# Tap Water



## TheCheeseWizz (Dec 9, 2008)

Is it okay to be using treated tap water for water changes.


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## goldenmacman (Jun 12, 2008)

treated meaining? RO or you just added those drops to the tap water?
id say that its risky.. i wouldnt suggest it....


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## Fishboydanny1 (Jun 13, 2008)

If you use Am-quel, then it is perfect! that is what I always do with my tanks... I add a little extra to the new water though... I reccomend it! (if you're useng am-quel, the other stuff i dont know about. just dont change from am-quel to something else; i lost a betta that way)


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## TheCheeseWizz (Dec 9, 2008)

I am using something called AquaSafe that takes care of chlorine and other metals and stuff that are in the water.


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## reefcrazy (Nov 10, 2008)

i never use any tap water. but i do saltwater freshwater??????? i still would not use tap!!!!!!!!! but that's just me RO/DI


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## TheCheeseWizz (Dec 9, 2008)

what should I use then.


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

What are you useing City Water or Well Water


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

City water is fine to use just make sure you use a dechorinater. Aquasafe is a product by Tetra and they been around for years. Just watch the temp of the water when you add it to the tank. For you people in area's that get snow or just really cold. The cold water will stress you fish.


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## TheCheeseWizz (Dec 9, 2008)

I dont add the water into the tank until I get it the exact temperature of the aquarium water. The water I get is city water, so it should be fine.


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

I use tap water for my planted tanks that I treat with Prime from Seachem. It neutralizes chlorine, and ammonia and has slime coat. I have never had a fish die from the water.

My tap has the following reading:

pH 7.0
kH 2
GH 2
Iron 0
Phosphates 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0

Because I have plant tank with pressurized CO2, I bring up the kH and GH to at least 3. This buffers the water so that pH will not fluctuate as much. I just add a bit of Acid buffer, and Alkaline buffer from Seachem. Originally I used a little Equilibrium to get the GH to 3 but you do not need to add any more because evaporation will naturally raise the GH if you have any hardness in your tap.


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## eaglesfan3711 (Nov 16, 2008)

City water is perfectly fine. I've been using it for years! Just make sure to dechlorinate it.


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## Fishboydanny1 (Jun 13, 2008)

I still reccomend using Am-quel with tap water. in fact, swiching to that stuff (the tetra) is what killed my betta!


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

I use seachem products... I tried others but I just like them better.....like a nice worn in shoes....


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## Fishboydanny1 (Jun 13, 2008)

> I use seachem products... I tried others but I just like them better.....like a nice worn in shoes....


I feel the same way about am-quel. 'what works for one person may not work for another' ~Mr. Holder (marine science major, big SW fish tank fan)


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Oh, danny LOL


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

Seachem works for everyone. 

What I try to do is stay with the same company as much as possible. Since I use Seachem's Fluorite, Fluorish, Excel, Trace, Acid buffer, Akaline buffer....it just made sense to us Prime as the dechlorinator. 

(Molecular Biology graduate, Research Scientist)


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## coastie81 (Nov 7, 2008)

I would not use tap water at all. I only use RO/DI. I purchased my own setup and it will pay itself off in the long run instead of always buying RO/DI water. just my .02


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## goldenmacman (Jun 12, 2008)

Yeah, Cheeze, id suggest that you invest in a RODI filtration system- they arent that expensive if you find the right place to buy from (ebay.com) and can save you all the hassle of buying additional products to put in your water. I know city water is "fine" but if you look at the statistics of tap water, there are TONS of mechicals in them. Even filtered water is not great, the purest form of water is RODI. 
Think about where it comes from, old rusted metal pipes that have been in place for what? 100's of years... 
Millions of Americans each year die from Tap Water related problems, want you fish to die too??
Just a thought!
good luck!


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

If you looking for an ro system make sure you check that you can find the filters for it.... I have two friends that bought them on ebay cheap and still to this day can't find replacement filters, also with RO you have to buy a ro additive that put back trace elements into the water.

Gold - please post me any article that you have that shows people are ding from city water..... there are more sicknessies from bottle water.... just ask any science professor about bottle water. In the past few years there been a big push to get people to start drinking city water because its safer than bottle also it more green. Growing up water was free, until the bottle water was marketed.


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

I have not yet seen an RO/DI unit that took a special size filter as the units are generic in physical size only the GPD ratings are different that I am aware of. You can just mix your RO/DI water with about 25-50% tap water to put trace elements back and also to stabalize your PH in fact most people I know say you have to mix it with tap or PH fluctuates very bad.


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

help me under stand this... you RO the tap water because you say it dangerous but than you ad those same chem back by mixing with 20 to 25 percent, of the dnagerous water. that makes no sense....why RO the water than just treat it...


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

Well most city water will run about 250-300 TDS's and well water runs about 300-500 TDS's, nitrates shouldnt come in above 10 from the tap and flouride should be almost nothing along with copper and phosphates should be near zero also at least here in MI. With running Ro/DI you should have zero on everything except your TDS and they shouldnt be over 10 by adding 25% tap water you might expect your TDS's to climb back up to about 100 and that will help buffer your water to hold a stable PH and take your trates back up to about 2-5 that is if you have measurable amounts of trates to begin with. I relize there are more things in the water than what I mentioned but those would be the ones I would worry the most about other than chloromine and the just a couple drops of prime will take care of that. I would bet most people that have problems with ther PH swinging high and low are useing streight RO/DI water.


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## Fishboydanny1 (Jun 13, 2008)

> I know city water is "fine" but if you look at the statistics of tap water, there are TONS of mechicals in them. Even filtered water is not great, the purest form of water is RODI.
> Think about where it comes from, old rusted metal pipes that have been in place for what? 100's of years...
> Millions of Americans each year die from Tap Water related problems, want you fish to die too??


Am-quel (and probably seachem) remove all toxins from the water, wile also boosting the biological filter. I've never had problems with Am-quel treated tap water. if setting up a saltwater tank, though, I cannot say......


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## goldenmacman (Jun 12, 2008)

djrichie said:


> If you looking for an ro system make sure you check that you can find the filters for it.... I have two friends that bought them on ebay cheap and still to this day can't find replacement filters, also with RO you have to buy a ro additive that put back trace elements into the water.
> 
> Gold - please post me any article that you have that shows people are ding from city water..... there are more sicknessies from bottle water.... just ask any science professor about bottle water. In the past few years there been a big push to get people to start drinking city water because its safer than bottle also it more green. Growing up water was free, until the bottle water was marketed.


okay, let me find it again.. i just did a report on this for school


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## goldenmacman (Jun 12, 2008)

Tap Water Facts
" Most municipal water flows through lead pipes over 100 years old picking up harmful toxins and pollutants before the water treatment plant (which performs very limited functions) and also afterwards when the water is on its way to your house" 
"900,000 Sick and 900 Dead due to water contamination.
50 Million Poisoned by radioactive radon or radium from their tap water"

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water: The Facts Might Surprise You - Associated Content


AquaMD, Inc. - Tap Water Facts

"Information provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency reports that recently there were 27 million Americans served by water systems that violated health standards."

those are just a few that i found right now in what 30 seconds?? but bottled water is in no way better..... (read the first link)

i still drink both..


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

I test my water here in Miami,FL ( I recoomend it to all who keep fish , you got to know where you start) we even get a report once or twice a year. I tested my water for all those things and the only thing that I couldn't remove with a treatment, is to lower the PH which comes in at 8+ and the every once an awhile they add a bunch of chorine to the system. They do let us know however when they are going to do it. Miami is what called a new city any city under the age of 100 years or so. So are system seems to ok, now I could see problems with cities that are old and dieing... I don't wnat to mention names but we all know what cities that are in trouble. Not have the money for ugrades and repairs,,,,, I think it all were you live and every city town have a water treatment system,, so it depend hwere you live. I would like to RO water for my tanks and family and someday I will install a system for the house, but until than I trust that my city water is safe as anything porcessed can be.


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

Exactly Djrichie. I also get yearly reports about my city's water and can check online. I know my city water is well below the national levels for toxins, metals, and such. It definately depends on where you live, and if you do use tap, I suggest you don't fight it. Get fish that like the tap specs like GH, kH, and pH.

Luckily my tap is soft and neutral. That is the best water to work with.


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## lagniappe (Jan 11, 2008)

Tap water is fine in most cases. If the Ph is high in your water or if it very hard, you may consider ro/di. Just know that water treated in this manner will be almost inert and will need minerals added back into it. For reef keeping, it's the only way to go. For fresh water I use straight tap. Don't use a de-chlorinator if you have chloramine in your water!!!! You can use Prime or Ultimate but I use neither and have never had a problem.


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