Question about using tap water.

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BobboZR2

New Member
Hey guys, in the next few weeks or so I'll be setting up a 12 gallon cube. I'm taking my time trying to get as much info as I can before I start. I was wondering if you could use tap water and a declorinator additive to make your saltwater. I've read about RO devices and such, but I don't know if that's exactly in the budget at the moment. Would tap water be safe? What declorinator additive would you recommend? Is there any other additive I would have to use on the tap water besides a declorinator?

Your answers are greatly appreciated. You guys have been a wealth of knowledge thusfar. Thanks.
 
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cadeucsb

New Member
no tap water... dechlor wont fix all the problems with it. The absolute cheapest is to just buy gallons of generic distilled water. Its usually like 60 cents/gallon and cheaper still if u buy the bigger cube ones that have the lil spicket thing. i usually use about a gallon and a half of top of per week. I have a 96w light over a 10g with no lid in Colorado (dry), so my evap rate is prolly higher than most. In terms of distilled water, my top off is like $1/week.
 
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incysor

New Member
BobboZR2 said:
Hey guys, in the next few weeks or so I'll be setting up a 12 gallon cube. I'm taking my time trying to get as much info as I can before I start. I was wondering if you could use tap water and a declorinator additive to make your saltwater. I've read about RO devices and such, but I don't know if that's exactly in the budget at the moment. Would tap water be safe? What declorinator additive would you recommend? Is there any other additive I would have to use on the tap water besides a declorinator?

Your answers are greatly appreciated. You guys have been a wealth of knowledge thusfar. Thanks.
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To make it short. No. You can not use tap water and dechlorinator like you do with fresh water. There are a lot of additives in tap water besides chlorine. None of them are acceptable for saltwater. There's no chemical additive that will make it safe.

For a nano, just buy RO water, and salt water from your LFS. It shouldn't be more than $1 a gallon. $5 a week for water is the least of your expenses when it comes to saltwater tanks.

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BobboZR2

New Member
That makes sense. I think there's even a water store by me that I could probably take jugs to and get RO water for cheap.

I have another question along the same vein: Can you boil tap water and use that?
 
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incysor

New Member
BobboZR2 said:
That makes sense. I think there's even a water store by me that I could probably take jugs to and get RO water for cheap.

I have another question along the same vein: Can you boil tap water and use that?
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Nope. Other than using an RO or RO/DI system there isn't any way to make tap water 'safe' for saltwater tanks. There are some relatively inexpensive screw-on type RO filters available at some of the chain pet stores, but for the amount of clean water you get out of them they're a waste of money. I do know a few people that normally get their water from the LFS, that have one or two of them in case an emergency comes up and the LFS is closed.

Spring water isn't acceptable. Neither are almost all of the other bottled waters. Distilled is not the same as RO or RO/DI.
The windmill-type machines at grocery stores are ok, if they're serviced properly, but it's a gamble that they're being serviced correctly. I've used them a couple times when I was starting a tank, or moving tanks, but I don't recommend it for ongoing maintenance. Do a search for this on RC, many people have lost the gamble, and had major algae issues for months afterwards.

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incysor

New Member
BobboZR2 said:
How about using something like this?

http://www.petco.com/product_info.a...-39,GGLD:en&q=tap+water+filters+for+aquariums

It's a Tap Water Purifier that they sell at Petco.
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That's the same thing I was talking about in my post above. I know a couple people that keep one for emegencies.

They're just not cost effective. The people I know only get about 30-40g of useable water with each cartridge. $40 to start. $17-$20 per cartridge.

You can get an RO/DI unit that will last you years when it comes to making water for a nano tank for $100. My RO/DI unit with a 4g storage tank cost me about $125 with shipping. My filters lasted me nearly 2yrs of making water for a 55g and 40g tank. When I ordered the full set of replacement filters it cost me $40.

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incysor

New Member
BobboZR2 said:
Also, what are the repercussions of using tap water in your saltwater tank?
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It depends on your local water treatment plant, and what they add and when they add it. The most normal, and mildest problems are going to be centered around major algae blooms. You'll be unlikely to keep inverts alive. They're more susceptible to bad water quality. I've read many cases of fish and corals being killed as well. This is all in normal sized aquariums. In a nano you have much less room for error.

It's a bad idea. Period.

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BobboZR2

New Member
Well guys, thanks for the replies. I went ahead and purchased some RO/DI water from a water store a couple minutes from my house. They will fill a 5 gallon jug for $3. I bought three 5-gallon jugs from them and I got the water for free. Now I'll have 3 jugs handy in which I'll premix my water and save it for my weekly water changes. I'd say $3 a week isn't bad considering the price of everything else in this hobby.

My tank is now up and running with 20lbs of Arag Alive LS and my RO/DI saltwater mix. Again, thanks for the info guys.
 
djconn

djconn

New Member
Well done. I'm glad you did the research before making a huge mistake. Water quality (and the our source of our clean water) is critical to nanotanks.

I do the same thing as you. I fill up two or three 5 gallon buckets every couple of weeks for topoffs and water changes. I'm gambling with the RO water from the "Glacier" water machines out in front of Wal-mart. So far. so good.
 
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Izzue

New Member
bobbo--- Just my 2 cents, Im in the research time for setting up a 12g Nano and water is also something Im looking into.
I found this on ebay this morning and looks like a real nice system for the money and convinence of having good water at your own home :)
RO6100DINT Aquarium, Reef 110GPD RO+DI water system Item number: 4369895193

It costs like 90 + 20 SH , and has a good di system + they sell all the other components and filter off of ebay also.
 
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incysor

New Member
I love my RO/DI setup, but then I'm running several larger tanks. If all I was running was a nano I wouldn't bother. There's a huge difference in hauling 5g of saltwater and 10g of RO/DI water from a store when it'll last me 3-4wks, and having to haul 50g of salt to do a monthly water change and 50g RO/DI for top-off for a month.

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loki

New Member
The repercussions to using tap water?

Just ask me, tank crashes...... :(

I am not a happy camper at the moment. I am seriously thinking about folding my nano experience. It has been great up till now, here in Canada we pay dearly for everything pertaining to salt water. It all has to be shipped in and let me tell you it is a rich mans hobby here.

But I did start with a 10 gal nano 1 1/2 years ago. What I have learned:

-Make sure you have some good lighting even if you are only keeping easy corals the 96watt PC system is nice. I don't have it.

-Make sure you have sufficient live rock for that nice look. I only have 12 pounds. At $11.00 per pound CDN it kills the pocket book.

-Most important, never ever use tap water. I have been using distilled with great results. Use tap water once and you will pay for it. Don't waste your time trying to go the easy way with saltwater it is very very unforgiving.

I am not down to a 5 gal, I moved everything out of my 10 gal and went to the 5. Looks better for the amount of rock I have, my one coralife 50/50 PC 20 watt 10,000K light also looks better and the mushrooms are exploding in size..... :? The only problem is my fish. I have two ocellaris clowns that I just absolutley hate to part with, they are so cute and entertaining but the 5 gal really is not big enough for them. I am struggling with this as to do I get rid of one, all or what.

Anyways, have fun watch your water parimeters carefully and good luck

loki... :smile:
 
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