Experiment

[scubadiva]

I have decided to try an experiment. I normally use RO/DI water that I make. It is such a hassle to make it though. When I first got into saltwater tanks over 9 years ago, I used tap water with conditioner. I had no problems at all but eventually went to RO/DI water. I have decided to go back to the tap water with the conditioner. I have been doing this over a month now will no ill effects that I can see. All my water testing is fine and TDS is fine. Does anyone else do this? I have had to scrape algae off the glass even less when using the tap water with conditioner vs the RO/DI water.

 

[mike007]

You must have great city provided water but I have been down that road. Tank did great for several months and boom algae went crazy. Is it really the chance you want to take? Most cities treat their water with phosphates to preserve their piping and that along will cause algae out breaks. So keep a eye on your phosphates.

 

[scubadiva]

I have been told by reefkeepers in our area that the water here is pristine and it tests 0 in TDS just like the RO/DI water does. We are not on city water but on county water. I will keep testing the phostphates but thus far they are 0. Thanks.

 

[tyler1503]

I use tap water with a few drops of conditioner in it. I did have an issue with phosphate for a while, but that was some bad rock, not bad water. I got passed the phosphate issues and still use tap water with no problems

 

[kpiotrowski]

My tds out of the tap is 29 to 32. But I still use an 8 stage rodi! and here is why ( don't need an 8 stage lol)

The point of using rodi to me has never been about phosphate as much as the build up of time of minerals adn what have you in your system. most of us dont don't do mass water changes and with evaporation and freshwater replacement we are constanly adding tds to our systems with no real way to export it. to say everthing seems fine after a month or two...or even 6, doesn't account for the long term build up. think years!

thats my take on it anyway.