View Full Version : Victoria Water
I've heard conflicting arguements that Victoria water is or isn't sufficient enough to use for you tank without running it through an RODI unit. I've had a bit of a hair algae outbreak for the last month or so now and all my parameters are good. I was wondering if anyone has any input to back up either of the statements?
Squinch
04-16-2006, 06:22 PM
I used to use city water for my discus, they were ok but not great. I then bought a RO unit for them and they started to grow fast. They were 2" round when I bought them and when I sold them 8 months later they were 7" to 8" round, healthy, and breeding.
I got my R/O unit cheep cheep from progrow out there in beautiful langford. Its what I use for my reef tank, and I have a little algee.
Squinch
Johnny Reefer
04-17-2006, 03:28 AM
I used to use city water for my discus, they were ok but not great. I then bought a RO unit for them and they started to grow fast. They were 2" round when I bought them and when I sold them 8 months later they were 7" to 8" round, healthy, and breeding.
Hmmm. Interesting. As a Discus keeper, I have taken note of your observation. My Discus have always just been "ok" as well. Thanx for the information.
Cheers:smile:,
Anyone else have an opinion on it at all?
IslandReefer
04-19-2006, 07:47 AM
When I measure the TDS of my tap water I get between apx 10 and 15ppm . Since Calgary and other landlocked cities have values >100ppm it sounds like our water is almost pure straight out of the tap. But that is only taking into consideration the disolved impureities. Recently I set up my 6ft tank and leak tested the system with tap water....now looking through 6ft of tap water was eye opening....WE drink that stuff?! The color was slightly yellow and there was tons of tiny floating "organic bits" in it..I'm sure it is safe, but I now drink RO from the cooler LOL.
My point is that Victoria water has low disolved minerals but there is lots of other undesireable things in city tap water.....all removed with prefilters (including left over chlorine and chloramide or what ever else they use) on the RO system, then polished up to zero ppm by the membrane.
I think if a person couldn't afford the $100 for the Aquasafe RO/DI then a 1-3 micron prefilter with act. carbon would be my minimum Victoria water treatment.....for a reef tank.
Just MHO
PS. The tank filled with RO was a pristine sight to see.
The problem is I have the Aquasafe 100GPD unit but the only sink unit I have has an extendable tap with an adjustable stream output on it. I would rather not change all this out since I like the design and it would be a huge pain. Right now I have green hair algae growing along with very poor polyp extension if any at all. My parameters are as follows:
Alkalinity - 11.2
Calcium - 350 and slowly going up
pH - 8.25
Salinity - 1.024
Ammonia - 0
Phosphate - 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
Lighting period - Actinics (4-96W PC's) 10:00am - 11:00pm
MH's (4 250W DE's) 12:00pm - 9:30 pm (two end MH's)
12:30pm - 10:00pm (two middle MH's)
I've got a Euroreef CS3-8+ pulling lots of crap out as well as a Phosban reactor with Rowaphos to make sure I'm combatting as much Phosphate as I can.
I perform 10% water changes weekly, 20% monthly, and if anything, I found out that I was underfeeding my fish so the only thing I can think of is RO water unless anyone can suggest anything else.
Jason with all my tanks I still use all RODI water and have to buy my water in the 5 gallon jugs because with my very high TDS well water the amount of equipment I would need to properly set up a home unit is pricey and would take more room than I have. I wouldn't think of using anything else besides RODI water for saltwater. I don't know about Victoria but I am sure that they probably add clorine or clorimide (sp) which is very unhealthy for your tank. With all the $ you have invested in your set up and livestock without good water to live in it all a waste. If you can't hook up a home RODI I in my opinion I would just buy RODI water from a good water store.
With all the $ you have invested in your set up and livestock without good water to live in it all a waste. If you can't hook up a home RODI I in my opinion I would just buy RODI water from a good water store.
I couldn't agree more. I used to buy RO water from the store but since I have to top up 2 gallons a day plus do a minimum 20G water change weekly, I'd be looking at buying 6 or 7 jugs a week. The problem isn't so much the money, it's that I live in a condo and would have to pack these up to the third floor all the time then have 7 5G jugs taking up a lot of space I don't really have. I might just have to look at getting a new faucet. Anyone know a way to modify a bathtub faucet to hook up to an Aquasafe unit?
IslandReefer
04-20-2006, 07:16 AM
Jason ...if you look under the vanity in the bathroom there is 'flex "(plastic or metal) smaller pipes that lead from the water supply to the faucet,using the pipe piercer, tap into the cold...to unhook all you have to do is go to Rona and buy another small pipe like it ...screw it on and ..like it never was...if you are plumbing challanged ,you might have to get plumbing advice from....eg VanIsle water supply...good luck. Also Brad has a faucet set-up he maybe able to advise you.
StirCrazy
04-20-2006, 12:44 PM
Ok, Victoria water is different in different areas, depending on the age and type of the water mains it goes through.. out in the westren comunities I get about 10 to 18 ppm depending on the season, a friend of mine on Glanford ave has a ppm of 110.
should you get one.. yes it is worth it for the peace of mind.
Jaws, what kind of pipes do you have under your counter? I will say this again... take the pericing sadle type connections and throw them in the garbage, just a bad way to do it.
you can buy a fitting that fits inbetween the shut off tap for your cold water and the hose going to the tap on your sik, this fitting has a 1.4" take off which you plumb your RO from.,. it is about 3 to 5 bucks. you move, just take it with you.
Steve
I couldn't agree more. I used to buy RO water from the store but since I have to top up 2 gallons a day plus do a minimum 20G water change weekly, I'd be looking at buying 6 or 7 jugs a week. The problem isn't so much the money, it's that I live in a condo and would have to pack these up to the third floor all the time then have 7 5G jugs taking up a lot of space I don't really have.
Haha know what you mean. I evaporate about 3 gallons a day and do approx. 60g a week in water changes. Lucky for me I live out of town and have room to store the jugs on my deck. I do have pipes though from packing all that water!
Squinch
04-20-2006, 04:03 PM
I live in the camosun college interurban area, and my tap water is just plain nasty. Every month I have to change my prefilters because there packed solid with brown crap! With how much the prefilters cost I tryed a sediment filter before my RO unit. It makes it so I get another week out of my prefilters. Oh well I just take the hit every month and replace them all.
When I had my discus the 55 gallon garbage can I used to season water in would need to be cleaned out everyday after there water change. The brown sludge I cleaned out of it looked and smelt like tree bark. From that I now only use RO for cooking and drinking at my house.
Also ruth I don't blame you for using only RO for your tanks. I work every year in the oil field out of fort st john and your water there tastes like bleach.
I am not on town water as I live in the country and have a well. The water tastes and smells OK but the analytical on it shows high TDS and I can't rememer all the stuff in it (nothing bad as far a health goes) but it is not a good candidate for a reef tank unless treated.
If you are up here this year drop me a note and come over and see my tanks.
ruthch@uniserve.com
StirCrazy
04-20-2006, 11:49 PM
I live in the camosun college interurban area, and my tap water is just plain nasty. Every month I have to change my prefilters because there packed solid with brown crap! .
that would be algae, Victoria has a very high algae content in there water because of our mild winters.
If you go to a graduated sediment filters, I use a 25 micron to 1 micron sediment filter and it last for about 8 or 9 months (about 4000 gal of water). it is a bigger one so you need to buy the 4" X 10" housing for it but it is well worth it.
Steve
How about this Steve. You only live 5 minutes from my house. Why don't you head over one night or on the weekend sometime soon and give me a hand. I've got some frags you might want for your troubles. It's not that I'm an invalid, I'm just pretty inexperienced when it comes to plumbing, this is the first place I've owned and I'd like to try to not wreck it if can avoid it.
StirCrazy
04-21-2006, 01:55 AM
Ok, sounds fine.. PM me your address and such and well set it up.
Steve
Werbo
06-16-2006, 08:54 PM
Kinda off topic but might of interest to those Victorians who do not have an RO unit. If you buy your RO water from Thrifty's, Safeway, ect for $3 there is a new store on the Island Hiway selling 5 G jugs for $2 a refill. If you live out that way this might alliviate the costs of buying RO water if that is your current situation.
TheReefGeek
06-16-2006, 09:17 PM
Why not plumb the RODI into the water tap used for your washing machine? Just get a Y-adapter with valves for $10 or less at the hardware store. Heck while you are at the hardware store, buy a sprinkler solonoid to screw into the RODI side of the Y adapter, and plug the solenoid into a timer so that you have some failsafe when filling a container for RODI water?
The problem I have with that is the John Guest style connections on most of the RO units. It's such a tiny piece of white plastic that's securing the tubing and if one day it pops from the pressure then you're coming home to an aweful mess. My Aquasafe unit leaks where the pressure guage screws in to the tube fixture too. I have mine set up in my bathtub when I need it. This is really annoying and not the best to look at but I feel better about leaving the house for the day while it's hooked up.
reeferaddict
06-18-2006, 09:25 AM
Why not plumb the RODI into the water tap used for your washing machine? Just get a Y-adapter with valves for $10 or less at the hardware store. Heck while you are at the hardware store, buy a sprinkler solonoid to screw into the RODI side of the Y adapter, and plug the solenoid into a timer so that you have some failsafe when filling a container for RODI water?
What he said - that's what I did sans the fancy solenoid thingy, (haven't gotten around to it yet), & just pretty much keep water rotating out of a 55g drum in the laundry room and a 25g mixing container under one of the tanks. Best part is the laundry room is built for "accidents".. :mrgreen:
Truly the 5 minute solution, (I spent more time mounting the thing to the wall than I did plumbing), and in my case with a Coralife RO/DI all the necessary fittings actually came with it...
The problem I have with that is the John Guest style connections on most of the RO units. It's such a tiny piece of white plastic that's securing the tubing and if one day it pops from the pressure then you're coming home to an aweful mess. My Aquasafe unit leaks where the pressure guage screws in to the tube fixture too. I have mine set up in my bathtub when I need it. This is really annoying and not the best to look at but I feel better about leaving the house for the day while it's hooked up.
Jaws.. if you grab a small slotted screw driver and slip in between the fitting and the grabber portion of the fittting and then push harder on the tube that should help possible leaks.. I noticed earlier in the thread about your water params.. your alk is thru the roof .. 8 is where actual seawater is. So your algea problems are more likely coming from that. Water change or buffer it .. I use Kents Tech CB A&B with reasonabliy good results but am looking into a calcium reactor to make it even better...oh goodie, more money lol
Some good reading and hit the sublink's as well
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
Re the RO/DI question... I am carey rd area and my TDS without the rodi can run from 15-22 ppm and with the rodi I get a flutter from zero to one. We (victoria) may have better tap water than most but the better you can make it, the better your displays results will be, plain and simple. Like reeferaddict.. mine is also in the laundry room... I 'T'ed it of the washing machines feeder as well and then used the washers drain to get rid of the waste water as well.. nice and simple.. we move and its a five minute job to take the unit with us.
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