can i use tap water?

Discussion in 'Salt' started by grmartin2003, Aug 28, 2008.

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  1. grmartin2003

    grmartin2003 Plankton

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    hey guys i always got my salt water from the lfs but my new tank is to big. The guy that sold me the salt told me that i could use tap water and just dechlorinies it. I filled the tank with tap water to see if it leaked and everything is good. Can i go ahead and dechlorines it and poor in the salt? I do not want to waste a bucket of salt. It is a 120 with a 40 sump. thanks:confused:
     
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  3. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    I would never use tap water in a reef tank.
     
  4. rmelvin23

    rmelvin23 Skunk Shrimp

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    I would never use city water in my tank. I will tell you my secret and I know that everyone on here will pull there hair out. I use my well water. I have a extra deep well that pretty much sucks directly from the florida aquifer and have had it tested. It comes with the good and bad. The good is that there are no nitrates/nitrites, chemicals or other bad stuff and it is loaded with calcium and other of the trace minerals that other people with ro/di sytems have to add in. I have never added any calcium, magn, etc. to my tank ever and it is stocked with coral that look good and grow like crazy. The bad is that there are trace amounts of phosphates. With using a phospate filter pad it is under control. I am in no way saying that everyone should use their well water, but if it is good why mess with nature. City water is another story. They have to add lots of things for it to be sanitized for public consumption. Hope this helps.
     
  5. Iraf

    Iraf Snowflake Eel

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    most LFS' have a large loaner system, I'm borrowing a 150g portable silo they have setup to move water to my new 90g basically the way they work it is if you're a regular customer and are buying 50+ gallons of water they'll put it in your truck/suv if you have one and fill it up for you, you just pay for the water another LFS here in town has a simular system that they rent for $35 a day and you can get water from whereever you want that way
     
  6. ptgestimator

    ptgestimator Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    I was horrified to find out my treated city water has 178 TDS and even more alarmed when my bottled distilled water was 60TDS. Now if AIRWATERICE would get me a working unit, I would have 0TDS.

    I would try to find a source of pure water. It can be done with tap but you are introducing a variable into you're tank that could lead to future problems.
     
  7. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    Short answer NO!
    Long answer find aother LFS they like selling problem products I'd bet ! Of you have this algae problem then here try this 10 or 15 times :) Not working ? Huuum well this should do the trick ? Huuum did not work you say ? well hell I know this one will fix it :) It will never stop get a good water filter now and save lots of trouble and money..
     
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  9. schackmel

    schackmel Giant Squid

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    I was so upset when the LFS came out and transferred my75 gallon tank to my parents. I had been working and working on my parents with their old tank on the importance on not using tap water for so long and finally got them to understand when the LFS came out and only brought 50g of water with them:oops:.
    So the remainder was used from the tap. They claimed that they thought my tank was only a 55g, but they just happened to have a bottle of Prime and a bunch of salt with them ::) and then told them to go to the store and pick up some phosban. We went thinking it was going to be given to us for free since it was their mistake, WRONG! I would not allow them to buy it there. We went to another fish store and bought it.

    I would definately not recommend using tap, but what is funny is their tank is crystal clear and my tank right now is battling a bad case of dinoflagellates and cyano :cry:. I have not had the lights on for a couple days and it is gone but as soon as it comes back on.....
     
  10. rmelvin23

    rmelvin23 Skunk Shrimp

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    Do they have well or city water? I have crystal clear water and the only algae I have is coraline in my tank. This is with 2 years of the best well water in the world (my personal opinion). The only problem is that I have to get my well tested often to make sure that it is still usuable in my tank.
     
  11. PharmrJohn

    PharmrJohn The Dude

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    I currently drive 45 miles to my LFS to get RODI water for changes. I used to use tap water until I was taught otherwise. Everytime I go there I get enough for one water change, whether I need it or not. I have 40 gallons stored now. Yippee!!!!!
     
  12. lunatik_69

    lunatik_69 Giant Squid

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    Theres nothing more that I can add to this statement. Luna