To Use Reverse Osmosis Or Not?

[Revision17]

I own a reverse osmosis unit, and have used it for the water supply of my current saltwater tank. It's a 125 gallon per day membrane.. but at my water pressure, I only get .5 gallons per hour. I'm in the process of filling up my new tank (going to be a seagrass and macroalgae tank). I only hook the RO unit up when I'm home.. and I don't like doing it since it ties up the kitchen sink, so my flatmates can't use it (which is starting to annoy them).

I know RO units are the best practice and all to remove harmful stuff (like maybe copper?) for sensitive inverts (are algaes affected by said "harmful stuff"?) as well as minerals. I can keep freshwater inverts like shrimp and snails just fine with the tap.

I do hear horror stories from time to time, where the public water company does something, and all the sensitive inverts die somehow after a water change... which worries me. If something dies, RO reduces the probable cause of death.

Maybe it would be ok to use tap for water changes, and RO for top offs (to keep mineral content constant)? Anyone doing this?

 

[craigybaby37]

From what ive read using tap water for anything in a marine tank is a big no no.....unless your tap supply is from a reverse osmosis pump station.

Get a TDS (total desolved solids) meter and just test your tap water and see what it says. My tap water is between 450 and 500ppm which i would never ever think of using in a marine tank it would almost gaurentee to nuke the tank of everything thats living in it.

RO units normally give out something between 0 and 5ppm which is an acceptable level to if your tap wtaer is above that ide say no to using it for anyhting in your tank.

Can you not locate the RO unit anywhere else in your house to save your flat mates getting annoyed with you??

 

[ben1987]

Yes use it.

You can run fish only tanks on tap water, but i think in the USA you guys have quite high nitrates and phosphates in your water so best to stick to RO. You dont want to be able to blame any problems on the fact you just couldnt wait!

http/oregonreef.com/index.html

He did a top up with tap water, usually used RO and he lot everything! just look at the tank aswel

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I would use the RO unit. What you might want to do is get a booster pump for it (shouldnt be to expensive) which will make it work a lot better (so not having to run it for so long).

 

[rocknurworld2006]

as said it depends on ur water itself. test ur tap water for nitrates and phosphates etc. for example my water has high phosphates, so we have to use ro water. but there are plenty of people other places who run full systems on tap water alone.

 

[SkiFletch]

I'd suggest getting a booster pump for the RO unit. This will drastically up your flowrate