NYC Water

[joegoersch]

Has anyone tested NYC water ? Does one really need to purify it ? Would it be o.k. for FOWLR ? Anything bad in it ?

Thanks !:Lurking:

 

[molodets]

i live in forest hills.
water is very good here.
have no problems.

 

[ming]

As long as you remove chlorine, and don't mind algae, or leave the lights off, It should be OK most of the time. I say most because I've heard of other people, particularly in NJ where something in the tap water kills any fish if unfiltered.

 

[joegoersch]

chlorine removal

As long as you remove chlorine, and don't mind algae, or leave the lights off, It should be OK most of the time. I say most because I've heard of other people, particularly in NJ where something in the tap water kills any fish if unfiltered.

will just aerating and heating water e.g. with a heater and powerhead remove all the chlorine ?

 

[stage3-S4]

will just aerating and heating water e.g. with a heater and powerhead remove all the chlorine ?

You have to use a form of dechlorinator. I think Seachems Prime is great. I have been using it with my African cichlids for years. I think tap water is fine almost 90 percent of the time for just fish. I know lots of people that use tap water on their fish only systems.

 

[joegoersch]

Actually I found this link, very interesting detailed analysis of NYC water. Keep in mind 1 mg/L=1 part per million, 0.001 mg/L=1 part per billion.

 

[albano]

Actually I found this link, very interesting detailed analysis of NYC water.

Where's the link?

 

[46nBliss]

the TDS in my tap is 67ppm in queens . i wouldn't recommend you use it without a RODI filter or your going to have a nutrient problem and all the nasty algae that will come along with it hair algae etc...

 

[joegoersch]

ooop ! here's the link. analysis starts on page 10

Where's the link?

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/wsstate10.pdf

 

[Centity]

I've used it for 6 months without any serious problems except very high phosphates. Eventually I got the RODI because it was a pain to deal with the algae.

 

[stage3-S4]

I've used it for 6 months without any serious problems except very high phosphates. Eventually I got the RODI because it was a pain to deal with the algae.

Yea, Phosphates don't really bother fish, it just causes algae problems. If you keep moderate lighting in the tank and don't mind cleaning some algae every once and a while its not terrible.

 

[e.muehlbauer]

Phosphate is the main problem in NYC tap water, as orthophosphate is added to it in trace amounts. It probably doesn't matter that much for your initial set-up, but the top off water will cause phosphates to gradually increase. I tried using straight tap water my first few months, but eventually I got the algae problems. That said, in houses in NYC, the water is very good quality. (Apartments may be different, depending on the pipes.) I only use a deionizing cartridge and I only go through about 3 of them a year. That means the water is extremely high quality. (And I'm in Rego Park, Queens.)

 

[jnelson]

I wouldn't trust the water in my apartment building. Very high on chlorine and it's a prewar building so I'm not too sure what sort of heavy metals/other compounds it has in it. Hooked up a small (50 GPD) 5-stage RODI to my bathroom sink. It's small enough to stay out of the way, still uses the standard 10" cartridges and gives me nice clean water.

 

[Imbarrie]

The problem with tap water of any type is there is zero control. You are at the whim of the water authority adding whatever whenever and you will have to figure it out after that happens.
My town just beefed up the amount of chlorine to flush the pipes out. My tank was completely unaffected because I make my own RODI.
Takes out phosphates chlorine copper nitrates and more things I don't even care to research.
It's not even a question of whether or not to use it. JMO

 

[solo]

Many buildings in NYC are very old, so the pipes can be copper which can also bleed into your tank. RO/DI units aren't that pricey. But if it's only going to be FOWLR yea your issue with be red cyano, hair algae and brown algae all over your sand bed.

 

[JavyJaverson]

my tap water comes in at about 30 tds in queens. The only bad part about it is all the sediment i get clogs my prefilters in like 2-3 months.

 

[skene]

the TDS in my tap is 67ppm in queens . i wouldn't recommend you use it without a RODI filter or your going to have a nutrient problem and all the nasty algae that will come along with it hair algae etc...

Wow... I'm in Corona and get 24ppm on my TDS.

 

[e.muehlbauer]

I think these variations in TDS are less a characteristic of NYC water than how it is affected by the pipes in the building.

 

[jnelson]

^ +1. So many buildings are of varying ages/builds, some have undergone retrofits or renovations, etc.

 

[Nyreefer1981]

I live in Li and my tap is 65 tds but my Ro/Di is 0 Ro/Di is the only way