How many of you with marine tanks use RO/DI water?

[Wiedertäufer]

Just wondering about RO/DI water. Is it really necessary? Do you have a marine tank without using RO/DI filtration?

(for those wondering, RO is reverse osmosis and DI is de-ionized)

EDIT: Thought I should expand on this.

I'm contemplating starting up a reef aquarium. Nothing too large and only live rock and (mobile) invertebrates to start, with fish and coral being a possibility for the future. I was thinking of instead of getting an RO/DI unit, that I would just buy some water. However, most water available for sale is distilled. I also understand Vancouver's tap water is very low in dissolved solids and that some local reef keepers don't even bother with distilled or RO/DI water, if they filter at all.

Thoughts?

[Slipstream]

Well, i just run my water through a britta filter. :) Works great. Oh, and just a pointer, dunno if you have read much on starting a SW aquarium or not, but i wouldnt start with inverts. I would start with Live Rock and fish, wait a couple months for the tank to settle, THAN add inverts and possibly corals, just cause Inverts are quite a bit harder to take care of than Fish. Mind you, it is your choice, so good luck either way ya choose :)
Oh, i just have a FOLV tank. (Fish Only with Live Rock). Gonna try to add corals in another month or two.

Oh, one more thing, i recommend buying your live rock from Pacific Aquatics. Ive heard some great stuff about theres :) Plus, its decently priced, i pay 9.99/lb up here in Prince :( If i had a Credit Card i would order from them.

[Sarahs]

I don't use RO/DI water although it is highly recommended.. A lot of tap water contains high phosphates and other contributors to algea/ cyano. It really depends what district you live in etc, and how they treat the water... etc..
Sarah

[Katalyst]

I use r/o water for my crystal red & bee shrimp. I find the adults have no problems living in my high pH tap but the shrimplets cannot tolerate it therefore r/o is the way to lower the pH and soften the water sans chemicals.

[Wiedertäufer]

Well, i just run my water through a britta filter. :) Works great. Oh, and just a pointer, dunno if you have read much on starting a SW aquarium or not, but i wouldnt start with inverts. I would start with Live Rock and fish, wait a couple months for the tank to settle, THAN add inverts and possibly corals, just cause Inverts are quite a bit harder to take care of than Fish.

That's an interesting point. Wherever I look online and see the logs of people who have set up tanks, the usually go through the following procedure.

Set up tank dry, add water, make it salty, add live rock (and possible substrate), cycle for 1-2 months, add clean-up-crew invertebrates, wait some more, add fish, wait some more, add coral.

Perhaps that's the approach to take when you plan on having everything and know exactly what you're doing. I've never had a marine tank before, so perhaps the fish & live rock approach would be a better way to start.

Oh, one more thing, i recommend buying your live rock from Pacific Aquatics. Ive heard some great stuff about theres :) Plus, its decently priced, i pay 9.99/lb up here in Prince :( If i had a Credit Card i would order from them.Don't know if it's available from credit unions up there, but I've found that if I need to order something online from a place that only takes credit cards, I can get a prepaid "my treat" Visa from VanCity credit union (I don't engage in debt myself).

I'll definitely check out Pacific Aquatics.

I don't use RO/DI water although it is highly recommended.. A lot of tap water contains high phosphates and other contributors to algea/ cyano. It really depends what district you live in etc, and how they treat the water... etc..
Sarah

I read someone's posting/journal online about their continuous fight with algae. They were using tap water that was high in phosphates. So every time they did a water change to help fight the algae, they'd be feeding it. Took the person like 2 months before they tested their tap water and then switched to filtered water.

[Slipstream]

Thats why i run it through a britta.. LOL.. Also, if ya put cycle in it, and Aqua Plus, and let it sit for a week, it should be fine. And as for a clean up crew, preffer to wait till theres something for them to eat before i add them, just cause if ya add them before theres any algae for them to eat, they will go hungry and die.

[xtremediesel]

i think RO systems are only needed if you have bad water quality in your area, i use straight tap water and i've never had a problems and all my levels are bang on.

[putter]

I use an RO/DI system for my reef tank, from what I hear tap water will eventualy cause problems with high phosphates and other undersirable water conditions. Live rock and sand, toss in a frozen cocktail shrimp and let the cycle begin, please don't use a fish to cycle the tank as the high ammonia and nitrites will be incredibly harmful if not fatal to the fish, the shrimp will do the same thing. My 105 gallon took less than 2 weeks to cycle using a shrimp, 210 lbs of LR and 90lbs of live sand. Once the cycle was complete I did a 25% water change and added 2 corals and one fish, well 2 fish but one didn't make it. About 3 weeks late I added 2 more fish, 4 corals and a crab. The clean up crew of 44 snails went into the tank with the first fishes.