What problems did you have when using tap water?

[Kungfukid]

Hi
Who in here had bad experiences when using tap water in your reef tank. What problems did you have when using tap water. Did those problems go away after you made a switch to RO/DI?
I have never used tap water ever since I got my foot wet in this hobby (always started with ro/di) so I have no experience with tap water whatsoever. I really like to know from those that have used tap water.
Your inputs and comments would be much appreciated.

Please do not comment if you have never tried tap water. Also please do not comments just because you hear from your reef friends said he was having this and having that when using tap water.

Thanks

Kid

 

[P-Nut]

I always used tap water and my dad has been using tp water for over 15 years. Both for Fish only tanks and reef tanks.

Neither of us never had a problem.

My girlfriends brother also uses tap water for his reef tank.

Note: I also change between 10-15% of the water every week. My dad changes 10%. No matter what you have, water changes are still the best way to filter your water.

 

[Nawt2tawl]

I also use tap water. Had no issues just add some prime to get rid of all the toxins. Fish and corals are very healthy.

 

[seapig100]

Same here tap water.

 

[animal877]

i used to use tap water and added drops to it just to remove chlorine and some metals. i currently use ro water and i do c that my corals look better with ro water. but its also big impact on where you live. some places are much healthier then other. for example i live in groton and we have had copper in out water which is a reef killer there are some places with alot cleaner water so it may work for some but not for others. my friends tap water has a yellowish tint to it (idk y) but i wouldn't ever use that in my tank. personally im a ro person i feel if you can get it then use it. but honestly its all on where you live. just giving my experience hope it helps

 

[Trevor]

I've personally used tap water for about a year and never had any adverse effects on my reef. I have a well so i believe its good water, although i've never tested for anything

 

[JasonandRay]

I've been using RO/Di and i am very interested in Sending a Sample of framinghams water into a lab to be tested.

 

[Flame Angel]

Before I found this forum four years ago I never used anything but tap water. Now I am talking all the way back to 1982 where I lived in Wilmington, which was next to Woburn. The water smelled and tasted funny.
Fish would die immediately or in a few weeks. We did not have skimmers back then and corals were very expensive and not even considered being kept in a tank at that time.

Back in 2000 when I started the tank up again the stores sold filtered not RO or RODI water. I started using water I filtered through my Brita filter. I would have Hugh brown/red algae and diatom blums. Some fish would keep for a period of time and corals and skimmers were just starting to come about.

Now about 2008 we started the tank back up with just RODI water and the tank as a whole is much cleared, minimal algae issues and same fish going on about three years...knock on glass. Still no use of skimmer as I have no corals yet. Just not quite ready to take that financial jump/investment yet.

So you judge. That is about 30 years experience in what has worked poor, better and best for me. I will agree that it is possible to have good well water, but without testing your well first you will never know. Most wells are contaminated with heavy metals and ecoli depending on the type of well.

The hobby is a huge investment. Choose your tools well. Do not be cheap about your equipment.

Been there and done that. You get what you pay for usually, unless you are very handy.

 

[FinsUp!]

I've used tap water to top off in a pinch when I can't make it to the store to buy RODI (or when they're out) and haven't had any issues from it.Then again, Leicester's town water is pretty good... pH 7.6, calcium around 440, trace nitrates/nitrites... The only "bad thing" about it is that it does have trace amounts of phosphate. Less than .25 ppm though. I do use RODI for all my water changes though...

 

[SaltCreep]

When my RO unit is down I have used tap water.

Tap water here tends to have a brown tint to it that becomes more obvious when viewed in a white bucket. The water in Cambridge was even more brown than here.

Corals SEEM to be happier with RO....but that could be in my head.
Algae seems to be less of an issue when using RO as well.

 

[dannyp02908]

I used tap water for over 15 years on freshwater and the last 5 years on my marine tanks, bot fowlr and reef. Never had any issues. Tap tests about 160 TDS but I don't have a clue what the solids are. No issues. Ill be very honest. I have 2 RODI units. One is hooked up right behind my tank. I rarely use it.

 

[stingythingy45]

HA out the wazzooo.And diatoms that would not go away.Tap water is for rookies.
I would never,ever use tap water.

 

[Km2]

Back when I had a fowler tank I used declorinated tap water for top-off / water changes. The fish were fine but I had diatom blooms often. The Diatoms started to go away when I began to switch over to RO water.

 

[mnavick]

HA out the wazzooo.And diatoms that would not go away.Tap water is for rookies.
I would never,ever use tap water.

Couldn't agree more.
For 6yrs I used tap water both in Worcester (city water supply) and in Spencer (Well). Could never rid my tank of Hair Algae (HA) and Diatoms. About a month after weekly 20% water changes with a RODI unit all disappeared. 6 more years later I would never think about going back!!

 

[STiTCH87]

I've used tap water here in Dighton where we have VERY clean water, and had immense algae outbreaks and unhealthy corals. RO/DI fixed that issue along with a few other husbandry changes.

The way I see it, even at a stoore 50cents per gallon RO/DI and $1 a gallon premix. Even cheaper if you have an RO/DI at home.

To have thousands of dollars worth of money invested into a fishtank, and then skimp out on the very least expensive part of the hobby would be just absolutely ridiculous to me.

The newer members with basic tanks and little experience or pricey corals and fish may tell you they get by with tap, but the people here here with the best tanks, the nicest corals, the years of experience, and the healthiest and husbandry techniques, would never even think twice about putting tap in their tanks.

 

[beelezebubba]

fwiw, worcester adds an orthophosphate and i'm guessing some kind of complexed phosphate to prevent copper and lead corrosion of the pipes. orthophosphate is at ~.6 ppm, total phosphate >1 ppm. pretty major reason not to use tap water.

another good reason not to is stability, even if your tap water is pretty good. say the city decides to flush the fire hydrants or something on the day you want to do a water change. or seasonal chemistry variations in the water supply.

for all the money we spend on our tanks, 100-200 bucks is cheap insurance.

 

[Kungfukid]

Thank you everyone for sharing these great experiences. These sure are great to know and worth to take note. hopeful this will come helpful to newbies or those who wonder what can RO/DI help their reef tank

Thanks

 

[firstimer]

it REALLY depends how good your city water is.. could be great in my town but deadly in yours.

 

[dannyp02908]

Lol at tap water being for rookies. Also lol at using tap for newb tanks with low cost corals. Maybe being able to maintain a clear tank with tap is saying something. I don't have a low tech tank and I am most certainly not a newb. I keep SPS, LPS, softies, nems, and clams. No issues. No diatoms. No hair algae. My corals have great polyp extension. I have a 110 tank. So not small either. I have a RODI unit. So it doesn't even come to cost as much as it does the huge amount of time.

 

[STiTCH87]

Lol at tap water being for rookies. Also lol at using tap for newb tanks with low cost corals. Maybe being able to maintain a clear tank with tap is saying something. I don't have a low tech tank and I am most certainly not a newb. I keep SPS, LPS, softies, nems, and clams. No issues. No diatoms. No hair algae. My corals have great polyp extension. I have a 110 tank. So not small either. I have a RODI unit. So it doesn't even come to cost as much as it does the huge amount of time.

Your post is so confusing and contradicting that I can't tell if you DO or DON'T use tap and if you say its fine or not...
You say you laugh at people who say tap is no good, and then you continue to say you have an RODI unit. So what are you trying to say here? We're all lost.

Regardless, if you're using tap water in a reef tank, you're husbandry skills are foolish. Again, like said before, skimping out on the CHEAPEST thing in your tank aside from maybe food, is ridiculous.