whats the diferance between not using tap water to using tap water?

Mattgesy · #1 12-09-2007, 10:26 PM

whats the differance between not using tap water to using tap water?

i just bought my new 120gal tank, and i was debating this, i am trying to find a good article to read, but i thought it owuld be easier to get all your opionions on the matter

Skimmerking · #2 12-09-2007, 10:48 PM

Well some tap water is good and some is down right awful. Its going to depend on where you live. and where you are getting your waster from. Our waster in Brandon ,MB is the crapps my tds reading is at 700PPM or more. Doug's water 5 mins away is like 300+ so there you go.

\Having a RO unit is good it will take out all the silica's and minerals in the water to allow you to have 98% pure water.

With RO/Di water it will allow you to take out all the bad and give you 99% pure water. keep in mind with RO water if you have a ALK problem in the water it will set you back from the high ALk in the water RO units won't take out the ALK.

With RO/DI it will take out the ALk in the water and it is used mostly by alot of the reefers in this hobby.

here is a small article that i found on oz reef

The abbreviation RO stands for Reverse Osmosis and DI is short of De-Ionisation, which are both techniques of purifying, removing the impurities from, tap water so that it is suitable for use in a marine aquarium. RO/DI is using both techniques, first RO then DI, to obtain the water. RO by itself has difficultly removing some of the ions from the water, so typically that treatment is followed by DI to ensure the last lot are removed.
The difference between RO and DI water is the technique used to remove the impurities/ions. RO uses a semi-permeable membrane which is fine enough so that essentially only water molecules will pass through it. As a result you produce about 3 times as much waste water as purified water. DI uses ion exchange resins, which exchange the ions in the water, such as iron, magnesium, copper for hydrogen and nitrate, sulphate, phosphate for hydroxide. DI is fine to use, and if done correctly is better quality than a straight RO system (without a DI on the end).

Mattgesy · #3 12-09-2007, 11:41 PM

Thanks! thats what i needed

now all i need is to know about lighting to use next stop! lol

Doug · #4 12-09-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mattgesy

Thanks! thats what i needed

now all i need is to know about lighting to use next stop! lol

Have a peek at all the links in our library. Lost of good info there, perhaps some that your looking for.

Skimmerking · #5 12-09-2007, 11:46 PM

its going to depend on what you want to keep in your tank . try to avoid in changing back and forth. with MH you are going to have to worry about heat in a canopy if you are going with a canopy. so your temp in the tank will raise.

the key is to do a search on thenet for MH t'5's or Both... that should help ya out

this should help ya out
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=45

Snappy · #6 12-10-2007, 12:12 AM

Living in Edmonton I would recommend using an RO unit.

Mattgesy · #7 12-10-2007, 12:34 AM

for light i was thinking MH and powercompacts, becuase i dont want to have to worry about if i go shopping and find a coral i like being oh do i have the right light for that, so on so forth

and i was thinking of an RO unit too

Thanks everyone, any other suggestions? lol

Skimmin · #8 12-10-2007, 01:08 AM

When it comes to water and lighting it's tough to say what is right or wrong. I will give you my scenario as one example. I live outside of Edmonton and I do NOT trust the well water out here (even with an ro/di unit). So every week or two I haul water in 5gal buckets from where I work (Morinville but Edmonton city water). I circulate my fresh water in a rubbermaid container and only add Prime (3 times the recommended dosage) to treat my water. I have never had any problem with phosphates, ammonia, hair algae or any other potential water quality issues. Another aspect that may help to keep my tank free of water quality issues may potentially be the large refugium built into my sump(I'll never have a tank without one because it offers so much extra biological filteration) So in my scenario I just keep using tap water with Prime. I have also never needed a phosban reactor or any other fancy equipment to keep my water in check(although I am looking into a calcium reactor for Ca and Kh stabillity). Like I said before, this is only my scenario so I'm not saying right or wrong. As for lighting if you want the allround most versatile lighting you may want to look at a halide/t5 combo. I have a halide/powercompact light right now but I am in the middle of upgrading to a halide/t5 set up(in canopy)My tank is also a 120gal and with @ 150w halides and 2 96w pcs it is plenty of light for soft corals and LPS but I find it is somewhat lacking for some SPS. Typically with most of the tanks in the tanks of the month pictures, they are running high power halides (250w,400w with t5s/pcs) unless it is a soft coral and lps tank. Just my 2 cents.

mark · #9 12-10-2007, 01:09 AM

Not sure if this guy will be selling hardware but has ro unit in his sig.

Mattgesy · #10 12-10-2007, 01:58 AM

I never thought of that, putting water in a rubber maid. i am currently turning my office into a part fish room, since my new tank is going to be in the living room and i dont want everything in my living room. i am so excited! lol
there is a lite set i am looking at on aquagiants that i like and seen in use, i was going to get one from JL A. but! i hate not seeing it, and not knowing how it looks in person....
i have worked in petstores for 11 years and any place i worked that had saltwater they just used right from the tap, hence why i asked

now i work at a vet clinic, and miss my saltwater and again hence why i had toget another one

WEEE whos exciting! ME ME ME! lol
Dork! lol