Anyone use tap water / water hose for initial fill up?

[ismvel]

I have a RO/DI unit...75 gpd. which would take several days to fill up my tank and sump. Should I fill my tank up with the water hose, or just let the DI at it for the next 3 - 4 days?

Anyone else other thank Erik use tap water for their system, which will eventually be a reef....

Finally got the tank in the house and on the stand...not much for pictures, but will throw some on here eventually...

[MissT]

I've done tap water for customers before, and it turned out okay, but I will say that when filling my personal tank (today) that I used 100% DI water... Better safe than sorry, but I cant say that I've had customers who did this wish they hadn't.
HTH

[jehudson]

I started with tap-water ... major algea problems, couldn't get nitrates down ... switched to RO.

[ismvel]

I did turn the DI on about an hour ago and will throw the rocks in tomorrow...just wasn't sure if I should wait it out or fill it up with the hose....I did test the water from hose, as Erik suggested, and the levels I tested seemed fine (ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites). But I didn't test for PH or anything else.

[MissT]

I definately would agree and reccommend doing all water changes after the initial fill with RO/DI, because of potential algae problems. However, with the assumption that uncured liverock is used in setup, after it's cured a major water change is usually in order, so the first fill is basically throw away water.
For reference, I also use cheaper salt for the first mix also for the same reason.

[ismvel]

Well my rocks have been in the garage curing for a while, and both ammonia, and trites are down to 0 and trates are at 10 ppm.....so I beleive the rocks are good to go....I know I will have some die off while transfer them to the new tank, so I will go through a mini cycle...and how big of a water change should I do after my first time?

[MissT]

If the rock is cured, usually a 20% will do... I like to do a good 50% water change before adding clean up crew, just to get out some nastiness, and give myself a good, solid baseline to get the tank rolling.

[ismvel]

Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the help MissT.

[tattoosmitty]

I use nothing but tap water, always have(reef &FOWLR) with no problems. I have no way to hook up an ro unit so I don't have a choice. Yeah I could go to HEB but thats more work then it's worth in my opinion. I did it for awhile when I have my 58 gal reef but quickly got tired of doing it. Once I stopped and start using tap water everything really started growing...

[tattoosmitty]

What is considered cheap salt? Just wonderin???

[apedroza]

I use nothing but tap water, always have(reef &FOWLR) with no problems. I have no way to hook up an ro unit so I don't have a choice. Yeah I could go to HEB but thats more work then it's worth in my opinion. I did it for awhile when I have my 58 gal reef but quickly got tired of doing it. Once I stopped and start using tap water everything really started growing...

The problem with tap is that unless you have a well for source water you are dumping tons of heavy metals and phosphates into your aquarium. After a while these things will eventually reach the point where you will start to see the undesirables popping up. I ran tap for a while with no ill effects until I started seeing hair algae popping up and was unable to control it. Now all I use is RODI water.

[apedroza]

What is considered cheap salt? Just wonderin???

Usually instant ocean is consierd by some to be a "cheap" salt, but I have used it with no problems.

[MissT]

Yeah, IO is kind of a stand by "cheap" salt. It's not bad salt, just less expensive than a lot of the "reef" salt mixes. If you are dosing and TESTING for what you dose, Instant Ocean makes a great salt because it has less of the trace elements and calcium than some of the other formulas. A lot of reefers like it because it has a little more stable balance of elements in it, when other salts vary from batch to batch. I filled my 115 with DI and used IO for the first fill, but I will be switching to Red Sea Pro, and see how it works out for me. Basically, you find what works for you and what you're doing with the tank and stick with it.
Good luck!

[erikharrison]

To go along with what Anthony said, Ace and I had also had a side discussion about it. RO also gives you a larger margin of error, since you are putting in 0 TDS water. I am sure I'll throw up when I see the TDS of my tap. I do however live in a brand new apartment complex, and I run the water for a little bit before it goes in the bucket. I do not use the outside hose, I use the tub. Again, my apartments are very new. I have contemplated reaching a threshold where the undetected phosphates finally rear their ugly head, but I will be an RO/DI man soon enough. Gotta buy a new unit and some reef crystals. :)

[MissT]

To underline what has been said here, long term use of untested tap water is risky. A lot of major hair algae outbreaks and phosphate problems can be linked to not only using poor quality tap water, but also to people's home RO/DI units that are not well maintained. We all put a LOT of money and time into our systems, and adding tap water without testing it is asking for trouble in the long term. As I said earlier though, IME, using tap for the initial fill and then switching to RO/DI with a quality salt seems to be the way to go if you want to save a little money or time...

[brewercm]

On the up side, with all the added flourine your fish will see less cavities.:bigsmile:

I did use tap for a long time and after changing I did notice a large difference in algae growth. I'm also quite a bit less aggresive with water changes than most though.

[ismvel]

I have decided to go ahead and just use my RO/DI system. That is what it was purchased for (my tanks)....I have waited this long to get it set up, why rush and throw hose water in there? Thanks for all the advice folks....time to start my plumbing....

Speaking of which, how do you all tighten bulkheads? Hand, or do you take a wrench to it? I once cracked a 20 gallon tank tightening them just a "LITTLE" too much...any golden secrets (silicone, wrench, ...... ???? ) to tighten these things without OVER tightening them?
(Bulkhead question moved to http://maast.org/forums/showthread.php?p=588561#post588561)

[greenmako]

Another thing to note, GaryP once informed me that most hoses contain an anti-bacterial to prohibit the growth of nasties in the hose. Since we want bacteria hose water may not be a good solution. I've tried to verify that info online but haven't been able too. Gary, as annoying as it is, is almost always right...lol.
-christina

[dapettit]

Another thing to note, GaryP once informed me that most hoses contain an anti-bacterial to prohibit the growth of nasties in the hose. Since we want bacteria hose water may not be a good solution. I've tried to verify that info online but haven't been able too. Gary, as annoying as it is, is almost always right...lol.
-christina

Please do. I use a small section of 1/2 water hose to transfer my mixed water to the tank (i'm cheap).

Dave-

[MissT]

looks like the bulkhead thing was well covered...

[LoneStar]

This hobby is about taking your time. Don't do a shortcut by adding unfiltered water. Stick with it and use your RO/DI filter.

[Jamie]

I used tap and have major algae problems right now. It also doesn't help that I've got a crappy light set-up and no skimmer...But that will all change in a little bit. I am doing RO/DI water changes though...which should help.

[Jamie]

Also, FWIW, I asked the same question. I have a 150, and have a slow RO/DI. I didn't feel that I had any other choice than to use tap...but based on my current tank scenario (algae), I think if there's a way to use RO on the initial fill-up, I would use it.

[ismvel]

Thanks again for all your suggestions...I am riding it out. The RODI unit going to bew working the issue for the next several days.


This hobby is about taking your time. Don't do a shortcut...
LOL...so many times I have given this advice also....yet here I am trying to rush it....:at_wits_end: