Water Quality
- Thread starter mikey b
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Scooterman
Well-known member
Unless your getting it from a deep under ground spring up in the mountains most probably you will need some basic filtration your best to take a water sample to the county agent and get it tested or maybe they already have the results of the testing. In most cases of unfiltered drinking water, it will have minerals healthy for people but preferably not a reef. Even if it test great now, it needs to be tested on a regular basis. Some food for thought.
Doug1
Well-known member
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2171&perpage=15&pagenumber=2
see my thoughts here:
Think of it more in terms of a water treatment system, it does so much more than one of them screw on the tap and have mountain fresh water thingies
Tap water is forced into the unit using line pressure, generally thru a sediment filter that traps large dirt and mud particles, rust flakes and other nasties.
Then it goes thru a carbon filter that removes, chlorine,chloramine, voc's and other nasty chemical compounds.
Then its forced against a permeable membrane that will allow water and not much else to pass thru, so that a lot of stuff that is measurable as dissolved solids (like the calcium that leaves water stains behind) is diverted out the side as waste water. Thats why you get a usable to waste water ratio.
The efficiancy of an RO membrane is dependant on water temp, pressure and the amount of TDS present in the source water. After it passes thru the RO stage, it has most , but not all impurities removed, thats where the DeIonizing stage come in, water flows thru this stage and passes thru resin beads that come in 2 types, anion and cation, attracting positive and negative ions to the beads, allowing near pure water to pass thru.
Now that you have stripped all the nasties out, you have to turn around and replace the calcium, mg, and other stuff, but you want to control those anyway What you have done is removed a bunch of nasties, that while acceptable for muni drinking water, can lead to long term problems with delicate inverts. Municipal water supplies add a lot of stuff thats harmful to a reef tank long term, and can be a large source of phosphurous compounds
Being on a well is prolly not much better, if you are in a rural area, you have septic tanks, fertilizers and pesticides,herbicides, petroleum from road maint and dumping after oil changes. These are all potential contaminates leaching into your water table
At $.35 a day for store water, within a year you are putting out enough to get your own, where you control the quality and amount . What if you need to mix up a trash can full for an emergency water change, or get a new tank, start off with the purest water you can and you are so far ahead of the game.
Even at $200, thats a fraction of what you will invest in the typical 55-120 gal reef, but that is prolly the leading source of long term problems encountered in reefkeeping
see my thoughts here:
Think of it more in terms of a water treatment system, it does so much more than one of them screw on the tap and have mountain fresh water thingies
Tap water is forced into the unit using line pressure, generally thru a sediment filter that traps large dirt and mud particles, rust flakes and other nasties.
Then it goes thru a carbon filter that removes, chlorine,chloramine, voc's and other nasty chemical compounds.
Then its forced against a permeable membrane that will allow water and not much else to pass thru, so that a lot of stuff that is measurable as dissolved solids (like the calcium that leaves water stains behind) is diverted out the side as waste water. Thats why you get a usable to waste water ratio.
The efficiancy of an RO membrane is dependant on water temp, pressure and the amount of TDS present in the source water. After it passes thru the RO stage, it has most , but not all impurities removed, thats where the DeIonizing stage come in, water flows thru this stage and passes thru resin beads that come in 2 types, anion and cation, attracting positive and negative ions to the beads, allowing near pure water to pass thru.
Now that you have stripped all the nasties out, you have to turn around and replace the calcium, mg, and other stuff, but you want to control those anyway What you have done is removed a bunch of nasties, that while acceptable for muni drinking water, can lead to long term problems with delicate inverts. Municipal water supplies add a lot of stuff thats harmful to a reef tank long term, and can be a large source of phosphurous compounds
Being on a well is prolly not much better, if you are in a rural area, you have septic tanks, fertilizers and pesticides,herbicides, petroleum from road maint and dumping after oil changes. These are all potential contaminates leaching into your water table
At $.35 a day for store water, within a year you are putting out enough to get your own, where you control the quality and amount . What if you need to mix up a trash can full for an emergency water change, or get a new tank, start off with the purest water you can and you are so far ahead of the game.
Even at $200, thats a fraction of what you will invest in the typical 55-120 gal reef, but that is prolly the leading source of long term problems encountered in reefkeeping
Ray Pollett
Well-known member
This is an area I disagree with most people on.
Unless your tap water has a specific problem, I do not use Ro or RO/DI water. I use tap water. I have seen no difference in the algae problems in my tanks and others that use tap water) over the years and those that use Ro or RO/DI.
Ray
Unless your tap water has a specific problem, I do not use Ro or RO/DI water. I use tap water. I have seen no difference in the algae problems in my tanks and others that use tap water) over the years and those that use Ro or RO/DI.
Ray
fishermann
Well-known member
I use RO/DI because that is what i heard you were supposed to use, but Anthony Calfo said at the meeting that all he uses is tap water and he thought the expense of the other wasn't nesassary. I guess it would also depend on the quality of the tap water.
NaH2O
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 8,568
Quality for sure - my TDS prior to the RO/DI is between 390-500. I am a strong believer in RO/DI. I think that it is one way to keep nasties out of the water. There is so much excess nutrients we add to our systems beyond our control (additives in foods, etc)....why not have some control with water?
MarineDreamer
Est. April 2nd, 2005
Mike,
Are you talking about the Lynnwood Public Water, or the Aquifer north of Alderwood Mall?
Trevor
Are you talking about the Lynnwood Public Water, or the Aquifer north of Alderwood Mall?
Trevor
MarineDreamer
Est. April 2nd, 2005
Mike,
I know of the well. It's a natural aquifer, and my understanding is that water is very clean. You said that you’ve used the water in the past; did you notice anything (I.E. algae blooms) out of the ordinary happen after using the water? I think that that would be your best bet for checking out the water quality.
Another option is to test the water for TDS. Bum, beg, or steal a test kit and take it with you.
I haven’t heard of anyone using that water for their reef tanks, or for any other tank for that matter. Maybe you could let us know.
Trevor
I know of the well. It's a natural aquifer, and my understanding is that water is very clean. You said that you’ve used the water in the past; did you notice anything (I.E. algae blooms) out of the ordinary happen after using the water? I think that that would be your best bet for checking out the water quality.
Another option is to test the water for TDS. Bum, beg, or steal a test kit and take it with you.
I haven’t heard of anyone using that water for their reef tanks, or for any other tank for that matter. Maybe you could let us know.
Trevor
Al G.
minimum wage,maximum rage
mattseattle posted on Reefcentral that Seattle's water was <35 TDS, which is really good. I know bufford in Tacoma uses tap water and now know that Ray in Blaine uses tap water. I guessing at least in some western WA locations, tap water is pretty good.
My first attempt at a reef tank in 1998 was with tap water and it was algae heaven. My current tanks use store bought RO/DI, which works great. I plan on getting a home RO/DI soon, though I'm tempted to start a 10g tank using only tap water and see what happens.
My first attempt at a reef tank in 1998 was with tap water and it was algae heaven. My current tanks use store bought RO/DI, which works great. I plan on getting a home RO/DI soon, though I'm tempted to start a 10g tank using only tap water and see what happens.
Ray Pollett
Well-known member
Al G. said:
Hi Al,
Just to clarify. I use tap water in Blaine, Bellingham, Mt Vernon, Sedro Woolley, Burlington, Oak Harbor and Anacortes.
Ray
Al G.
minimum wage,maximum rage
Thanks Ray. More reason for me to try a separate tank using tap water.
when I started this thread I was asking about WELL water not tap water. Does any one use WELL water? I dont think I would feel conferteble using tap water after spending so much on good reef stuff, I see no good in cheaping out on the water.
NaH2O
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 8,568
mikey b....maybe you could get a sample checked out. I know where I grew up in Chicago, we were on a well, and there was a ton of iron in it - everything looked rusty if you didn't keep on top of cleaning out the sinks, etc. Depending on your location, your well water may be good, but an analysis would let you know for sure.
I completely agree about not cheaping out on the water. It is such an integral part of the overall tank health.
I completely agree about not cheaping out on the water. It is such an integral part of the overall tank health.
fishermann
Well-known member
mikey b like tap water,well water will vary greatly, you need to have it tested to see what is in yours and then go from there.
Al G.
minimum wage,maximum rage
Like fishermann said, get your well water tested.
However, I do believe you answered your own question.
"I see no good in cheaping out on the water."
__________________
However, I do believe you answered your own question.
"I see no good in cheaping out on the water."
__________________
Scooterman
Well-known member
Well water & tap water, Tap is treated with chlorine & chloride I think to make it drinkable. Well water & tap coming from the same source aquifer would be about the same when tested other than what is added to the tap. Now usually tap for a city is a very deep well so your home well may not be of the same quality, actually it could be worse, deeper wells then to be purer in general but this isn't always the case, you Need to Test your water regardless where you get it. Just some thoughts on the subject.
