What kind of water do you use?
- Thread starter mikeb210
- Start date
I use a 6 stage 75 gpd RO/DI unit. The 5th and 6th stages are dual semiconductor grade DI resins (one with high silicate/phosphate removal capacity), primarily due to the extra phosphate in the water supply here. I chose the 75 gpd unit since the membrane features 98%+ TDS reduction, whereas other ratings are less. Plus it gives me all the water I need whenever I need it.
Mike, keep in mind that FW and SW are two different entities when it comes to water chemistry. Tap water can contain elements that SW fish, inverts, and corals are more sensitive to than their freshie counterparts. Also, in SW tanks you are not using pure RO water, you need the salt added.
I use RO water for my SW tanks. It keeps algae under control by limiting nutrient availability. I used to use tap (well) water and had hair algae issues but they went away when I switched to a 5 stage RO.
Catpicklesdog
Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Right on, I'm just interested in seeing the validations for either option. I really didn't realize that so many people use tap water in fw tanks. I'm looking now to see if the same applies to salt, and the reasons. This is a learning experience for me, just trying to max out.
Only RO/DI (5 stage unit) for our sw tanks. The costs associated with purchasing and maintaining a good RO/DI unit are quite minimal compared to the retail value of our reef tank's inhabitants. Producing RO/DI water from a unit here in my own home allows me to control the quality of the water going into my tanks.