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vangvace 
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 Topic: Utah Tap Water
Posted: June 07 2004 at 10:33pm |
 So how bad is it?
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reptoreef
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Posted: June 07 2004 at 10:42pm |
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Depends on your local water source... check with your particular municipal water source for a result of the lates readings in your area.
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Travis
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 6:00am |
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 6:47am |
Tricky subject. I use my tap water exclusively. Probably add a gallon a day in evaporation loss. However, if you can afford a RO unit, then I say buy one. If you have a tank that is quite void of coral, then use purified water. But if your tank is pumping with coral, algae, sponge, and rock, then I think the small amounts of impurities in the tap water will be consumed.
Adam
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Connie
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 7:08am |
| Adam Im surprised by your answer and I disagree. When you dont use RO water the build up over time of phosphates and other heavy metals are my concern not so much the immediate effects, which would also not be hard to see or maybe would because of the excess algea you get with tap water. Do you run nitrate/phosphate sponge products or any other type of extractor?? |
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I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them.
180 gallon money pit that I love.....
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jfinch
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 7:19am |
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FWIW, I agree with Adam but I use an RO/DI 'cause it's fairly cheap insurance.
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Travis
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 7:36am |
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Tap water IMO is not suitable for reef tanks. If you have a softy tank with a lot of algae you may "get by" with tap.
Edited by Travis
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Jake Pehrson
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 8:48am |
I use tap water in many of my tanks and have an RO unit sitting in my basement.
That said, I think it is best to use RO water (and tell other people to use it), it is the safer way to go. But I am lazy.
 Connie wrote:
When you dont use RO water the build up over time of phosphates and other heavy metals are my concern not so much the immediate effects... Do you run nitrate/phosphate sponge products or any other type of extractor?? |
Connie,
Heavy metals, phosphates, and nitrates can all be reduced, by algae, corals, clams, sponge, etc.
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Carl
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 9:02am |
Activated carbon will also reduce metals and can provide a somewhat consistant 70-95% reduction. If you're running a refugium, phosphates, TOC's, etc can be removed as well.
But, I run top-off and water changes with RO. For the $90 I spent for my little 85-gpd system it is worth not being concerned with the chlorine. Tap water can be and is used successfully.
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In Syracuse
"I believe that forgiving them is God's function. Our job is simply to arrange the meeting." - Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf
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Connie
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 9:02am |
| I realize that but..... When you are putting in more then the tank then it can reduce, you get a build up... right??? |
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I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them.
180 gallon money pit that I love.....
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Connie
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 9:07am |
| Ok, let me add to this. I heard a statement yesterday that I really liked by a fellow reefer when we were talking about this very subject...... "you dont need to ware a seatbelt either, but".... I guess Id rather not take the risk |
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I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them.
180 gallon money pit that I love.....
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 9:53am |
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All I have used for my 1.5 year and half old reef with sps is tap water and I evaporate close to 20 gallons per week. My tap has 0 phosphates, 5.5dkH, and 75ppm Ca.
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ssilcox
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 9:57am |
Well to add my little tap water experience. I was using tap water until about a week and a half ago, when my coral stopped expanding and my zoanthids actually started receding. In an effort to figure out what was going on, I started using RO top off water. Everything (but the zoanthids, for some reason) is coming back better than before. I dont know if Sandy City started dumping something new in their water all the sudden, but I am a convert to the "way of the RO". 
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Jake Pehrson
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 10:11am |
Connie wrote:
| I realize that but..... When you are putting in more then the tank then it can reduce, you get a build up... right??? |
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Yes. This is why RO is the safer way to go (as with wearing your seat belt), but that doesn't mean you can't use tap water and be successful.
As mentioned above it is hard to know what you are putting in your tank if you use municipal potable water.
Edited by Jake Pehrson
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reptoreef
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 11:50am |
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IMO, everybody has a great view on this subject. However, before using your municipal water source, get the test results and what is being added.
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Will Spencer
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 12:42pm |
I use R/O water at home and tap water at my office. Granted the tank at the office is just less than a year old, but I have seen great growth in corals there. Especially my green encrusting gorgonia that is almost a nusiance and the plating Montipora that grew from a 1 inch frag to a Gorgeous 6" set of plates .
I do have problems with algae in the office tank, but it's gotten much better since I added more snails. I also have algae problems at home so I don't know that it's necessarily the tap water causing the problem.
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Connie
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 12:46pm |
I am in a building over 80 years old. The pipes are copper and the water runs out orange.. Needless to say, I dont use the water in the building for anything!!! |
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I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them.
180 gallon money pit that I love.....
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Will Spencer
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 12:52pm |
By the way: Welcome to the Forum Vangvace!!! 
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Carl
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 12:58pm |
wsinbad1 wrote:
I do have problems with algae in the office tank, but it's gotten much better since I added more snails. I also have algae problems at home so I don't know that it's necessarily the tap water causing the problem. |
Do you run a fuge at home? I had bad slime algae issues (slimus algeaus  ) in my little 29-gal I used to have. When I switched to RO, not as many issues. I started and continue to run my 125 on RO and have not had issue one with algae, especially with the massive amount of macro in my fuge.
Connie, yes some trace minerals can build up, as with trace metals. But, I do not think that this is where the danger lies. I would tend to think that the chemicals that the POTW's use to treat our drinking water are the greatest danger. They will adjust dosage based upon levels of organics, bacteria, etc in the processed water. I wish I could remember that funny line from "Waterboy" Ah... I suck at remembering that kinda stuff. I can't remember a joke to save my life. Except for, A bear and a rabbit were taking a  in the woods... The bear turns to the rabbit and says, "Do you have a problem with  sticking to your fur?" The rabbit says "No." So, the bear wipes his with the rabbit.
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In Syracuse
"I believe that forgiving them is God's function. Our job is simply to arrange the meeting." - Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: June 08 2004 at 2:11pm |
Once again, I guess I'll leave Carl's post. Very funny, and so far no complaints.
Adam
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