first reef, is tapwater safe in a starter nano?

[kwirky]

Here's my DIY nano system:
http://www.esopenko.com/images/aquarium/nano/liverock.jpg
(the lights were only on for the picture)

- 33 gallon divided in half for large sump/fuge (and to cut cost in liverock/lighting needed lol)
- it's got 20 lbs of indo rock from Gold's
- using a 220 gph powerhead for the sump return (diverted by the hose to the back of the rocks)
- using a 150 gph submersible mag for extra flow during the curing process
- two coralife mini aqualights (18w each) across the 18"x12" top
- using tapwater
----nitrates/phosphates are both show undetectable from the tap. aquarium pharmeceuticals testkits.
- just started the curing process today. planning to change 4 gallons every day to give a chance for the crab hitch hikers to survive.

anyone else in calgary have experience keeping low light corals in tapwater? the guys at gold's told me it's fine until I move to brighter lights, so long as I keep an eye on the water before I put it in the tank, and use RO water from a store if the water is in a bad spot. I'll be changing 4 gallons of water every week.

their nano on their counter (5 gallon hex with single coralife mini) has been running off tapwater for a year, but somone on reefcentral said I should get an RO because tapwater's untrustworthy.

[AndyL]

Believe half of what you hear on RC... Yes, calgary has some occasional (usually spring and after a big rain) water quality problems, but nowhere near like the problems they have in most US (and shall we say eastern ontario) centers.

Calgary water's perfectly fine for use as your base water. Yes, as you advance, you'll eventually start wanting RO for SPS, and to use some of the other formulations of salt which require RO. But for now, use tap water, learn the basics then you can start heading down that path.

Andy

[midgetwaiter]

I'll second Andy's comments, reef central is great but obviously oblivious to local conditions and there is a bit of a tendency to toe the old party line at times.

Tap water has never caused me any obvious issues with my fish only tanks and I've been keeping corals in it for about 2 years now. I've never taken a shot at any really demanding stuff but I know of a few people who have had some success with SPS in tap water as well. I'm not sure if any of that was the really picky stuff though.

[kwirky]

learn the basics lol. yeah, i had to fight to get the specific gravity right in the tank before I went out to buy the liverock. I think the key thing I had to learn was giving it time to dissolve. Doesn't dissolve quickly like cichlid buffers do. I guess what's why salt hobbyists have powerheads to mix their water. :)

I've only got the liverock in so far, and already it's pretty exciting. Found 3 crabs, and I moved them into the fuge/sump so I can decide later if I want to keep 'em or not. And I burried a little pump in behind the liverock to prevent deadspots, but I know I'm going to regret it later possibly if the pump's impeller goes or something. You can arrange rockwork just so, and if you have to move a piece, you'll never get it back to how you liked it :)

what's the kH in your guys' tanks? Mine's at 200ppm, don't know if that's high or not. Increased pH = decreased margin for error. The tank's pH is at 8.3, and I guess I'll find out in a couple days if it'll go up.

[danny zubot]

what's the kH in your guys' tanks? Mine's at 200ppm, don't know if that's high or not. Increased pH = decreased margin for error. The tank's pH is at 8.3, and I guess I'll find out in a couple days if it'll go up

200 ppm is an unfamiliar measurement for me (as most of us). Does your test have a variety of measurement options? We usually use Meq/L, which might equivilate to ppm some how. But the best used measurement is D/Kh, (degrees of Carbonate hardness) which most people range from 8-12 D/Kh I think.

8.3 is fine for PH, I doubt it will go up if your tank is still cycling, watch for a drop once the No3 peaks. Normal ranges are 7.9-8.3.

[fortheloveofcrabs]

I think the short answer should be 'no - tap water is not okay'. It's only a 33gal, buy water for it at a grocery store. Just my 2 cents though.....

[TheReefGeek]

I think the short answer should be 'no - tap water is not okay'. It's only a 33gal, buy water for it at a grocery store. Just my 2 cents though.....

I agree, until you can save up for an RO/DI unit, buy distilled from the grocery store. Why risk it when for your volume of water it is cheap to use non-tap water.

[midgetwaiter]

Here's a link that converts between the different methods of measuring alk, you're in good shape.

http://ozreef.org/library/tables/alkalinity_conversion.html

crabs and reefgeek, I've lived in both cities and the water in Calgary is much cleaner than Edmonton. It doesn't get as cruddy during run off and such either.

Long term an R/O unit is a requirement but there are a lot of people doing simpler setups with tap.

[TheReefGeek]

I would think a simpler system, and smaller ones, are more suseptible to problems, so it is more important to use filtered water.

For the cost of distilled water from the grocery store, why not?

[AndyL]

Edmonton's a different matter having to deal with chloramines, in calgary tap water is just fine.

[EmilyB]

Calgary spring water run-off isn't fine.

In the years I've been in this hobby, the stores using it have always had problems in the spring. And the tap water users have had their problems as of late as well. All I know is I was going through RO/DI filters like no tomorrow during the early spring.

When you have a lot of money invested, why risk it ?

[Johnny Reefer]

200 ppm is an unfamiliar measurement for me (as most of us). Does your test have a variety of measurement options? We usually use Meq/L, which might equivilate to ppm some how. But the best used measurement is D/Kh, (degrees of Carbonate hardness) which most people range from 8-12 D/Kh I think.
200ppm x 0.056 = 11.2˚ dKH
200ppm x 0.02 = 4 meq/L

I agree with Danny's range of 8-12 dKH and your's falls within this.

Cheers:smile:,

[kwirky]

haha woops. I forgot I posted this...

I've been buying RO water for the past few water changes actually. $2 for 5 gallons. use 4 gallons for the change, stock pile 1 gallon for top-off/future use. This little system is real touchy on it's water quality, as I've learned already.

And I'm in the process of upgrading my lighting from 36W of coralife crappylight minis to 150W of PFO HQI, and phosphates/excess nitrates are a no-no.

10 watts per gallon is enough, right? :D

[Snappy]

Calgary spring water run-off isn't fine.

In the years I've been in this hobby, the stores using it have always had problems in the spring. And the tap water users have had their problems as of late as well. All I know is I was going through RO/DI filters like no tomorrow during the early spring.

When you have a lot of money invested, why risk it ?

What she said!