RO System
- Thread starter doconnell
- Start date
Just curious, what water quality related issues are you seeing in your tank? I live in Bethel Park as well (possibly down the street from you if you are the person raynist mentioned) and have been using conditioned tap water for the past 4 - 5 years. Would definitely be good to know what kind of issue you are experiencing, as I'm not seeing any major changes in my tanks currently.
Thanks!
John
Thanks!
John
There are a lot of places local and online to get RO.
How big you want is going to be the question. Do you have an idea how many gallons per day you would need to make?
As far as using city water its all iffy. I would NEVER trust my water quality here without running it through my RO filters first.
How big you want is going to be the question. Do you have an idea how many gallons per day you would need to make?
As far as using city water its all iffy. I would NEVER trust my water quality here without running it through my RO filters first.
I got a film on top of my water with white bubble. All of my test came out fine, took my water to Wet Pets just to make sure which also tested out fine. The only thing we could come up with is that it was coming from the tap. It killed some coral and made my fish sick for two days. I changed my filters and put some more carbon in to filter it out. Things are fine now but not sure about putting more tap water in. I have been hearing on the news about the issue about the algae in the water but didn't think Bethel was effected by it but maybe they were.
I have only used tap water for the last year and know a lot of people in the area who use it and don't have any problems. I have a friend in Library who has been using tap water for 5 years in three tanks without a problem.
It may not be the tap water but using the process of elimination is how we came up with the tap water. Not sure what else it could be. This happened right after a water change.
It may not be the tap water but using the process of elimination is how we came up with the tap water. Not sure what else it could be. This happened right after a water change.
What brand of salt do you use? It can be a multitude of things, something dripped into your mixing bucket, issue with the salt, and as you said your water.
I would never risk my reef as much as i have in it to city water no matter. Ours water authority tries to keep up but they cant tell us everytime they need to add something
I would never risk my reef as much as i have in it to city water no matter. Ours water authority tries to keep up but they cant tell us everytime they need to add something
Thanks for the info. I just did water changes in my 4 tanks this past Sunday morning with Bethel tap water without any issues - no film on the surface and fish/inverts/corals all fine in the saltwater tanks.
Not trying to second guess you at all (based on the news reports, I would also suspect the tap water), but is there any possibility that a hand/arm went into your tank after getting soap/lotion/perfume on it? Did you notice any kind of film on the water before putting it in your tank? Did the salt mix as well as it normally does?
I've read various recent reports about quality issues with Reef Crystals (on wet web media, among other places) and am wondering if maybe something in the salt caused it? If you make a small batch of new water and let it sit, is it making the same film? (Could be tested with tap water vs RO water to see if there's a difference.) I'm also currently using Reef Crystals, for what it's worth.
Not trying to second guess you at all (based on the news reports, I would also suspect the tap water), but is there any possibility that a hand/arm went into your tank after getting soap/lotion/perfume on it? Did you notice any kind of film on the water before putting it in your tank? Did the salt mix as well as it normally does?
I've read various recent reports about quality issues with Reef Crystals (on wet web media, among other places) and am wondering if maybe something in the salt caused it? If you make a small batch of new water and let it sit, is it making the same film? (Could be tested with tap water vs RO water to see if there's a difference.) I'm also currently using Reef Crystals, for what it's worth.
The problem is it can be a hundred different things. The best things are eliminate. Like jverbosk said, mix up another batch see what happens.
You should always test your water after mixing it before putting it into your tank (but who does this)
The salt can cause issues in film as I see this all the time with various salts, however its never had a negative effect on a tank to my knowledge.
Everyone's results will vary, so while person A it works great for person B just killed of their entire tank doing the exact same thing. That is why you get so many varying opinions.
I would definitely go the way of an RO no matter what.
On the tank you had issues with how many gallons did you change at once? How long did the water sit? Did it have a powerhead / heater? Covered?
You should always test your water after mixing it before putting it into your tank (but who does this)
The salt can cause issues in film as I see this all the time with various salts, however its never had a negative effect on a tank to my knowledge.
Everyone's results will vary, so while person A it works great for person B just killed of their entire tank doing the exact same thing. That is why you get so many varying opinions.
I would definitely go the way of an RO no matter what.
On the tank you had issues with how many gallons did you change at once? How long did the water sit? Did it have a powerhead / heater? Covered?
mikesin
New member
One more thought, do you dose kalkwasser or 2 part solution? Sometimes they can leave a residue. Regardless, I'd still get a RO/DI system just to remove all doubt of what is being introduced into your tank. I've had good dealings with the filter guys as well as bulk reef supplies.
Good luck
Good luck
Stray32
New member
Does the "film" you saw look oily? If so, I would say that something ended up in either your salt mix or your bucket. Even crappy tap water doesn't leave an oily film on the water.
Depending on your tank size and frequency of water changes, you can get by with RO or distilled water from Walmart. It was 79 cents per gallon when I used it. You will, however, within a year, pay for an RO/DI system by doing this, so I would just get one. Bulk Reef Supply has a 75 GPD model that is reasonably priced and works great, it's what I use.
Depending on your tank size and frequency of water changes, you can get by with RO or distilled water from Walmart. It was 79 cents per gallon when I used it. You will, however, within a year, pay for an RO/DI system by doing this, so I would just get one. Bulk Reef Supply has a 75 GPD model that is reasonably priced and works great, it's what I use.
vlangel
Premium Member
Until you get an RO/DI system you could do more frequent small water changes, say 5-10% weekly. Public water systems use more chlorine and chloramines right after big storms and when they are flushing their lines. Maybe they use other stuff too. I don't have an RO/DI system and I'm hoping that by doing smaller more frequent changes that if the water quality is sub par at any given time, at least my tank is getting a smaller dose. That has worked for me, but then I have mostly softies too.
cloakerpoked
New member
My RO/DI filter was a water general from ebay. I think it ended up running me like $140 for a 6 stage filter...all in all, not a bad price. Make sure you get a pressure gauge on it, as they come in handy for sure. Inline TDS meters are also helpful. A few things to consider...
1. Depending on your water authority, anywhere from 30-70% of your TDS is calcium. We pull it out of our water, just to put it back in. That said, chlorine and chlorimides (which stay in water for 3-6 weeks before burning out) can cause big issues in large enough doses. Elevated Nitrate and Phosphate levels, as well as copper from pipes in the house, and other dangerous to reef life metals can be in your water.
2. I don't risk it, but have certainly seen a lot of people who do without negative effects.
3. I get a film on the top of my water from dosing 2 part if I'm lazy and overdose the calcium without keeping up on my magnesium. I precipitate a small amount of stuff into the water and it accumulates on the top of my tank for some reason. Do you test for magnesium, or use two part?
1. Depending on your water authority, anywhere from 30-70% of your TDS is calcium. We pull it out of our water, just to put it back in. That said, chlorine and chlorimides (which stay in water for 3-6 weeks before burning out) can cause big issues in large enough doses. Elevated Nitrate and Phosphate levels, as well as copper from pipes in the house, and other dangerous to reef life metals can be in your water.
2. I don't risk it, but have certainly seen a lot of people who do without negative effects.
3. I get a film on the top of my water from dosing 2 part if I'm lazy and overdose the calcium without keeping up on my magnesium. I precipitate a small amount of stuff into the water and it accumulates on the top of my tank for some reason. Do you test for magnesium, or use two part?
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