Tap water in FOWLR (and other questions)

echoofformless

echoofformless

Peat Advocate & Defender Of Snails
Oct 1, 2005
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Phil Uh Del Feeya
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How many of you use tap water in your FOWLR systems?

And by that token has anyone ever tried running a reef with it?

Aside from copper, phosphate, and nitrate what else should tap water be tested for to ensure it is usable in a system that may house sessile inverts and filter feeders? My tests show no copper, no phosphate and no nitrate.

Now I don't need any RO/DI speeches or anything like that. Just give me the straight answers! :grinyes:
 
I use tap. But it's free of any contaminants...they redid the piping in our area not too long ago and it's as clean as drinking water...never had any water quality issues before. Test some of your tap water to see.
 
All tests (phosphate, nitrate, copper) are zero. As far as my freshwater experience goes, phosphate and nitrate are the only thing that can cause algae problems. Different for marine?

And I'm figuring the absence of copper makes the tank relatively safe for inverts.
 
echoofformless said:
All tests (phosphate, nitrate, copper) are zero. As far as my freshwater experience goes, phosphate and nitrate are the only thing that can cause algae problems. Different for marine?

And I'm figuring the absence of copper makes the tank relatively safe for inverts.
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I would agree on all accounts there mate.....
 
Sounds like you are good to go. I am in the same position as you and I have never had an issue.
 
thats interesting.

Im sorry for hijacking the thread but what if your tap did contain copper would there be a way to rid the water of the copper?

I know an RO would work but is there any other way?
 
I would also check your tds's, ph and alk and I would leave a cup of water out about 24hrs and test your PH and alk again and see what kind of readings you get then.
 
I posted this in another thread awhile back but, here's mine. If you've ever had an 'Aquafina' bottled water, my tap water comes from the same source.

EM Johnson Water Plant Finished Water Quality Report "Raleigh'
April, 2008
pH, units = 8.3
Free Carbon Dioxide, mg/l = 0.4
Total Alkalinity, mg/l = 37
Total Hardness, mg/l = 31
Total Dissolved Solids, mg/l = 174
Specific Conductivity, uS/cm = 262
Iron, mg/l = 0.003
Manganese, mg/l = <0.01
Fluoride, mg/l = 0.98
Chloride, mg/l = 16.30
Nitrate, mg/l = 0.2110
Silica, mg/l = 8.0
Silt Density Index (SDI) = 0.67
Total Coliform Bacteria* = Absent 0
E. Coli = Absent 0
Total Trihalomethanes, mg/l = 0.0480
 
archer772 said:
I would also check your tds's, ph and alk and I would leave a cup of water out about 24hrs and test your PH and alk again and see what kind of readings you get then.
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Good ideas. How do i check the TDS? And what effect does it have on the system?

Philly tap water from the Baxter plant comes out perfectly neutral in pH with a medium KH. I'm figuring with the salt mix, the aragonite, the crushed coral in my filter and my diligent water changes I don't expect to lose any pH or alkalinity in any critical way. Not to mention I won't be heavily stocking the tank and I have some decent aeration so the effects of the acidification shouldn't be terribly drastic or cause too much in the way of sudden changes.

If course i know little of the marine end of things as of now, so any feedback on these assumptions is much appreciated and noted.
 
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