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Water quality in G'berg

FishWife

By FishWife,
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FishWife Master Reefer

FishWife

I am on a really limited start-up budget. I had thought to buy purified water, but $1.00/gal for distilled is causing my gag reflex to act up. Our NO3 is tolerable; dissolved solids are the problem though... right? Which ones? So, I started looking at water purifiers... and am confused, hopelessly.

 

1. I know that many reefers use ionizers. Do I NEED one?

 

2. I'm afraid of exactly WHAT in tap water... specifically?

 

3. Got any short term work arounds so I can build up cash for an under-sink ionizer/purifier?

 

4. While we're at it, what is your pick for the best ionizer/purifier out there--not all the bells and whistles, but a good, basic workhorse for this problem?

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lanman Oracle Reefer

lanman

I am on a really limited start-up budget. I had thought to buy purified water, but $1.00/gal for distilled is causing my gag reflex to act up. Our NO3 is tolerable; dissolved solids are the problem though... right? Which ones? So, I started looking at water purifiers... and am confused, hopelessly.

 

1. I know that many reefers use ionizers. Do I NEED one?

 

2. I'm afraid of exactly WHAT in tap water... specifically?

 

3. Got any short term work arounds so I can build up cash for an under-sink ionizer/purifier?

 

4. While we're at it, what is your pick for the best ionizer/purifier out there--not all the bells and whistles, but a good, basic workhorse for this problem?

 

http://www.airwaterice.com/product/1COMPACT

 

bob

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treesprite Neptune Reefer

treesprite

(edited)

It's 65C at walmart, and their plain drinking water is not RO so if they don't have distilled, there's nothing.... they are frequently out of water.

 

I called around the different Safeways and the only one besides G-burg to have the refill machine is in Damascus.

Edited by treesprite
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Black Mammoth Master Reefer

Black Mammoth

The money you are going to spend on water is going to be more expensive than buying a RO/DI system. I got one off of eBay (recommended by ReefCentral members) for ~$100 shipped. I bought a dual TDS meter to check the water going in and out. It reads 0ppm and I have no phosphates. I would recommend getting one. It's cheaper and easier as you'll find out very soon :)

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treesprite Neptune Reefer

treesprite

(edited)

Here's the most recent water quality report for WSSC.

 

http://www.wssc.dst.md.us/info/wssc_water_quality_report.pdf

 

I tested the tap water in G-burg for phosphate and nitrate a couple weeks ago - whenever it was that I posted that link to the water quality report - and the nitrate and phosphate were undetectable. I can't speak to anything else that might be in it.

 

I think in a bind, if the tap in G-burg is all that's available, using it won't be the end of the world, however there are plenty of places where I wouldn't want to use tap water.

Edited by treesprite
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jamesbuf Oracle Reefer

jamesbuf

I used to live in Gaithersburg, right off Muddy Branch, and my tank was covered with hair algae and diatoms before I started using a RO/DI filter. Shortly after swithcing to RO/DI water, both the hair algae and diatoms were gone. If you want to be successful long term, you really need to get one.

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treesprite Neptune Reefer

treesprite

I used to live in Gaithersburg, right off Muddy Branch, and my tank was covered with hair algae and diatoms before I started using a RO/DI filter. Shortly after swithcing to RO/DI water, both the hair algae and diatoms were gone. If you want to be successful long term, you really need to get one.

 

 

I'm wondering if plumbing in houses has something to do with it.

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Krewlor Hatchling

Krewlor

I have a RO/DI unit from BRK I purchased last year and never hooked up. I believe it is a 75 gpd unit, this can be confirmed with John at BRK. I know you are on a limited budget and I would be willing to let it go at a great price. Let me know if you are interested.

 

Brian

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PupChow Master Reefer

PupChow

I'm also around the area and I have been buying drinking water from "Drink More Water," honestly I don't really see that big of a change from when I was using tap when I had the 30g... does any body happen to know the quality of the bottled water there?

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extreme_tooth_decay Oracle Reefer

extreme_tooth_decay

I'm also around the area and I have been buying drinking water from "Drink More Water," honestly I don't really see that big of a change from when I was using tap when I had the 30g... does any body happen to know the quality of the bottled water there?

 

 

I know they have a 10 stage process, 2 of which are R/O, others are sediment and carbon. I'd expect their water quality is very good.

 

You may not be noticing a difference in your tank because in your case tap water is fine.

 

tim

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zotzer Grandmaster Reefer

zotzer

I'm also around the area and I have been buying drinking water from "Drink More Water," honestly I don't really see that big of a change from when I was using tap when I had the 30g... does any body happen to know the quality of the bottled water there?

 

One of my best friends from college was a co-founder of that company. It is basically as close to pure H2O as you would ever find. We have it here in our office, and it becomes addictive. Regular old tap water doesn't really quench your thirst after you start drinking this stuff! LOL

 

Tracy

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Rascal Grandmaster Reefer

Rascal

(edited)

I'm wondering if plumbing in houses has something to do with it.

 

 

I suspect not.

 

Why not? Water has to go a long way from the treatment facility to your faucet. On the way it travels through a lot of pipes that I certainly wouldn't run my tank water through.

 

A while back I ran some tests on my tap water with a TDS meter, just for shins and giggles. I found the following:

 

1) If the faucet has been turned off for a while, the water that first comes out (which has been sitting still in the pipes) is significantly higher in TDS than the water coming out after 30 sec - 1 min.

 

2) Hot water tests much higher in TDS than cold.

 

My conclusions from these tests are that the water does indeed pick up some dissolved solids from the plumbing inside the house. I could be missing something, though.

Edited by Rascal
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treesprite Neptune Reefer

treesprite

We offer RO water at 50cents a gallon at Aquarium One.

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