NYC tap water, no skimmer, Nano!

[Chiefmcfuz]

Do you test for copper?

 

[Wes]

copper and chlorine/chloramine would be my biggest concerns.

 

[clownfishking]

That's the best tapwater i've ever seen.

 

[CHEMCHEF]

I am reading this and pulling whats left of my hair out.
It took me two full days to fill my 72 with RO. I have used stricktly RO for WC and top off, and my tank has algae, cyano and I have flow like a tonado in there.
However, my AP24 was stared with petco NSW, and ro for Top off and WC, and I have never seen algae in the tank. there is also no skimmer on the ap.
I dont think that there are set rules in this hobby. I think people put too much stock in "the rules" and I am also starting to think that the only no fail plan is NSW, even local NSW, like in my 6 gal at work. No algae, or any problem at all using murky bay water from day one.
JMO

 

[Matorral]

I dont test for copper or chloramine. But I leave my water circulating with a water pump for 24h before adding to the tank, that should get rid of chloramine.

 

[prattreef]

No chloramine in NYC tap. Chlorine yes. FWIW my TDS in Brooklyn as of right now is 45 which is a touch higher than usual. NYC water is generally very low in TDS, but VERY high in sediment which is why filters clog so quickly.

 

[Matorral]

fernandokng: so i tested a new batch of water that i just prepared with instant ocean, and phosphates are 1.5, but my tank level is still 0. Ill let you know when my LR and sand becomes saturated with PO4 and the algeae start to grow wild. Then ill swith to a fish and algae only nano, I suppose....

 

[BZOFIQ]

I saw TAP water in the subject and knew I had to stop by. I just posted pics of my 135G tank at this thread, all using TAP water.

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...7-conversion-freshwater-couple-questions.html

 

[Matorral]

Hi xoomercom, for how long have you had your tank on NYC tap water? Mine is 6 month, Im wondering how long to expect it to be well before the PO4 start rising (reaching the maximun absorbtion by the LR/sand??) My feeding is like yours, very minimal, and little by little. My fish is already trained, when I open the top he comes to the front to wait for the food, and he catches everything that goes down. On the weekend I go to Manhattan and dont feed at all. Hope Im not getteing charged for fish abuse, or negligence.

 

[BZOFIQ]

THe pictures I posted were of a 135 Gallon I've had for about 3 years. It was actually doing better with age due to the fact that it was a well established system with both beneficial fauna and flora. The 180G is up for about 5 months now. I'll post pics soon.

Before that I had a 30 long just sitting on the floor that I got from a friend. The rocks and everything was covered in cyanobacteria and alge when I picked it up. I kept it on the floor for about a year. Water changes were done...you guessed it using TAP water and weeks after bringing it over the algae dissapeared. Had the tap water been so detrimental to it, it would have never been cleaned up by a small number of hermits.

As far as PO4 raising in the tank, I cannot comment on that as I use both a fuge and PhosGuard (changed every 2 months or so). I also have a skimmer which does pull a lot of gunk so that it doesn't decompose.

As to the tap water, people quickly jump to conclusions when they have algae problems overlooking other real problem happening in their system. Will I continue using TAP water, you bet.

 

[rgun2515]

Any member comments on the FLUORIDE that's added to NYS drinking water? How could that affect a tank?

It's great that everything is going well for you. I would be concerned about the day something changes and the quality goes down. I get good water (30 PPM) in New Rochelle one day and the next its 220 PPM. Same water as NYC. I use RO/DI. Better safe than sorry...

 

[fernandokng]

Just wondering - What phosphate test kit are you using?

 

[sil3ncio]

the ppm on my tap water are about 30-32, i have never tested it for phosphastes. I live very near Matorral, and we're both pretty close to the Jerome park reservoir and a DEP water facility. That my be a reason why..... But I myself i'm using a ro/di system and have nuisance alge like cyno everywhere, so go figure! But my nitrates and phosphates are still zero....

 

[Matorral]

my phosphate kit is nutrafin and nitrate kit is salifert. The phosphate level in my tap water is a bit higher than 1.0, but in the tank is 0.

 

[ming]

Just wanted to mention, be aware of what day you do your water changes. The ppm in tap water tends to go higher on rainy days for me.

 

[nanoreefer22]

my phosphate kit is nutrafin and nitrate kit is salifert. The phosphate level in my tap water is a bit higher than 1.0, but in the tank is 0.

Is that nutrafin kit for SW too? Kinda weird to think it would just dissappear

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

To quote a very smart man "Your phosphates are not zero"

 

[ocholoco]

Hey

Can I buy some water from your house. lol..... If it works for you more power to you.

 

[Deep Dive Coral]

verry nice tank

 

[Matorral]

yes it is a kit for salt water, and I tested the water after mixing it with salt. Is not the best kit, I know. I dont like doing testing, is so time consuming, only if I see some coral not opening or something wierd I will test. If everything looks fine, then why test? But I can tell you that since I have this tank everytime I test, the nitrates and Phos are 0 (by color chart).