[nanofreak]

I keep a 5 Gal Bucket off Water with a Heater In the Garage ready to go in case I need it. How Long would you say I can use that water before it gets bad. Thanks

 

[HD Fatboy®]

Just plain water?

 

[nanofreak]

Well I dont have a Ro unit, so I condition it add a lil buffer and let it circulate I mean mabye a week I keep it in there sealed with heater and power head.

 

[lagrew]

well you use tap water for eveything? if you do i'd say at leat a month or more since tap water gets better with age in some respects.

 

[OneDummHikk]

If its tap water, I wouldn't use it at all. Even though you are conditioning it, everything is still in the water. If you can't get an RO/DI unit, you would be better off to get Distilled water from walmart or RO/DI water from your LFS.

If it were RO/DI or Distilled, it doesn't really have a shelf life if its sealed. But with it being conditioned tap water, about a week would be the limit.

 

[nanofreak]

Really thata good to know. I am looking into a Ro unit for the tank.

 

[HD Fatboy®]

well you use tap water for eveything? if you do i'd say at leat a month or more since tap water gets better with age in some respects.

I was thinking the same thing...although I am always a little leary of tap water...at .83 cents a gollon I would keep distiled for top off....of course I am confused to how they could wait that long to top off...I need to add about a gallon every two days...

 

[HD Fatboy®]

ooops I was posting while randy basicly said the same thing, sorry

 

[OneDummHikk]

Anybody ever tested there tap water for Copper? Or Phosphates? Or Iron? All are detrimental to a reef and the levels in your tap might scare the bejeezus out of ya.

 

[HD Fatboy®]

Anybody ever tested there tap water for Copper? Or Phosphates? Or Iron? All are detrimental to a reef and the levels in your tap might scare the bejeezus out of ya.

Yes Tap Water Bad LOL

 

[nanofreak]

Ok so If I use distilled water do I need to add anything special besides a Buffer or Salt.

 

[HD Fatboy®]

Ok so If I use distilled water do I need to add anything special besides a Buffer or Salt.

You do not need to add anything to top off water.

 

[nanofreak]

So If my levels are good I can just dump Ro water in my tank.?

 

[HD Fatboy®]

So If my levels are good I can just dump Ro water in my tank.?

You are speaking of top off water...top off water is used to replace water loss due to evaporation.....the salinity stays the same because the water evporates but not the salt.....the other elements in the water pretty much stays the same.....if you are talking water change then you need salt water.....do you test the SG of your water?.....thats a indicator of what may or may not be added...

 

[nanofreak]

Yea I know that the levels stay the same when evaporation takes place. I read that the Ro water or Di water has far less PH then the reef does so I add a buffer to neutralize the PH.

 

[HD Fatboy®]

So when you add your top off water, do you check your PH

 

[OneDummHikk]

You don't need a buffer for RO/DI for top offs. And don't worry with the pH, its not as big an issue as you think it may be. If your tank gets low from evaporation, fill it back up with RO/DI or distilled and thats it.