PE. I would like to make it clear that I'm not saying everyone should use tap water, but in my area of Kentucky our tap water is not a problem. Kentucky also sits on a ton of limestone so that helps with calcium and alkalinity of the water. I also setup and service tanks on the side and all my clients use tap water. All their tanks are doing great and thriving. I recently converted my 90 to my 180 about 5 months ago. My 90 was up for over 5 years. I would still encourage most people to use a quality R.O. unit. Because not everyones tapwater is of good quality. I just want to break the misconception of people who say you NEVER should use tap water or that you can't keep corals or fish successfully or long term using tap water because that is false. So lets see some more pics of peoples tanks who use tap water maybe then some of these people who crusify others for even thinking about using tap water can see that that's not always the case.
 
Jdbrine said:
Wow!!! No comments yet??? Lol
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Nice tank! Former Louisville boy here, now in Atlanta the past 20 years.

I have 38 TDS out of the tap here. FW Discus breed readily in it. I use RODI for my reef tanks because of phosphates/nitrates, etc. But you might be able to use tap only.
 
albano said:
Beautiful tank...imagine how good it would be if you'd done things RIGHT!




JK!...unfortunately, 'exceptional' tap water IS the exception
Click to expand...

Thanks.... I cant really imagine my tank looking better. Im obviously doing things the right way. Although most peoples idea of doing what is right is a matter of opinion or what theyve always heard. what I do works for me and many others. All I was trying to get across is that people who say you can never use tap water is obviously wrong. But you are right having acceptable tap water is the exception. I still encourage people to use RO water and I probably will one one day break down and buy a good RO unit. In most areas the are absolutely necessary. But the bottom line is the statement of you can Never use tap water and have a healthy successful reef tank is false. There are exceptions.
 
^^^so right. and that was my point when i posted before. my sis uses untreated well water from tap and has a great system. my city water is crap so i choose to use ro/di.

and to further the point...there are lots of people on this forum who can't keep any type of coral, even with mh's and ro/di from the lfs. in this hobby, there are no absolutes. lol.
 
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