tap water

[BROKER]

If your tap water quality is bad and you have a big tank you are better off with a whole RODI. In the long run it will save you money. If you tap water is bad you will be buying a lot of replacemant filters which will end up costing you.

 

[danmhippo]

The salt pellet commonly for water softener are not used directly in "softening" process. Instead, it's used as brine to rinse off the membrane during the flush cycle.

 

[squeezix]

I have heard not to use home water softeners for tanks, but I have nothing to back that up.
I just purchased a 75 Gallon Per Day (GPD) 5 stage ro/di from:
http://www.airwaterice.com
Look at "The Reefkeeper" unit.
I had a very good experience with them, and it was only $155.60 including the shipping. I've seen units like this for between $200-$350.00 online.

 

[danmhippo]

You are right, it's not good......Some chemist can probably explain better for you. Basically, water softener are not RO/DI.

 

[CosmoKramer1]

I just purchased this system very reasonable prices here
http://store.yahoo.com/cetinc/revosfilsys.html

 

[Anonymous]

I have a friend with a whole water softener/filter setup. Can I use the water from this? Because the water goes through the salt for the softener, is it bad for the tank?

I have a "whole house" water softner. The water out of it has a detectable amount phospates (1.0 PPM) and TDS of 357 PPM. I added a 5 stage RO/DI (for under $200, ebay) and the output of the RO/DI has no detectable phosphates and a TDS reading of 13 PPM. And that reading is 11 months after I bought it! That is a 96.5% rejection of total disolved solids. I won't be changing the filter until that reading drops to about 95%!

I believe the water softener makes the RO membrane and filters last longer.

HTH

Louey

 

[squeezix]

That's the ideal setup, bet the initial cash layout was pretty high, though.... 8O

 

[Anonymous]

That's the ideal setup, bet the initial cash layout was pretty high, though....

Yeah, the water softener was easily a couple of grand. I bought it 5 years ago because our tap water is very hard. That was before I got into reef keeping, so I don't have to add that amount to my "$30-$50 per gallon reef price tag. I'm somewhere between there though! :roll:

 

[Mouse]

Mikester, respect to you for posting. Keep it up!

I dont think anyone here hasn't thought about it at one time or another. At least you came for expirience rather than making your own experiments. Thats what its all about.

Reeftanks are defenately Hard water, same as a brackish tank. A water softener would only help out our little amazonian freinds, like the Discuss. In some instances people have to re-mineralise the RODI in order to get the PH & Alk back up.

 

[Mikester311]

Thanks Mouse!!
This is a great forum! Lots of usefull info here too!

 

[bowfront]

You guys are right about algea blooms. I have brown algea poping up all over the place. Mike

Mike, I live in Florida also and the tap wqter here stinks. For one thing its loaded with silica. This is probably what fueled the diatom bloom in your tank. If you go with an RO bite the bullet and get a tag along DI unit to help with the silica. Another way to go here is with natural seawater if you are anywhere near the coast and can collect some thats clean and pollution free. This is plenty of work but some people swear by it. Problem is you are still going to nead quality fresh water for topoff. At any rate use straight tap water to water your flowers not fill your tank next time. 8)