Water Mistakes?

jeremy79 · 05-06-2007, 05:45 PM

So I have to use tap water for my tank. I buy this chemicle that neutralizes water (rids of phosphates, chlorine, etc.) Is that safe?Not sure if I do this right, but when I change water, I fill up bucket, put in neutralizer, wait 5 mins, then add salt, then add ph buffer to keep ph up. Is that even necessary? Or sould I just put the new saltwater in w/ no buffer? Maybe that why I have deaths? How do other people do it? I have to add calcium also for my coral, getting that up to the right amount. If I am adding new saltwater after a change, what is the correct way to do it? Also, when water evaporates, can I just add fresh water to it and not drop my salinity or just add more salt water? Sorry about all the questions, Im just confused!!!

Kentanner11 · 05-06-2007, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremy79

So I have to use tap water for my tank. I buy this chemicle that neutralizes water (rids of phosphates, chlorine, etc.) Is that safe?Not sure if I do this right, but when I change water, I fill up bucket, put in neutralizer, wait 5 mins, then add salt, then add ph buffer to keep ph up. Is that even necessary? Or sould I just put the new saltwater in w/ no buffer? Maybe that why I have deaths? How do other people do it? I have to add calcium also for my coral, getting that up to the right amount. If I am adding new saltwater after a change, what is the correct way to do it? Also, when water evaporates, can I just add fresh water to it and not drop my salinity or just add more salt water? Sorry about all the questions, Im just confused!!!

ok I use tap water too and so does my LFS owner, wo treatment of anything. We just add .5 cup of salt to 1 gal h2o (different brands say different things) I would wait for everything to settle 1-3 days before adding any supplements (calcuim) when water evap. you just add new fresh water, like in the ocean, fresh water (precipation) is added wo out salt, you dont see a giant hand add more salt lol. PS its ok to have questions its better to have millions of questions and a million dollar tank than to have one question and spend millions of dollars on a dead tank.

Otty · 05-06-2007, 06:36 PM

I would highly recommend you investing in a RO/DI unit ASAP. Why would you want to start adding chemicals to your water before it is even in your tank. You want this to be as natural as possible and adding chemicals is not the answer. There are elements that the RO/DI units gets out of the water that chemicals don't. I think once you start putting good water in the tank it will quit giving you dead fish all the time.
As far as Calcium, if you are having to dose your new water to keep your ppm up then why are you not investing in a Calciuim Reactor. What is your Ca in the tank?? Plus have you checked your new water before it goes in...I have heard of bad batches of salt that didn't get mixed well at the factory. What brand of salt do you use?

jeremy79 · 05-06-2007, 07:17 PM

i use coralife salt and amquel+ to clean out the water since i hear tap water is bad for aquatic life. How much are those filters? As for Ph I worry it will drop when I add the new water to tank so I dose it to keep it the same. And calcium is about 400 now, was 350ish about 2 weeks ago. I just dose it 2x a week per intructions the lfs told me as I didnt know much about corals at the time. I am relatively new to marine tanks and trying so hard to get it working. I am basically teaching myself, along w/ trying to understand what I read on the internet. Then I found this place which has been much more helpful because I can see how many different ways people do things and see mistakes I have done.

omard · 05-06-2007, 07:20 PM

Hi Jeremy,

Whether or not to use tapwater pretty much depends on quality of local water source. If you know it is pretty clean of extraineous chemicals/minerals/metals, you can feel comfortable using it. Many of us do, without ill effect. Just make sure to use a declorinator, which it sounds like you are.

If I feel need to do a large change I get UV treated seawater from local aquarium...nice benefit we in Seattle have.

Never add just mixed water directly to tank...it is highly caustic and can easily cause a fish dieoff.

Let it sit for couple of days and aeroate it with a small airpump before using. You need to get some oxygen into it.

Check salinity at aquarium temp. before adding. If exchange water is cold and you check for correct salinity ---- it will be way high once it warms up in tank.

You should do same (in different bucket/tub) for topoff water - which is always fresh, not salt.

Hope this helps.

Scott

OmarD

Silverdale, WA

dlaclo · 05-06-2007, 08:37 PM

also with so little livestock i wouldnt even worry to much about your ca, you have no snails or shrimp as long as you are doing at the minimum bi-weekly water changes the salt mix u use should be keeping your ca up IMO

nemo79 · 05-07-2007, 09:31 AM

If using tap water I would definitely continue using a water treatment to remove chlorine, chloramine, and ammonia. When mixing your water for a water change you should mix it 24 - 48hrs prior to the water change. Make sure your salinity and temp are the same as the display tanks and make sure you aerate it either with an air stone or powerhead.
When your tank evaporates you don't add the salt to the water, you only add freshwater and if using tap water then treat it with your water conditioner.

RAVEN · 05-07-2007, 12:15 PM

I use tap water in my FOWLR tank and RO water in my reef. I treat all water with Prime or Amquel to neutralize chlorine or chloramines as well as any nitrates. I also use Reef Crystals salt because it has a heavy metal chelator to detoxify any heavy metals in the water, it also has extra calcium and trace elements. I'm not sure if any of this except for the dechlorinator makes a difference but it works for me. I used to use tap water for my reef and havent noticed any difference in my corals by using RO water but I guess it all depends on your local water quality.

coral reefer · 05-07-2007, 02:02 PM

If you don't have any snails, shrimp, crabs or excess coralline algae, a calcium supplement is not necessary! Greg hit it on the nail as a calcium additive is not recommended if you have limited inverts and stonies with calcium carbonate skeletons. You have to becareful with adding calcium as it can deplete magnesium and drop your alkalinity level! PH and alkalinity, and calcium for that matter, need to be tested regularly to ensure the levels are ideal! I would invest in a nice testing kit and for piece of mind, test any additives that you add/dose to your tank!
As for the water change, aerating your water is not necessary for a small water change IMO-if you are however, performing a large water change, or setting up a new tank or upgrading to a bigger tank, then aerating your new water and letting it sit for a day or so will be necessary. So I think I know where Scott is coming from.
I would read a good book on water chemistry to get you headed in the right direction to start! Plus, a good book(and there are a number of excellent books available to choose from) regarding the overall scope of a saltwater tank with regards to lighting, equipment, husbandry, livestock(compatability and husbandry etc.)!
Best of luck!

Twan013 · 06-08-2007, 03:45 PM

wow, i've even learned something here! i don't use RO/DI or tapwater... i buy the gallons of distilled water.. and when i do a water change, i also don't use an airstone/pump.. i usually just pour a little freshwater from the jug, pour in half a cup of salt into the jug, shake it like crazy for about 5 minutes, just to get the salt mixed, and pour it into the tank... been doing this for approx 2 months, and no problems yet! maybe not the most ideal thing to do, considering i'm getting into corals (i don't know what the change in temp would do to them)... oh yeah, when i pour the mixed water into the tank, i try to mix it up; i pour one gallon over one powerhead (so as soon as it hits the water, its automatically mixed in with the water already in the tank), then pour the next gallon directly over the other powerhead, and another gallon, sometimes i pour it while moving it back and forth over the whole length of the aquarium... trying to disperse the colder water/salt as quickly as possible...