Wow, JP water is this bad ???

[uhupong]

I check my tap water today for the first time after the water incident in boston.

Amonia is amazingly present and high. May be it is time for me to consider RO system for my house. Is it difficult to install one ? anyone that have one.

Pong


P.S. I'm now a proudly member of BRS. Yeah !!

You guys still mailing our membership card right.

 

[Joel A]

buy an RO system, essential purchase for any reef keeper. In the big scheme of things, they aren't really to expensive to buy, and they're pretty easy to set up as well...

 

[STiTCH87]

You could always make an AmQuel cocktail with your tap water before you drink it... Lol.

I have yet to ever test my tapwater. But then again, I only use tap for dish washer, laundry, and shower/toilet. I'd never drink from the tap no matter where I was.

Ever taste Zero Water? It's delicious.

 

[KSC]

That's a saltwater test kit.....

 

[Turbosnail]

Keep in mind you used a saltwater test kit to do fresh water test you may find that it may come up different with a freshwater test kit.ro units are fairly easy to install.There are enough local reefers to you who would probably come and help set it up.

 

[uhupong]

Nice to know i can't use salt water test kit to test tap/fresh water before I mix salt in to turn it to be "saltwater".

Thx.

 

[Reefried]

......dude ALL tap water is "bad" for a reef tank.........

 

[STiTCH87]

Well you should never use tapwater for your fishtank anyways... Ammonia or not.

If you're putting anything other than RO/DI into your tank, whether for waterchanges or top-offs, then you're asking for trouble in your tank.

 

[Turbosnail]

+1 never use tap water for anything reef or for anything fish related.I thought you were just testing for the hell of it.

 

[STiTCH87]

I wouldn't use it to drink either... Lol.

 

[Turbosnail]

You have to watch out for most bottled water too.Did some tests once and found high nitrates in poland springs.

 

[STiTCH87]

Believe it or not. "Spring" water is often not even from springs. And the ones that are, often are not pure anyways. The only PURE water is zero TDS water.

Poland Spring actually is occaisonally one of the higher TDS "Spring" waters out there. If you Google it you'll find so much about them and other companies.

Even 'Fiji' water that costs like $2 for a 16.oz bottle isn't really pure.

I think they should start selling bottled zero TDS water... Mmm...

Crystal clear icecubes anyone?

Sorry I half-arse high-jacked this thread btw...

 

[newenglandreef]

You have to watch out for most bottled water too.Did some tests once and found high nitrates in poland springs.

was that poland springs distilled or regular? I used PS distilled, now I'm going to have to test nitrates...

 

[zforx2000]

I have always used tap water and have never had any problems. Levels have stayed right on, even during treatments and water bans.

 

[STiTCH87]

I have always used tap water and have never had any problems. Levels have stayed right on, even during treatments and water bans.

You're levels may be fine, but tap water isn't just a matter of Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate.

There are SO many things in tap water that don't belong in a saltwater tank it's crazy.

I am willing to bet your tank grows algae and diatoms like no tomorrow. At the very least, your corals and livestock would be healthier with RO water. And if you have shrimps, their molting can and likely will get messed up using tap.

 

[Bruno]

Believe it or not. "Spring" water is often not even from springs. And the ones that are, often are not pure anyways. The only PURE water is zero TDS water.

Poland Spring actually is occaisonally one of the higher TDS "Spring" waters out there. If you Google it you'll find so much about them and other companies.

Even 'Fiji' water that costs like $2 for a 16.oz bottle isn't really pure.

I think they should start selling bottled zero TDS water... Mmm...

Crystal clear icecubes anyone?

Sorry I half-arse high-jacked this thread btw...

That is incorrect Poland springs is one of the better ones. Dasani water is the worst

 

[STiTCH87]

Yeah that's why I said "occaisionally". Sometimes depending on seasons I believe, their water isn't as pure or something I was told.

Oh yeah Dasani is def. the worst. I heard it was just tap water from Coca-Cola?

Never the less, to put this thread back on track, I would highly recommend you start using RO water for your tank. Or at the very least, "RO Water" from those water market plants outside grocery stores that are like 25 cents a gallon or whatever.

 

[The Ng Thing]

I must say, I'm guilty of using my tap water for all my tanks. I've tested it for S__ & Giggles with my basic tests only to find it looks the same as distilled.

I should also mention our house had something installed on our mainline, it has a sediment filter, carbon and something else. How do you test for TDS...(total disolved solids im guessing?) ... does a sediment filter take care of this? Whats the benefit of these? Is there a downside?

By basic tests I mean nitrates/ammonia... i never bothered to test phosphates because my readings are always in the safe range in my sw tank.

I always hear tap water is bad but mine seems ok... is there something I am missing? If not, the setup we have seems like a good solution to this problem. We also have new plumbing... which may also be a factor.

P.s. to my knowledge I do not think it is a RO system

 

[STiTCH87]

Some people have a bored-line RO system attached to their house. Minus the membrane and DI filter.

It will definitely give you lower TDS readings than your average tap water and yes it will likely also remove ammonia and what not. You could bring a tap sample to an LFS and ask them to do a TDS test maybe?

 

[The Ng Thing]

Does skiptons/underwaterworld do it? If CRA does it, i might just bring it to the meeting.