I have a 56 gallon tank and I wanted to see what's the best option in changing the water.. I have a fish store that sells their salt water at $2/gallon.. Am I better off buying the salt water here? I don't have any fish yet or coral, just live rock and sand.. I have done my first water change.. I used tap water and added Aquasafe water conditioner.. I have the salt mixture which I have they mix for 24 hours before adding it to the tank.. Before the water change, it had been three weeks and all my levels were perfect. Now, all my levels are off. Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite. I wanted to know if any one had any suggestions.. Thanks!
Water changes
- Thread starter JGARCED1
- Start date
cloak
New member
Fishguy622
New member
$2 a gallon is too much, I only paid $1 a gallon before i bought my first ro/di unit.
Wow thanks a lot.. Tons of info there.. Really appreciate it
Yea I'm hearing about the $2 being a lot from multiple people.. I want to buy my own RO unit but I don't know how it works.. Which ones to look at.. How efficient they actually are.. How to install.. How long it takes to fill a gallon.. Etc.... I've looked at videos and tried reading reviews but some contradict one another.. Some look simple to install while others make me feel like I should be a master plumber..
I've had the tank cycling for 6 weeks now.. I've changed the water once after the 3rd week.. I'm told I should do it every three weeks while its cycling.. I'm up for another water change according to that.. Just trying to figure out what's the best option for me
FindingEmily
New member
My Ro/Di unit is from BRS. It was the easiest thing to set up, and I know nothing about plumbing. I have the intake line hooked up to the faucet in one of my bathrooms, the waste water line just drains into the sink and the good water drains into my bucket. Easy peasy.
Thanks for that! I really appreciate it.. I'm going to look into it.. Anything to make this easier for me.. I'm all for it!
Psychomantix
New member
Prices vary depending where you live as well, but it is usually cheaper to get an RODI unit and make your own water if you plan to staying in the hobby for the long term.
JohnnyHildo
Member
i just added mine on friday and if you can imagine, mine didn't come with any instructions haha!
honestly it took a few easy to find water fittings, some teflon tape and the patience to look into a couple videos to see what hose did what. 120 gallons of water later and my tank is starting it's maiden voyage!
honestly it took a few easy to find water fittings, some teflon tape and the patience to look into a couple videos to see what hose did what. 120 gallons of water later and my tank is starting it's maiden voyage!
Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
The Fliter Guys, Spectrapure Or Buckeye Hydro, all sponsors here.
Any one will help you get what you need.
Any one will help you get what you need.
I'm loving it already and all I've done is let the tank cycle.. One of my live rocks had some type of coral inside and it's beginning to grow.. It's amazing.. I'm looking forward to many more years of this
That sounds great.. I figure I'll spend more than that in two months if I buy water in my local fish store..
FWIW I've been using tap water for about 17+ years now without any problems. (go figure) RO/DI is definitely your best bet, but there's more involved in keeping a happy healthy reef tank for years on end then the water.
Thanks for that! I like your set up!
Wow thanks for that info!
Martini5788
New member
I have a brs unit, just hooked it up to my sink. I used to have an aquatic buddy that was attached to my hose outside, don't get that one though, it sucks. The good units are pretty big though, so keep that in mind.
Thanks for your input
Saltwaterw
New member
I got the basic 4 stage BRS unit ($130 bucks or so) due to higher phosphates/chloramines in my tap water and I didn't want to make weekly trips to the lfs for water.
Since I'm in a warm climate I just carry it out onto the back patio and connect it to the hose bib each weekend or so using the screw on hose bib connection that comes with it. Just like hooking up a garden hose. I set my 10gal salt mix bucket next to it, drop the blue RODI out line in it and turn the water on for couple of hours while I'm doing other things. The black waste line gets tossed out into the grass/planter to water it.
Then I'll fill up another 5 gal large container for top off water and put it away.
Beginners get overwhelmed watching videos of installing them it into your plumbing and sewer lines with float valves etc vs just setting it out next to a hose bib as needed and filling up a bucket. Yea, eventually you may want to integrate it inside if you're doing 30-50+ gal changes, but not for first timers and smaller amounts IMO
If you're in an apartment etc there is a sink connector that slips on just as easy and you can just set the waste drain hose into the sink.
Since I'm in a warm climate I just carry it out onto the back patio and connect it to the hose bib each weekend or so using the screw on hose bib connection that comes with it. Just like hooking up a garden hose. I set my 10gal salt mix bucket next to it, drop the blue RODI out line in it and turn the water on for couple of hours while I'm doing other things. The black waste line gets tossed out into the grass/planter to water it.
Then I'll fill up another 5 gal large container for top off water and put it away.
Beginners get overwhelmed watching videos of installing them it into your plumbing and sewer lines with float valves etc vs just setting it out next to a hose bib as needed and filling up a bucket. Yea, eventually you may want to integrate it inside if you're doing 30-50+ gal changes, but not for first timers and smaller amounts IMO
If you're in an apartment etc there is a sink connector that slips on just as easy and you can just set the waste drain hose into the sink.
