Tap water?

[demonclownfish]

ok... so im setting up my 120 finally, and i really need to know if i can use my tap water for the initial fill up and MAYBE for waterchanges. i took a sample of it to my LFS and they said it only had a tiny bit of either nitrite or nitrate but everything else was good.

[EMUreef]

ok... so im setting up my 120 finally, and i really need to know if i can use my tap water for the initial fill up and MAYBE for waterchanges. i took a sample of it to my LFS and they said it only had a tiny bit of either nitrite or nitrate but everything else was good.

The thing is that isn't what worries people when they use tap water. Tap water can have chlorine/metals and a whole bunch of other stuff in it that can either kill ur fish or cause problems.

They should have used a TDS meter on it which measures for these things.

[demonclownfish]

The thing is that isn't what worries people when they use tap water. Tap water can have chlorine/metals and a whole bunch of other stuff in it that can either kill ur fish or cause problems.

They should have used a TDS meter on it which measures for these things.

we know it doesnt have chlorine, and all my dad said it has was very low iron. idk how he knows this but the chlorine part is true.

[vittleking]

I have used tap water for the entire 10 months my tank has been going. Everything has been doing well. Had one hair algae bloom but got that under control pretty quick. I would say give it a try and see how it goes. I keep mainly z's and p's, but my LPS are doing well also. Very limited sps, but those are ok also. Just some digi, monti, and spongeodes but all 3 are doing very well. Don't think it would hurt at all to cycle with tap then slowly switch to RO with water changes and top offs. I'm a noob though and still learning, but I have had no problems with using tap for 10-11 months.

[EMUreef]

we know it doesnt have chlorine, and all my dad said it has was very low iron. idk how he knows this but the chlorine part is true.

that may be true, but still a TDS meter will tell you if your tap water is usuable or not.

[vittleking]

I just use a dechlorinator with mine. I have an RO unit on the ready but haven't seen the need yet to use it.

[demonclownfish]

so it seems like itll be ok at least to do the initial fill. by the time i will do a waterchange my birthday will have come and gone so i could maybe get an RO unit then.

[jimsflies]

My advice is no. But I guess people do it (Joe is proof) successfully.

I think it would depend somewhat on the source water...well water or city. And if it's city, is it well or surface water... and what processes they use to treat it.

[demonclownfish]

My advice is no. But I guess people do it (Joe is proof) successfully.

I think it would depend somewhat on the source water...well water or city. And if it's city, is it well or surface water... and what processes they use to treat it.

ive got well water(very far from city lol)

[evodevo]

you might want to check into your water with the health dept i dont think you should be showing any nitrates in your water ???

[Heidi]

DCF I really don't think you should use tap water unless you test for all the metals and there aren't any. I just know from like my moms well her iron is "low" says the people who dug it. But it has a metallic taste to it when she doesn't run her ro.di. Plus I tested my "ro" water I had been getting from the grocery store last night cause my phosphates are on the rise, and it didn't show at zero. I guess you need the "di" part to get all the nasty stuff out. Remember I am new at this so this is just from recent experience. Good luck!
-Heidi

[BeakerBob]

As Jimsflies (a specialist in drinking water) has stated, it depends on the source. Several people have successfully used "tap" water from a well, while others are not able to do so. Every well source water has minerals and, potentially, other undesirable contaminants. Michigan water is high in iron, sulfates and chlorides. Some areas in the state are high in nitrates and phosphates.

Unless you have your water tested, I would not use it in my tank and put my livestock at risk.