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Old 02-27-2008, 06:13 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Default Tap water

As I've been reading around the net and figuring out what's wrong and what's right. I've been seeing a lot about R/O water and how to go about obtaining such equipment to have resulting clean water. What I was wondering is if one could go about use straight tap water and treat it with water conditioner that eliminates chlorine and chloramine (for example, Kordon NovAqua+). I've been looking at prices for R/O units and they kind of run out of my range. Any other water purifying ideas?


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29g tank/10g sump/Mag3 return/45lbs LR/AquaC Remora Skimmer/PO4 and Carbon reactor/150W Heater/4x39W T5HO lights/2x Hydor Koralia 1
Livestock: percula clownfish, lawnmower blenny, purple firefish, various hermits, Trochus snails, nassarius snails, fighting conch, an emerald mithrax crab, Tree Coral (Lemnalia), GSP, frogspawn, monti cap, candy cane coral, open brain, t. maxima
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Old 02-27-2008, 06:17 PM   #2 (permalink)
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Yes you can, but I dont recommend it, its not the same. Try this place for R/O units.purewaterclub*com


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10 yr old system, 90g Corner-megaflow DT, custom 55g sump/refug, 692w lighting, Mag-18, AquaC EV 180, AC-Jr, Pin-Point Cal monitor and too many corals and fish to list. Happy Reefing
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Old 02-27-2008, 07:07 PM   #3 (permalink)
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thanks, i appreciate it!
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Old 02-27-2008, 07:31 PM   #4 (permalink)
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I think in this hobby if you can't afford some basic necessities, it might be best to wait it out until you can. This might not be the pasttime to start on a shoestring budget. If you skimp in the beginning, oftentimes you'll be paying for it later by being forced into buying what you should have in the first place.

Here's a basic example. Say for instance you invest in great lighting, but you don't get an RO/DI setup. Instead you decide to use water conditioner that's $10 a bottle at say, two bottles a month. Ammonia, nitrite and chloramines are no issue, just as the product promises. However phosphates from your tapwater aren't removed by this product, and lo and behold, after about six months you develop a tremendous hair algae problem.

You read around and out of desperation you purchase 30 snails for $60 bucks. Then you hear that there's this miracle liquid out there that will solve the problem for about $40 in treatments. There went $160 bucks that could've gone towards that RO/DI setup.

A phos reactor and really good protein skimmer can be $40 and $400 respectively. A decent RO/DI setup can be had for $169 if you shop around. If you purchase these three things in the very beginning, you're guaranteed an easier go at it. Another plus is the wonderful lack of expensive fires that require immediate extinguishing.

Patience is the key here, if you can scrape up some funds over time and THEN start this whole ball rolling, you'll be glad you did.

Good luck, ermano!


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90G display tank. Kent Phos Reactor running carbon and ROWAPhos, Coralife 225 Skimmer. Wet/Dry converted to 10 Gal Sump w/ auto topoff float valve connected to Typhoon 5 Stage RO/DI. Little Giant inline (external) return pump. Coralife 2x250MH, 20K + 2x96W PC Actinics, Ecotech Vortech propeller pump, Hydor Koralia #2, and #4.
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Old 02-27-2008, 07:40 PM   #5 (permalink)
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diddo on what reefsparky said!!!


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Old 02-27-2008, 07:50 PM   #6 (permalink)
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+3 on what Reefskarky said. Short and sweet and to the point. This is not a hobby to cut corners on, it will only give you trouble later on.


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Old 02-27-2008, 08:26 PM   #7 (permalink)
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I used tap water for more than 6 months...huge mistake. Tons of algae, problems with Ich, fish dieing. Don't do it. Spend the $80.00 or so and get the RO/DI filter lunatik recommended. I bought one a week ago and it works great.

It's making water right now in my garage as I am typing this.

Invest in good lighting too, another big mistake I made.

Here's an article I wrote on my blog that talks about the 6 essential items you need to be successful in saltwater. Without these, you'll have problems.

Good luck! If you have questions on the RO/DI filter, feel free to PM me.


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Tank: 75g glass, AquaC Remora, Eheim Ecco Canister filter, Odyssea (2x250W MH, 4x65W actinics, 6 LEDs), 80lbs of live rock
Critters: 2 false percula clowns, blue damsel, lawnmower blenny, squirrel fish, 2 anthias, flame hawkfish, copper banded butterfly, coral banded shrimp, cleaner shrimp, fighting conch, condy anemone, and lots of misc snails
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Old 02-27-2008, 09:08 PM   #8 (permalink)
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It depends on the tap water. Some areas have really clean tap, and some people have yellow tap.
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Old 02-27-2008, 09:27 PM   #9 (permalink)
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If nothing else, buy the TDS meter that purewaterclub sells (the ebay store that luna mentioned). It will either convince you to buy one of their inexpensive RO/DI units or to use your tap water. And cost less than $15 shipped.

Where I live, our county touts the cleanest of tap waters, which by tasting it compared to others when traveling, I agree. Though, when I was topping off my tank (granted it was still quite young <2 months), it resulted in an incredible diatom blume. Just something to consider.
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Old 02-27-2008, 09:50 PM   #10 (permalink)
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I would first test your Tap water for: Phosphates, silicates, TDS, nitrates (macro nutrients of algae) before you decide to invest on an RO... it may not be worth the cash.
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