Testing Manhattan Tap Water Quality

[MGR201]

After reviewing all the comments on this blog relating to unexpected algae blooms and other reef keeping difficulties, I thought I would test my NYC tap water and post the results here. I used tap water to establish my BioCube 29 about two months ago and have had a very busy CUC working its way through the initial algae blooms. The tank looks pretty good now and the corals are starting to develop but I probably could have saved a lot of effort by using an alternative water source. I used a combination of Red Sea, API and Salifert test kits.

Ammonia: NYC Tap 0

Nitrite: NYC Tap 0

Nitrate: NYC Tap 0

pH: NYC Tap below 7.4 (obviously too low for a marine reef but perfectly appropriate for freshwater)

(It seems like "Chateau Bloomberg" is off to a good start, right? Unfortunately, the test results decline from there...)

Alkalinity: NYC Tap dKH 1.6 meq/l 0.57 (wow, that's low!)

Magnesium: NYC Tap had no detectable level

Phosphate: NYC Tap 1.0 ppm (nearly four times the maximum acceptable level for a reef aquarium)

Calcium: 40 mg/l (about ten times beneath recommended reef aquarium levels)

I guess the lesson learned from these tests is that a RO/DI system is a good investment unless you want to purchase bulk "natural sea water" from Petco or corner the market on distilled water from your Duane Reade.

For reference, here are the levels in my two month old BioCube 29:

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 0

pH: 8.2

Alkalinity: Salifert test reads 9.6 KH, 3.43 meq/l while Red Sea test reads "Normal" 1.7-2.8 meq/l

Magnesium: 1200ppm

Phosphate: Salifert test reads 0 while Red Sea test reads 0.1 ppm (I am employing PhosLock in Chamber 2 of my filtration system)

Calcium: 360 mg/l (when I started measuring it, it was around 320 mg/l but now I am seeing coralline algae growth on my live rock and have started a calcium supplement to raise it above 400 mg/l)

 

[beachorama]

Good info.

I can confirm the following I did (Queens water) with API test kit:

Ammonia = 0

Nitrite = 0

Nitrate = 0

pH = 7.4


Ahhh... good NYC water!

We are lucky.

 

[Donewiththisplace]

It seems that the public water supply is right where it should be for consumption...but for reefs not even close..

As far as Mg and Ca go a good salt mix should bring you into a acceptable range.

The problem is the phosphates...I have a JBJ 28 and initially did top offs with filtered tap water. Result was an increase in algae, should have known better. Now I use bottled water...much better results.

If your only using a few gallons of water a week a RO unit might be much more costly then buying a few gallons of Poland Spring a week...something to think about.

 

[tosiek]

The important things you want to know in NYC tap water are things you can't test for. Metals, chlorines, minerals, ect brought in through the piping and original water source. Check your water with a TDS, it gives you a pretty good idea of how bad or good your water is. Most of the other readings will always be low or at 0. It doesn't mean you have good water by just testing PH and the standard aquarium tests. All the important parameters will be where they should be when your mixing your salt.

Acceptable drinking water usually reads 20-35ppm. I'm sure someone will chime in with on what the range is thats acceptable in nyc.

My NYC tap water is reading a 45 (yeah i know..../cry) while poland spring is reading 35. I can't drink my tap water without not feeling well after a day.

Poland spring is something you don't want to be using in your tank. For the same price you can be buying RO water from your supermarket if they sell it and its 0 tds which is what your shooting for.

 

[TonyHNY]

I live in Queens and my TDS is give me 26 consistently. But the sediment filter is another story...

 

[Paul B]

When I lived in Queens I used tap water for 5 years with no treatment and no problems. That 100 year old water tunnel doesn't have any impurities in it any more but watch out when they open the new tunnel which will happen very soon. That water will be terrible for years. A lot of concrete went into those tunnels.
The old tunnel is cobble stones and they are inert.