Treating Tap Water?

Doo · #1 04-20-2008, 03:02 AM

Hi All

I have read that some reefers (Edmonton) are using tap water treated with "PRIME" and have had good success...

Has anyone tried using the "Super Strength Tap Water Conditioner" made by Aquarium Pharmaceutical??? (pic attached)

I have used this for about 8+ years on all my FW tanks and some of the FW fish I have had were very delicate, yet this product has never failed me on the FW side of things...

If it works on FW does that mean it should work on SW???
I imagine that the removing the chlorine and breaking the chloramine bond should be the same on tap water regardless; however a FW setup may be more forgiving??

I wanted to ask before I mess things up - lol
Please let me know your thoughts??

Thank you

SeaShell · #2 04-20-2008, 03:12 AM

I've used Edmonton tap water for years. The last couple of years I've used Prime with it, but I've used the product you mentioned in the past, too. I found that Prime doesn't cause a problem with my protein skimmer, while some other products tend to cause alot of excess foaming. I don't recall if your product was one of them......

Doo · #3 04-20-2008, 03:20 AM

Hi Shell

I am glad to hear you have used it - aside from the potential of over foaming, it does treat the water from the Chlorine and Chloramine and makes it safe?

SeaShell · #4 04-20-2008, 03:24 AM

Yes, as it says on the bottle.

As a side note, Edmonton uses chloramine to treat drinking water, but not all treatment plants do. Some just use chlorine. It's always safer to use a water treatment that removes both.

kwirky · #5 04-20-2008, 03:47 AM

from experience with calgary tap water and dechlorinators the trouble isn't from the chlorine or nitrates or anything but the increased alkalinity. That's mainly because of calgary's harder water. it's not a real big issue though. keeping SPS in tap water would be a little harder but for most corals and fish it's no big deal.

SeaShell · #6 04-20-2008, 04:31 AM

My sps does just fine..... I know there are people on both sides of the debate, but I'm a tap water user, and I'm proud of it.

Doo · #7 04-25-2008, 02:14 PM

Shell, or anyone else...

What is your process for treating the water before doing a water change???

do you let it sit after you treat?
do you treat before or after the salt?

any detail info would be great!

fencer · #8 04-25-2008, 03:23 PM

Buy yourself an RO/DI unit

Doo · #9 04-25-2008, 03:50 PM

eventually - just not now...

Flash · #10 04-25-2008, 05:16 PM

I salt my water, then put in the PRIME.. never been a problem for me!