A returning reefer with questions about water

[Great Scotch]

Hi all,

It's been several years since I had my last tank. I haven't even checked to see if my old pics are still up from when I was last on but... I'm making a new setup!!! Very excited. I had a 46 bow, hang on back filter and skimmer, and t-5's. I'm now going to be setting up a 125gal tank. FOWLR setup with cheap, pretty, and aggressive fish. Thunderdome meets Joseph and the technicolor dream coat::. Anyways I am setting up my basement and I am going to run through a wall behind the tank into a separate room where I shall setup the old 46 as a fuge.

I'll be posting more specific threads about that later. Today I wanna know about:. ~WATER~ :.since that's my start besides equipment. RO DI waters and straight from the tap.
Chemicals, Reactions, Dangers, Pro's and Con's ,and estimation of use for a tank this size. If you have any info about where to purchase I ask that it be online purchase through dealer websites only not from anyone within the forums selling personal items.

Also, I would like information for live rock ratio and an estimation of sand that would be appropriate for a tank this size with a moderate amount of fish. We'll say dead on to just under fish to water ratio.
I currently have a HOB CPR bak-pak 2 skimmer with stock motor. I'll check to see what it's gal's per min later but tell me how much more I'll need. I have some awesome canister filters that I got for free....like the tank...and stand...and lights...AWESOME I KNOW!!....ok anyways these are a 3-4 stage filter systems and about 12x12x15 to give an idea of what they are like. I have two plain white led lights ( I have no idea what brand they are) 1 for each half of the tank.

I'm going to be drilling and construction my live rock. Tell me what type of compound would be suitable for a Salt tank. How about the effects of wood in a salt tank also? ph I figure is the biggest factor.

Thanks for all your time folks

 

[dannyp02908]

For a rodi, buckeye hydro is a good choice. Russ is very helpful and will take the time to talk to you about your needs without trying to upsell things you don't need.

Chems. A good salt to start. If you are going to do fish only, then instant ocean is fine. I really wouldn't worry about much else in fish only.

 

[William]

I second Russ at Buckeye Hydro for an RODI system that works- really good customer service before and after the sale which I find to be sadly rare nowadays.

 

[Great Scotch]

Has anyone sustained a tank with tap water and chems sucessfully? I'm wondering if I really need to get a RODI system or not

 

[choff]

Considering the cost of these systems purchasing a RODI is just a no brainier to me. A few times I lost track of my RODI filters and I did WC with just 10 TDS water and the algae blooms I had to deal with were noticeable. I shudder to think what would happen using my raw 143 TDS water. I suppose not all TDS is equal and would depend on the quality of the raw water, but I'd simply have to ask why risk the single most critical component of your system?

 

[nemodan]

Has anyone sustained a tank with tap water and chems sucessfully? I'm wondering if I really need to get a RODI system or not

Yes! !! From 2003 till 2006 I had to move to another home. I had a FULL 90 G fill to the top with corals and a few fish. Most softies and LPS. Pembroke town tap water. Used Instant Ocean and every weekend I was changing 10 G. With the water from Pembroke I never had an issue.

 

[dannyp02908]

I've done it. Did it for several years. But. I wouldn't do it again. Even if you can keep up on the nutrients, there are other things that make up tds. Some of that is heavy metals that can be harmful to tank inhabitants over time. Water evaporates. Tds doesn't.