Tap Water Newb question

What should i check in my tap water to see if its good? If thats the right term to say. Im saving up for an ro/di unit right now but iv been using tap and not seeing any algae outbreaks, so maybe my tap water is better filtrated then some peoples? I dk should i check for ammonia and nitrates? thanks.

 

You wont see ammonia and nitrates from the tap water--buy a TDS meter--(Pretty cheap). Then test your tap water for Total Dissolved Solids. You want to be as close to 0 as possible..My Tap water usually is around 280-325ppm before it goes into my ro/di.

 

Alright cool thanks! were can I buy a TDS Meter?

 

You won't see ammonia, at least with a standard test kit, but you should test for nitrates. My tap water has about 20ppm of nitrates. You do want to test for total dissolved solids, but some aren't so bad while others are. You may have Ca and Mg in there, along with Fe and CaCO3s. You could also have other heavy metals such as Cu and Ar. I think it would be more important to know exactly what's in the water than just the TDS. If you have public water, you should be able to call the water company or county to get an analysis of what's actually in the water.

 

i wouldn't use tap water if i were u. your lfs will most likely have r/o water for like .25 cents. heavy metals are very bad for your inverts. most fish are not as sensitive. for now as your tank sits i agree with robman as long as you dont mix tap water after you start thinking about getting coral and test test test before you do add any. good luck

 

Dang, Alright I wish money will grow on trees! Hah Now i just need to find a good cheep ro/di unit.

 

REEF AQUARIUM WATER FILTER 75GPD RO DI REVERSE OSMOSIS - eBay (item 250421440765 end time Jul-08-09 05:03:55 PDT)

 

wow Rob, Thanks dude. That will fit my budget.

 

i just got a 6 stage ro/di 100gpd new off ebay for $125.00 free shipping . its on buy it now for that price!!!

 

you wont regret it IMHO

tapwater in my experience can vary on a weekly basis , during a drought season for example when water stocks are low, they add extra chemicals to compensate for the fact water from closer to the sediment is being drawn off

people can have algae issues using RODI water if they dont control the source of nutrients in the tank - when the water being used to start with or used to top off with is of a " questionable" status , these problems get worse IME

Steve