Tap water vs. RO/DI water. Why should I use RO/DI

[Vicarious Cynic]

Allright - my tanks been up for four months and all the parameters are stable and in acceptable ranges. (Salinity, PH, Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ca, Phosphate and KH). Notably phospate is 0. Regularly. I keep seeing that tap water has higher phosphate - and still test 0. Now it's just the chemical drip tests - so I'm not sold on the reliability.

 

Now that I actually have stuff in my tank that is cool and I care about, I worry more. My zoa's are all growing, my torch and my candy canes are splitting, fish are healthy, even the clove polyps are fully extended and look cool. Way cool.

 

Here's my question - what the risk - the real risk - of using Eugene Tapwater? Is RO/DI water a necessity, or a nice plus? Forgive my ignorance, or don't, just give me your honest opinions and experience. I prefer the honest truth to a pleasant lie.

 

Thanks in advance. VC

[NoobtoSalt]

What's the TDS out of the tap down there? Here in Vancouver it's up at around 170 tds out of tap.

[ReeFit]

the problem with tap water is you never know what your getting. What if there is floride in your water or copper.

[JimmyK]

Phosphates build up over gradually over time. Softies will be able to handle higher phosphate levels. Watch out for algae. I ran just an RO for many years and did not have any problem until I started with SPS. First I battled hair algae then my PS stsrted suffering and RTN on my SPS was shortly after. There are many ways to have a successful tank. You might be fine forever or years. I like the confidence that my RO/DI provides. One less thing to worry about. For as much as we end up spending on this hobby it is a small investment. Can usually pick up a nice unit used for about $50.00. Why take the risk? Watch for an algae bloom, that would be your first sign. Just keep an eye out for a used unit and then your worries are gone. Goodluck!

[jackaninny]

TDS will also vary during the year. The biggest advantage about using RODI water is that it takes a variable out of the equation - I know my water is 0 TDS every time and I am not introducing anything else into the tank. Also those strip tests are not very accurate.

 

If you are an EWEB customer you can see what is in your water here - http://www.eweb.org/waterquality

[Danik]

Can can use tap water and learn from your mistakes, or just use ro/di water. ;$

[reefnjunkie]

What's the TDS out of the tap down there? Here in Vancouver it's up at around 170 tds out of tap.

 

OMG are you serious-(laugh)

Thats funny the difference in water quality for being so close-(scratch)

Sorry that’s not fair-I guess I am lucky just tested my tap water for S.A.G's and the TDS meter said 9-I have Bull Run water here..

 

 

As far as the question regarding Tap vs RO/DI, I think the finer points have been mentioned enough that really matters and then another thing to consider is if roughly 70-80% of all reefers use RO/DI, I would go with the masses.

 

I bought my RO/DI unit for 55.00 dollars delivered to my door, its portable and I have a dual in-line TDS meter so I can test the incoming water and what comes out- For the small upfront cost its worth it to eliminate the possible contaminates/additives

[NoobtoSalt]

OMG are you serious-(laugh)

Thats funny the difference in water quality for being so close-(scratch)

Sorry that’s not fair-I guess I am lucky just tested my tap water for S.A.G's and the TDS meter said 9-I have Bull Run water here..

 

 

As far as the question regarding Tap vs RO/DI, I think the finer points have been mentioned enough that really matters and then another thing to consider is if roughly 70-80% of all reefers use RO/DI, I would go with the masses.

 

I bought my RO/DI unit for 55.00 dollars delivered to my door, its portable and I have a dual in-line TDS meter so I can test the incoming water and what comes out- For the small upfront cost its worth it to eliminate the possible contaminates/additives

 

Yeah Vancouver water sucks!! I was talking to Dave yesterday at the meeting and he was saying that Vancouver gets their water from 30+ wells all around the city. I was at SWF one time and he tested his tap and it was at 20 ppm. Go figure.. We have the good schools over here and you have the good water...(laugh)

[coralreefer]

You really only have one job....water quality!!! You take care of water, the fish and corals will take care of themselves...

 

RO-DI, RO-DI, RO-DI, RO-DI, RO-DI, RO-DI, RO-DI, RO-DI....!!!!!!!

 

DrMerle

[Vicarious Cynic]

So Google told me that TDS is total dissolved solids. It all makes sense. When I started is was like "Allright, don't have much into it, this should work". Now I have just a bit more into (my greatest fear is that when I die my wife will sell my stuff for the prices I told her I paid for them). RO/DI water takes all the gunk out - whether it's chlorine, flouride, copper or runoff leachate from whatever. Mmmm, Mmmmm, good.

 

Thanks for the input. Sigh. I'll just hook the hose up to my wallet now.

[ReeFit]

Who cares when u die what she sells it for. I'd be more worried about the price she sells it for when she finds out what it cost when your alive.

[Topher]

Who cares when u die what she sells it for. I'd be more worried about the price she sells it for when she finds out what it cost when your alive.

 

are you saying you are living in fear?(wife)(laugh)

[ReeFit]

are you saying you are living in fear?(wife)(laugh)

 

Of course. And I don't think fish like to eat nuts, cause I'm sure that would be the case for me. (scary)

[tigerv503]

Tap water will kill or crash your tank, RO/DI is the only solution!

[Vicarious Cynic]

tiger - that's the kind of comment that got me thinking. But it's meaningless to my mind without REASONS. C'mon I'm not a koolaid drinker. What do you mean? Why will it kill my tank? What about it will crash my tank? Give me information, not emotion!

 

*end rant*

 

Sorry - I worked all day with people barfing ultimatums. I just need information.

[Algae]

Eugene water, in Santa Clara has run around 30-37PPM at my tap. The water source is from Mckenzie watershed which is very good. Over in Springfield their water comes from deep wells and is more likely to contain hard minerals.

Saying that, I like the protection that RODI gives me.

Ebay has Water General RODI units at a good price.

 

You don't have the wallet ATO that came with a reef tank yet?

Once you have the basics it CAN get get easier.

[Danik]

About 5 years ago I moved my tank here from Seattle. I did not have a ro/di water and used tap to set it up thinking it would be ok. In a week my water turned green, it was so green it looked like green pea soup. The light was not penetrating the water and I lost some stuff. No joke.

You have to get all the drugs filtered out from your tap water. Water treatment plants don't do a good job.

[Jules]

I'm no expert but I used tap water in the beginning and just made sure i added the stuff to make it all in check (ph buffer and neutralizer to rid of chlorine) and it went fine. I started buying ro/di water in the 5 gallon jug about 2 months ago to keep from having to add anything to it and still fine, I think it is all a matter of just keepng an eye on your parameters and keeping them in check if anything starts to change. Normal water changes every week. But than again I only have a 12g reef

[jackaninny]

tiger - that's the kind of comment that got me thinking. But it's meaningless to my mind without REASONS. C'mon I'm not a koolaid drinker. What do you mean? Why will it kill my tank? What about it will crash my tank? Give me information, not emotion!

 

*end rant*

 

Sorry - I worked all day with people barfing ultimatums. I just need information.

 

Several people have given solid reasons which seem to boil down to 'you can't be guaranteed what comes out of your tap today will come out the same next week and you can't test for everything from the tap. An RODI unit eliminates those variables from the equation in a convenient device.