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FAQs on Tap/Source Water Use for Marine Aquariums 3
Related Articles: Treating Tap water for
Marine Aquarium Use, Water
Purification Using Reverse Osmosis,
Related FAQs: Treating Tapwater 1,
Treating Tapwater 2, & FAQs on New Water Treatment:
Rationale/Science, Chemicals (Chlorine,
Chloramines, Trihalomethanes...),
Filtrants, Techniques/Tools,
Testing, Troubleshooting,
Products by Manufacturer/Brand, DIY
Treatment Chemicals/Tools, &
Water Changes, An Actineria sp. pic
by DianaF in N. Sulawesi. | 
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Fresh Water From Water
Store/Sea Water Make-Up 10/11/09
Hello crew,
<Nemo>
Just a quick question on filtered water to mix salt/top off. I've been
buying filtered water from this water store who is famous for his water
for drinking...not for aquarium water use. I wonder if this is safe to
use rather than buying RO water from my LFS w/c is triple the price. My
LFS is using this 5 stage Spectrapure(?) sorry not sure of the brand,
and this water store is using this big filtration system, I ask the
owner what kind of filtration he's using and could not explain to me the
process... all he can say is that he spent a lot of money on this system
... he also have this ultra violet lights where the water passed through
it to kill bacteria...also I've been seeing bags and bags of Morton
brand salt in his store which according to him he also uses as part of
the filtration system.
<His filtration system likely consists of a mixed resin bed with the
salt being used in a water softening device. I'm sure it's safe to use
but I'd bet the dKH is lower than would be using tap water, and is
likely low with the RO water unless your LFS buffers it after the
purification
process.>
Thanks in advance....
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Nemo.
Treating, storing FW for aquarium use 6/21/09
Thank you very much. And Mr. Fenner, please answer one more question.
When I used to have a saltwater tank I would keep the water for water
changes in a large plastic trash can with the salt mixed in it and with
a water pump operating to keep it stirred up and help it release the
gases, etc.
<A good practice James>
Now I have went
<gone>
back to fresh water and what I have been doing is just getting water out
of the tap the same day I removed the old, treating it to dechlorinate
it and put it in the tank. Is this OK, or should I be keeping the water
for changes in a container like I did with saltwater? Thank you, James
<Is much better to store change-out water ahead of use. Please read here
re: Gosh... I don't find a good set of collected stmt.s on WWM to refer
you to. Perhaps you'll write this up. Bob Fenner>
Re: Treating, storing FW for aquarium use 6/21/09
Thank you, is it OK to store the exact amount of water I need for a
change out in buckets and keep a towel over them without using a pump to
keep the water circulating?
<Is best to try to keep it moving, doesn't need to be anything fancy, an
old air pump will do.>
<Chris>
Testing tap for coral killers 06/15/08
Hi,
<Hello!>
I have a tank stocked with xenia, snails, & live
rock. I added the xenia about a month ago and it doesn't look to off
from what it would look like in the wild but still it's not up to snuff.
So here's my parameters: temp 80, dKH 14, Ca 350, spg 1.025,pH 8.1.?I
suspected it was the pH causing the xenia to not look so good so I
aerated overnight (w/window cracked) and it didn't help.
<pH is a
definite factor in xenia health, yours is low.>
Now I use DI water
and read somewhere that this can cause a flat pH.
<If used
unbuffered, yes. Water is water, it's what we dissolve in it that
counts.>
So I'm thinking of using tap water after aging it for at
least a week.
<Not a good plan, in my opinion>
I know copper is
deadly to inverts and I'm going to test nutrient levels... Are there any
other metals/toxins I should test for in the tap water?
<Many...not
available to hobbyists>
If tap water is a bad idea in this tank
regardless of my efforts do you think RO or Kold Steril units will
produce a higher pH?
<Pure, unoxygenated water will have a mildly
acidic pH direct from any of these sources. You should aerate your water
thoroughly before using it, buffer all your top-off water, and make sure
you're doing weekly water changes of at least 10% to keep your water
parameters in order. Built-up nitrogenous waste will lower the pH of the
aquarium, as will certain deficiencies caused by old water.>
Thanks,
<No problem.>
Greg
<Benjamin>
Tap water conditioning 5/18/08
Hi,
I have a 10 gallon
freshwater tank with several live plants, a few platy's, 6 cardinal
tetras, 2 ottos and several amano shrimp.
<Have a similar system,
though I'd personally consider Platies too large and Otocinclus too
delicate for such a small tank.>
I do weekly water changes of about
2.5 gallons and it's been doing well for about a year but recently I've
noticed the pH dropping a lot over the week.
<This is common with
small tanks, which is why we recommend aquarists keep systems at least
20 gallons in size. Smaller tanks are inherently unstable, and the
downward pressures on pH through nitrate, organic decay, etc. tend to
overwhelm the carbonate reserve in small volumes of water. Performing
larger water changes will help, but it's still a struggle.>
It's
about 7 after the water change but will drop down to just over 6 by the
end of the week. Everything in the tank actually seemed okay but I
figured this can't be good for them.
<Indeed, it is not; livebearers
of course need a basic pH simply to survive, but all fish are stressed
by rapid variations in pH.>
I tested the hardness and alkalinity,
which I hadn't done before, and both were 0, or at least
didn't
register on the test strips.
<There's your problem. Are you using
softened water by any chance? You should never, ever use water from a
domestic water softener in aquaria. It is exceedingly bad for them.
Instead use the plain vanilla unsoftened water out the tap, plus
dechlorinator of course. Of course Platies and shrimps want hard, basic
water whereas Cardinals and Otocinclus want relatively soft and acid
water, and that's why they aren't recommended to be kept together. But a
happy medium around 10-15 degrees dH and pH 7.5 will suit them all
reasonably well. See here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/fwsoftness.htm>
I then
tested the tap water and it had 0 gH and kH with a pH of 8.8 to 9.0.
<Yuk.>
I talked to 3 fish stores in the area and got three different
answers about the best way to handle this problem. The first one said to
use Wardley Bullseye pH 7.0 which I did.
<Garbage. The pH isn't the
issue here, and if an aquarium store told you this was the product to
buy, they were anxious to make a sale, not fix a problem. Understand
this: pH itself is not important. Fish will adapt to wide range of pH
values, provided the pH is stable. So while Cardinal tetras come from
water where the pH is around 6, perhaps even lower, and need very soft
and acid water to breed, they will live just fine at pH 7.5. The main
thing is that the pH doesn't bounce up and down all the time. How do you
fix this? By raising the carbonate hardness, the stuff you measure in
degrees KH using your alkalinity test kit. Carbonate hardness is the
"antidote" to acidification. All aquaria experience acidification; what
matters is how well you minimize that acidification. Water changes and
carbonate hardness are your two tools. For general fishkeeping, you need
a carbonate hardness around 5-7 degrees KH, even slightly higher if
you're keeping livebearers and African lake cichlids. Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/fwh2oquality.htm>
This
stabilized the pH but the general hardness and alkalinity still barely
registered on the test.
<Indeed. These "pH potions" are chemical
buffers that hold the pH at some value. They don't do anything about
hardness or carbonate hardness. They are massively misused (and
misunderstood) by the hobby. This is what they're for: First fix the
carbonate hardness in an aquarium to where you want it. This should move
the pH to a useful value. The pH potion is then used to help stabilize
that pH. So if you were running a softwater aquarium for Discus, you'd
already lower the carbonate hardness to around 2-3 degrees KH. Filtering
the water through peat will now bring the pH to an optimal value around
6. But because of the lack of carbonate hardness, the pH is at severe
risk of dropping further, so you add the pH potion to stop that.>
I
then talked to another person who said to do the same as the first but
to also add Seachem Equilibrium to raise the gH and kH.
<Much better
advice, though this product is a very expensive way of raising hardness.
Far easier to either use your hard tap water (if you have that) or else
add some calcium carbonate (such as crushed coral) to a filter so that
it dissolves into the soft water and buffers against pH changes.
Alternatively, you can add commercial or DIY "Malawi Salt" mixes. The
DIY mixes are cheap and use regular household ingredients. There's a
recipe elsewhere here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebindex/fwhardnessfaqs.htm
You
likely won't need to use a full dose as you would for a Malawi cichlid
aquarium, but 25-50% of the dose should work nicely. Add to each bucket
of water, mix thoroughly, and test with your kits. Add water or salt mix
as required to get the optimal value.>
I wasn't able to get to the
store for a few days so I thought I'd add some Tetra Flora Pride to see
if it had any effect and figured it would be good for the plants too.
<Irrelevant.>
I only added half the suggest dose but three or four of
my Amano shrimp died over the next two days. I think it must have been
the Flora Pride because I also have a five gallon tank with some Amano
shrimp and they're fine even though I added some Bullseye 7.0 to that
tank too.
<Unlikely the Flora Pride since these shrimps are widely
kept in planted tanks; much more likely the shrimps finally succumbed to
variations in water chemistry.>
I finally made it in to another fish
store, all three stores are fairly far away, and this person said to
stop using the Bullseye because it contains phosphorus and will cause
algae problems.
<Least of your problems, but I'd stop with the pH
potion anyway.>
He suggested adding one or two teaspoons of Marine
salt and then some Kent pH Stabilizer to the tank.
<Marine salt isn't
what you want here really. It might help the shrimps and Platies, but if
you are using domestically softened water, you likely have a LOT of
sodium in the water already. Domestic water softeners don't
de-mineralize water; what they do is swap carbonate hardness minerals
for sodium salts, making the water easier on your plumbing. But the
elevated sodium levels are pretty nasty to your fish.>
Looking
on-line this didn't seem like such a good idea and I'm worried that I'll
end up killing everything if I mess around with things too much.
<Agreed. A potential risk if you make lots of changes without really
understanding what you're doing.>
The tank water seems fairly stable
at the moment with a pH of 6.8 and I did a water change to dilute out
the Flora Pride and Bullseye a little bit. How would you recommend that
I treat the tap water for future water changes?
<First confirm
whether you're using softened water or your tap water happens to be
extremely soft without going through a domestic water softener. If the
former -- stop using the water from the softener, and use unsoftened
water. If the latter, I'd personally make up some Malawi Salt mix, add
to each bucket of water as required, and over a week gradually change
the water 20% at a time so the fish have a chance to acclimate to
harder, more basic water.>
I was only using Tetra Aquasafe but it
seems like I need something else to stabilize the pH over the week and I
don't know if it's important for the long term health of the plants or
fish to raise
the gH or kH. Thanks,
Mike
<Yes, extremely
important. Cheers, Neale.> Tap
Water Use 3/20/08
High guys, quick question about water for a
salt water tank. I live in Toronto, good tap water. Do I need to use
reverse osmosis water for my reef tank??
<You may be able to get away
with tap water depending on the quality (actual test results are good).
I still use RO regardless of tap water quality. Even with good tap water
it can vary in throughout the year, RO water helps to keep things
consistent.>
Or can I get away with using an average under sink water
filter?? Considering Rainfresh to remove 99.9 of chlorine.
<This
company markets basic carbon filters to full under sink RO units. I
assume you are talking about the carbon filter. This will help remove
chlorine, but still be sure to aerate the water for a day or so to
dissipate any that may be left in the water.>
Someone told me I may
have a lot of phosphates in the water.
<You will need to actually
test the water for this (and nitrite, nitrate, hardness, etc.) to be
sure, this alone may necessitate the use of RO.>
I did buy a large
skimmer that is rated for 250gallon tank. My tank is 125.
<Good,
this will help keep your water quality up, but will not help if it
starts out bad.>
Thanks for your info.
<Welcome, have fun, Scott
V.> Tap water purification -12/22/2007
Hello, I, like many others, am trying to avoid the waste of an RO unit.
<I'm honestly not sure why so many people are concerned by the "waste"
water produced by these units. Unless you're worried about your water
bill, it's really not that big a deal. If you're just generally
concerned about "wasting" water (though water is actually never truly
wasted, just recycled though water treatment plants-- though, obviously,
there is some environmental cost to the recycling), you could always use
the waste water to wash your car or your dishes or what have you. You
could probably even drink it (especially if you put it through one of
those PUR drinking water filters).>
I am in the process of setting up
a 72 gallon aquarium with fish, live rock/sand, softies. I have tested
the basics of my tap water source with good results
<What are "good
results?" Did you use a TDS meter?>
and have had freshwater tanks for
years without problems/algae. Would it be acceptable to fill a
Rubbermaid container with tap water (mix salt, add Kalkwasser, heat) and
filter with a canister filled with carbon and poly filter pads overnight
while saltwater ages?
<I suppose so. It mostly depends on the
quality of your tap water. If you live in rural Montana, the water is
practically pure coming right out of the tap. However, this isn't the
case in most states and cities around the US. Using tap (even filtered
through carbon in a canister filter) is not usually ideal. However, if
this is to be for a fish-only tank, you should be fine with it.
Best,
Sara M.>
P.S. Of course, don't forget to dechlorinate! :)
-S.M. Tap Water Treatment – 12/07/07
Hey
Eric what's up?
<<Hiya Don!>>
I have a tap water question, my tap
has 1.0 ppm ammonia, no nitrite or nitrate or phosphate.
<<Okay>>
If I were to fill a 90 gallon can and throw Amquel + a power head and
salt for a week, would all bad stuff dissipate and would it be ok to use
for water changes?
<<The Amquel+ will remove any
Chlorine/Chloramines/Ammonia, and may detoxify other elements, but will
not remove “all bad stuff”…if present. That said, I see no reason not to
give this a try. How your tank responds will answer your question>>
I
don't have a RO unit and getting tired of carrying buckets. Or anything
you can think of…would be grateful.
<<I do prefer RO/DI for water
prep…but give your idea a try>>
Also my fish that had Crypt are clear
and the 22nd will be 6 week protocol to go back into 210 tank.
<<Excellent>>
Plus I went out and bought a 90 gallon
hospital/quarantine tank
<<Ahh…lots of room!>>
Thanks again for
all the help; it's been fun even through the rough times.
<<Am
looking forward to your (good) progress reports. EricR>>
Re: Tap Water Treatment - 12/09/07
Eric,
<<Don>>
Ok, bad stuff can mean a lot and I thank you for the quick
response.
<<Indeed…and quite welcome>>
What exactly bad stuff
would I be worried about without getting into all sorts of crazy water
chemistry.
<<Much of what may be in your tap water can not be tested
by you/hobbyists, though you can contact your water company and ask for
a written analysis…and you might be surprised at what you find (heavy
metals, pesticides, etc.). And though these will likely be in miniscule
amounts, what is deemed safe for “us” does not hold true/can still be
problematical to your marine system>>
I do know Kordon makes a few
water conditioner products beside Amquel +.
<<But of little to no use
to you/your purpose. There are no magic elixirs out there… It is my
opinion you and your system will be happier in the long run with some
type of filtration unit (RO/DI) to pre-filter your tap water before use.
Do let me know if you wish to discuss these further, and/or read here
and among the associated links:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/h2opurifiers.htm . EricR>>
R2: Tap Water Treatment - 12/09/07
What
about adding things like carbon to premix?
<<Can’t hurt/will help to
prefilter your tap water through carbon…but is still no replacement for
a good filtration unit>>
I'm really not trying to be lazy because
I’ve been traveling for RO water, but my health is on a decline and
carrying 12 buckets 2 times a week is rough.
<<Mmm, sorry to hear…and
yes, much agreed. I automated my own system so a 50 gallon water change
takes about 15 minutes. A turn of a valve to drain…a push of a button to
fill…fantastic…>>
I am big into water changes 10-20 %.
<<Excellent…is the single best thing you can do for your system>>
If
not, if you know of a great company that has RO unit at reasonable cost
send the link please.
<<Ah yes…check these guys
out…http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm >>
I really don't
know much about them.
<<Do let me know if I can help with this>>
Thanks Again.
<<Cheers, Eric Russell>>
R3: Tap Water Treatment - 12/10/07
Eric,
<<Don>>
Nice RO filter. . $124.00 - OCEAN WAVE SHELL FOUR STAGE 75
GPD REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM...
<<A nice unit, agreed...though for $10
more you should consider the five-stage unit with the DI cartridge>>
How the heck do you install it? LMAO
<<The units are fairly
easy/straightforward to install. You can either “tap in” to a cold water
line much as you would to install an ice-maker feed line (make sure you
have a valve in-line to shut-off flow when not in use), or, if a faucet
is within reach, you can use a faucet adapter to connect the infeed line
(adapter may come with the unit, else will have to be purchased
separately). You can check with the vendor to be sure, but the unit will
likely come with written instructions for installation. Also, I am
familiar with this vendor and I know they will do all they can to assist
you with the install or to troubleshoot any problems that may arise.
EricR>>
R2: Tap Water Treatment – 12/15/07
Eric,
<<Don>>
We had talked about tap water not being the best even when
mixed for a week and extra chemicals for the main tank so I'll be doing
the buckets again.
<<Mmm…decided against the RO-DI filter then>>
But can I use treated tap water mix with Kordon chemicals and carbon for
water changes just in the 75-gallon Q-tank? Or will it bother the fish
also?
<<I wouldn’t, think about it my friend… If you are
acclimating/treating an already stressed organism, wouldn’t you want the
water you use to be of the best quality possible?>>
Hey, thanks again
for all the time I have taken up with you and Dave.
<<I think you
mean Scott…and you are quite welcome>>
If there's anything I can do
in return (I already donated money)
<<Thank you for this>>
please
let me know. Even if it’s correcting emails or something like that.
Thanks again.
<<Will keep this in mind. Cheers mate! EricR>>
R3: Tap Water – 12/16/07
Yes it was
Scott (sorry Scott) I'm on lots of meds :)
<<No worries mate>>
I
don't have the money for RO unit but am looking for one at the time and
still will get one.
<<You may be able to find a more “inexpensive”
unit at your local home store (Lowe’s/Home Depot/Menards/etc.) >>
I
understand your point about the stressed fish, but until I get a RO unit
I'll keep going to get my buckets filled with RO water from the store!
<<Understood>>
BTW, I hope I'm not taking too much of your time.
<<Not at all. Regards, EricR>>
Question about new TDS meter 10/29/07
Hi
Crew,
<Tom>
I have a basic 3 stage RO unit running for 18 months
now, with these components:
1 micron sediment filter
5 micron
carbon filter
50GPD Dow Filmtec TFC membrane (from Premium Aquatics)
<Okay>
I've long thought that I might need to invest in a unit with a
DI stage to get better water for our reef tank. To find out how
effective this little RO unit is, I just installed a new HM Digital Dual
TDS Monitor (http://www.tdsmeter.com/products/dm2.html). I have not
tested for TDS prior to this.
<All right>
Based on reading many of
the WWM FAQs on TDS and water filtration, the readings I'm getting are
better than I was expecting. The incoming probe reads 50-52, the output
probe reads exactly 0. As an experiment I switched the incoming probe to
the output side of the RO, and it now reads 0 as well. So the TDS
monitor appears to be working, right?
<Oh yes>
We live in Western
Oregon and enjoy relatively clean tap water, but I'd like to ask your
expert opinion on whether it's typical to get a TDS of 0, using only a
basic 3 stage RO.
<Mmm, yes... if the unit is "in good shape", the
starting water not too solute laden...>
And, would there be any point
to adding a DI stage if the TDS is already at 0?
<Not IMO>
Thanks,
Tom
<Welcome. Bob Fenner, a huge fan of RO... have used for three
plus decades... for all cooking, drinking... and some pet-fishing.>
Trihalomethanes – 10/09/07
WetWebMedia
Crew,
<<Hello Eric...sorry for the delay in a response>>
I have a
chemistry question for whomever may be up to the challenge.
<<Mmm,
well...I think Bob would be best for this but since he’s out drinking
and diving in the Bahamas (lucky pug), and no one else has picked it
this up...I’ll give it a go>>
I have recently discovered, through the
local paper, that my water source has admitted to exceeding the EPA
standards in total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) of 80 ppb over the past year.
<<I suspect there’s much in our drinking water of which we are generally
“unaware”>>
I do know that Trihalomethanes are a byproduct of using
Chlorine or Chloramine to treat the water.
<<As a byproduct of the
reaction with organic matter...yes, is what I have read as well>>
Apparently the average TTHM's for our water source has been 82.5ppb.
<<Hardly seems trifling...with a “standard” of 80ppb>>
My question is
this: Since Trihalomethanes are a known carcinogen, what is the toxicity
level for aquatic animals, specifically fish.
<<Hmm, don’t know...but
would have to assume if it isn’t healthy for us, it can’t be good for
the fishes>>
I have a 29 gallon saltwater system, and do use tap
water, although I have not lost a fish for at least 2 years. Need I be
concerned?
<<I think the possible presence of pesticides and heavy
metals in your tap water likely pose a greater risk here. All the same,
and especially since you don’t pre-filter your water, I would be running
a small canister filter filled with cut-up Poly-Filter pads on this
system>>
Appreciative as always,
Eric
<<Hope you find this
exchange of use. Eric Russell>> Re:
Ammonia in aged water-possibly algae in well water 9/7/07
Hello Crew (Bob),
Concerning the ammonia readings in aged water (but
not fresh from tap over at my mother's house). I did buy 2 more test
kits and those kits showed the identical results as my original liquid
test kit.
<I see. Thank you>
So I made some calls and did some
thinking. I'm going to update you in the hopes that it may help someone
else with well water.
I believe the reason for the ammonia reading
in only the aged water (not fresh tap water) was because my mother had
algae in her well/well water.
<This could do it, yes>
Possibly
because of major flooding here in
Oklahoma the past 6 months. The
water straight out of her tap showed '0' ammonia, yet when the water sat
for an hour or more the ammonia started rising. I believe it was because
the algae
particles from the well started dying as soon as it came
through the pipes and sat in a container and caused the ammonia. Does
that make sense?
<It does>
It made perfect sense to me. We poured
a
bottle of Clorox bleach down her well the other day. Evidently
that's not an uncommon practice amongst well owners (who'd have known?).
<Is a good move>
The man at the water dept said the bleach should
dissipate within 24 hrs or so. I went over to her house today and tested
a bucket of water she'd had sitting out for several hours. There was '0'
ammonia! Great news! So I think that solved the problem. I'd have never
thought of something like that and I wonder how many other fish keepers
using well water have trouble cycling their tanks for the same reason.
She was pouring in water with ammonia in it. Keep in mind the ammonia
only showed in her aged water, not straight from the tap. It really had
me stumped and I'm so glad to have figured it out, so it seems.
Does
chlorine actually dissipate after about 24 hours?
<Most types of
sodium hypochlorite, yes... there are other versions, and additives that
make some "bleach" last longer in a bottle..>
I'd like to make sure
from you. I bought her some Kordon's NovAqua+ to use with any water
changes until I find out for sure that chlorine
dissipates quickly.
<Also a good idea>
Interesting update and I really hope it helps
someone else.
Mitzi
<Thank you for sharing. You've no doubt saved
many people grief... and livestock! Bob Fenner>
Tap Water Conditioner v. Stress Coat – 08/08/07
Hi there Neale. Quick question! With all my daily water changes (to
correct chemistry), should I be using API's Tap Water Conditioner vs.
Stress Coat? In the CMA, Bob mentioned using excessive Stress Coat
encourages the fish to produce too much slime coating. I have been
adding a drop or two of Stress Coat to the water before introducing it
into the aquarium...the product also does not have an ideal applicator
and I often place too much in.
What is your recommendation please?
Thank you very much! Lisa.
<Lisa, in 20+ years of keeping fish I've
never used Stress Coat. The only time I've seen it used is by retailers
when they add some to the shipping water in the bag before sending me
home with my new pets. Healthy fish have perfectly adequate slime coats,
and excess slime surely doesn't do them any good at all (the obvious
parallel would be promoting slime production in humans -- that's
anything from a runny nose to mucous-filled lungs). Tap water
conditioner, on the other hand, is one of those cheap but essential
things no aquarist should ever neglect. It quite clearly does what it
says on the package, and when not used, the fish are quite clearly
harmed. So this is a no-brainer to me: always use the Conditioner, and
only use Stress Coat in situations (such as shipping fish) where there
are short-term benefits to be gained. They are quite obviously not
alternatives: one's essential, the other an optional extra. Frankly, I
wouldn't bother with Stress Coat. Focus on water quality, water
chemistry, and diet, in that order -- and everything else should fall
into place without any extra work. Trust me on this. A stable aquarium
with an established population of fish is about as little work as a pot
plant. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Tap Water Conditioner v. Stress Coat
I knew you'd have a clear answer on this one - thanks again.
<Cool.
Take care, Neale>
Tap water preparation, stocking questions.
Another Nutrient Export Devotee! 6/23/07
Crew-
<Scott F. your Crew member tonight.>
Thanks, as always. I've
taken to reading the daily FAQs, now that I've been able to research
most of my common problems. On to my question. I am currently using tap
water for my 40 reef and 50 FOWLR. I am getting great growth, even from
some SPS. I take great care of my tank, doing 5-10% water changes every
few days.
<I LOVE to hear that!>
The tank has been up for 6
months or so and is currently getting a diatom bloom. I have recently
replaced the bulbs, and I wash all my frozen food, feed lightly, take
all other suggested steps ala WWM directive.
<Awesome husbandry...My
eyes are welling with tears of joy...>
I believe that there may still
be some lingering silicates or phosphates that are coming in with my
water changes.
<That would be my first guess, too. If you don't use
reverse osmosis or deionization to treat your tap water before mixing it
with salt, you're probably bringing in phosphates or silicates that way.
Every time you do a water change, you're simply "refueling" the algae. I
would highly advise investing in an RO/DI unit. Do test your source
water for phosphates, nitrates and silicates, and you'll probably be
shopping for a unit pretty quickly!>
Currently for water changes, I
fill a Rubbermaid garbage can with tap water, aerate it for several days
with Amquel+, then make saltwater from that water, heat and aerate and
circulate that for a couple days and then into the tank it goes. I have
it set so that each step is happening at once, so I can continually do
water changes every 3-4 days.
<Really sounds fine, with the
exception of a lack of source water pre-treatment, as indicated above. I
am drooling (that's geeky, I know- but who cares?) over your consistent,
frequent water change schedule!>
Anyway, the short of it is I am
wondering if I can dose a small amount of Kalk into the mixed saltwater
to precipitate out what phosphates may be present. Would calcium
hydroxide preferentially precipitate phosphates or the alkalinity first?
<The real issue here is to determine what the level of phosphate is in
the water to begin with. Better to simply eliminate it from the start,
and then use calcium hydroxide to supply free calcium to your system (as
determined by it's calcium demand-which you can find out by testing!).>
I am currently using Oceanic, which is relatively high in Ca, but I
would be able to switch to another brand to find one that's more alk
oriented (I seem to remember an article by Steven pro, right? He came
and spoke at TCMAS not too long ago)
<Steve's a good friend of
mine...Just chatted with him today, in fact. A great guy and wonderful
friend of the hobby!>
Also I am wondering if I could get some of the
nuisance algae growing in the water change container so as to use up the
nutrients fueling it before it goes to the tank.
Interesting
thought-utilizing algae in your storage container- but I think it's
putting the "cart before the horse", as they say. Sooo much better to
pre-treat the source water before use, and employ continuous nutrient
export processes (i.e., your water changes, "purposeful" macroalgae
growth in the system, chemical filtration and protein skimming).>
I
know in the end I am just putting off getting an RO/DI,
but I'm a
poor college student, so I gotta do what I gotta do.
<I hear ya...At
the very least, you might be able to find one of those water stores or a
vender of some sort that can sell you RO/DI water. Id id that when I was
in college, and it was less expensive than an RO unit...Kind of a pain,
though. Basically, my point is that it's easier to reduce/eliminate
unwanted substances from the source water before you use it than it is
to get it out of your system.>
Also, in my 40 reef I currently have
an Ocellaris Clownfish and a Coral Beauty (who nips every now and again,
but seemingly only at leathers).
<An unfortunate habit- but a trade
off worthwhile to me nonetheless when keeping this lovely fish!>
I
would love to eventually add a Neon Goby, a Sixline Wrasse and maybe a
Firefish. I would do the Goby first, then the Firefish, then the
Sixline, probably in month increments as they come out of QT. Am I
overcrowding?
<Good order of introduction, but I think it is a bit of
a crowd in this sized aquarium. I'd eliminate the Sixline, as it may
become a behavioural problem in this sized aquarium with a relatively
docile population. I'd stop adding fish with the Neon and the Firefish.>
I've got a built-in fuge and air driven skimmer (I'm using double
limewood airstones) supplemented by a Prizm skimmer.
<Great! Make
sure the skimmers are cranking out skimmate regularly.>
Once again,
as always, thanks!!
Wes
<Well, Wes- I'm really thrilled to hear
how well you're doing things. Your husbandry is very good! My only
recommendation is to employ some form of water pre-treatment for your
source water, and you'll be in great shape. Do see if you can find an
inexpensive or used unit. Best of luck, and continued success! Keep
sharing your husbandry practices and ideas with others! Regards, Scott
F.>
Chloramines, treating source water 6/6/07
Hi Crew,
I had the following paragraph included in a post I just sent
and thought maybe it would be easier if it was sent under the proper
index or subject name,
As a word of warning to those residents using
Toledo, OH city water: With hottest days of summer still ahead of us
please be advised that the water plants use of chloramines increases
greatly during the summer months due to algae build up in and around
their pump stations in Lake Erie. I know this to be factual because I
delivered bulk Co2 to the plant for five years. We (the wife and I) lost
a beautiful Watchman Goby (Winston) during the summer of our freshman
year as an aquarists and didn't know why until sometime later. It still
brings a tear to my eye when I think of him laying on the bottom of our
hospital tank struggling to breathe. To be honest we almost left the
hobby. But, thanks to the "Crew" at www.wetwebmedia.com we are still
here enjoying our marine aquariums.
Best regards,
Brad & Nancee
Kizer
<Thank you for this valuable note. A further addition to warn
all against irregular "pulsing" of this sanitizer... Water Districts
will/do greatly increase the concentration here to rid lines or
microbes, increase residual... to several times regular dose... Once
again, my STRONG suggestion to store, aerate water a week or so ahead of
use. BobF> Weird water
question...creek water for tanks? – 5/19/07
Your registration
function is unavailable so I opted to email.
<Sorry about that. I
have also been unable to register for the forum. That is a separate
system than ours, but something is broken and needs to be fixed!>
We
are going to be filling a 210g SW tank <cool!> and were wondering if we
could use creek water ? <hmmm…>
It is a small FW creek and the water
is crystal clear and definitely drinkable. We have drunk from it for
many years with never a problem. We live in the mountains and have never
had any type of problem with our water whether it be our well or the
creek. I don't have an RO/di unit and have always used the well water
for our tanks. My tanks are doing great with the water and I have them
tested regularly. I was just wondering if this was feasible. Pumping
265g ( 210g tank + 55g sump ) would put a strain on my well pump. Thanks
for any help !!!
<If you are not downstream of any farms or other
sources of pollution, it may be fine. Since you normally use the well
water, you should test the stream water for at least phosphate and
nitrate, just to be sure. Drinkability implies you don’t have a
bacteria problem, which shouldn’t survive the switch to salt anyway. You
will need to be careful of your pumping situation, and not suck up
sediment from the stream. Another option would be to fill the system
slowly with well water over a few days, maybe 25 or 50g at a time. That
should not strain your pump too much.
Cheers, Alex> Not so
much of a question, but more of a warning. Tapwater use...
5/7/07
Hello Crew,
<Mike>
Just writing this in the hopes
that you pass it on. Previously, I subscribed to the theory that if tap
water is safe for humans to drink, it is safe for the fish once properly
treated.
<Mmm, you're learning...>
Yesterday, I did my normal
15% water change on my 300G FOWLR. Prior to the water change, my
readings were Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, and Nitrate
<5ppm (API test
kit).
About one hour after adding the new water, the tanks looked a
bit cloudy, and the twelve fish in the tank (species not relevant to
this letter), were acting "odd". Difficult to describe odd, but you
understand what I mean when your fish are just not acting like they
normally do.
I tested the water again: Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0.5ppm,
Nitrate <5ppm.
To make a long story short, after checking all of my
equipment and not finding any problems, I tested my tap water; the
nitrite level was somewhere between 0.5 and 1.0 ppm straight out of the
faucet.
<Yikes>
I added a bottle of "Cycle" to the tank to help
the system along.
<Mmm, not a consistent/useful product
unfortunately>
the nitrite level was down to 0.25 ppm within 90
minutes and back down to 0 ppm by the next morning.
<Likely your
nitrifiers effect>
So, my RO\DI unit should be arriving this week,
and my water utility will be getting an angry call from me in the
morning.
<Good luck t/here>
So, just a friendly reminder to the
WWM readers, if you use tap water, make sure you spot check it from time
to time!
<Good!>
Thanks again for this wonderful resource,
Mike
<Thank you for sharing Mike... You have saved many organisms,
and many aquarist head- and heart-aches. Bob Fenner>
Water
Filtration, Top offs, and Storing Saltwater 4/26/07
Jason here
from Manila. Hope you're doing well too :)
<Greetings, Jason!
GrahamT with you this fine, rainy morning in Maine, USA.>
My water
company delivers filtered water to my doorstep.
<Cool!>
However, I am not sure about the quality of the water, and if they use
copper for its distillation process.
<Can be tested
for...>
I also believe it is RO water.
<Is likely.
Commonly used form of purification.>
What kind of tests should I do
on the water to determine if it is safe for my reef tank?
<I would
test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, phosphate and copper. If
you are curious, you could add total dissolved solids (which should be
at or near zero if it IS RO) and iron. These can be useful kits for any
aquarist, but they *ARE* seldom-used and the kits do expire so... it's
your call.>
If I'm going to do my own filtration on my tap water,
is it ok to just do RO, and not DI?
<That depends on what you want
to accomplish. For most cases, RO will suffice. I would venture that if
your tap water is safe to drink, then you can buy a simple RO (read: two
or three-stage) with acceptable results. However, the more you invest
initially in your RO unit, the more it pays of in the end. Multiple
stages of pre-filtration before the RO-membrane extend the life of the
membrane and soften the blow to your wallet. If you do go with a
many-stage unit, then the addition of DI is warranted, IMO. The level of
stuff that would make it to the DI in that case would be minimal, and
thus the DI cartridge would last quite a while. All these different
choices will be prompted by the tests you carry out on your tapwater.>
I plan to make a DIY top off system. Does the water
need to be
constantly aerated with an airstone & pump
to keep oxygenated?
<Not *constantly*, but if you plan to keep it for long periods (like
weeks) in the same container, you need to provide movement and aeration
to avoid stagnant water.>
As part of my routine of making saltwater
and storing, can I keep it in containers where it is not circulated and
not air pumped for weeks at a time, and then when I need to use it, I
can airstone it and circulate it for x hours - would this be ok?
<If you are driven to store the water for a long time, then I would
store just the purified fresh water, since there is less chance of it
growing bacteria and algae whilst sitting. Then you can mix it u p
in due time for its use.>
If so, how long should I aerate/circulate
it prior to use? Is there anything I should watch out for here?
<Aerate and circulate for at least two days after you mix the salt, and
then feel safe using it.>
Doing water changes - when I water change,
I aerate and use a water pump for circulation prior to use.
However,
this makes the water much warmer than my tank. Is it ok to let it sit
without aeration/circulation for 2 hours (while it cools down) prior to
use?
<The aeration alone shouldn't heat the water, but in either
case, letting it sit for a matter of a couple hours is detrimental in
any way. By all means, let the water cool. Good luck!
-GrahamT>
I need help, all my fish died – 3/28/07
I'll apologize in
advance for the length of this. I just want to give as much info as
possible.
<No problem.>
I recently had a disaster with my
tank. It's 45 gal, 20 lbs of live rock, (I know it's not enough) and
1/2" crushed coral substrate.
<Also not enough. A deeper bed could
help you with denitrification.>
I have a CPR BakPak 2
and Via Aqua canister filter for filtration. The tank has been set up
for 2 years now. I haven't added anything new to the tank in over 6
months. I had 1 tomato clown, 2 pajama cardinals, and 1 royal
Gramma. There are 3-5 hermit crabs and the live rock is covered with
small feather dusters, green algae, and little bits of coralline. It
also had a couple of spaghetti worms which died also.
The crabs
appear healthy and the feather dusters, while some larger ones seemed a
little stressed, appear otherwise fine.
<This sounds like a very
nice tank. I am sorry you had a disaster.>
I was in the process of
cleaning my tank. The tank has always had a nitrate problem (usually
20) that I've not been able to fix
<This is not extremely high given
that you are not trying to keep sensitive invertebrates. A deep sand
bed could help bring this down though. And changing more water is the
other option.>
and occasionally I've used a little Amquel+ before a
partial water change. I've never had problems with Amquel+ before. I
did use some about 24 hours before I found all of the fish dead.
<Hmmm…>
I tried the forum first, the Amquel+ had a strong rotten egg
like odor to it which apparently isn't normal according to some posts.
<This does not sound normal to me. Rotten egg odor is hydrogen
sulfide. Can’t be good.>
I can tell you the ph in the tank
plummeted to 7.4.
<Yikes!!>
I don't have readings for ammonia
etc., from the time I found the fish as my first reaction was to change
the water quickly to save the rest of the tank.
On Monday, the fish
seemed healthy and were eating ok when I fed them before I left for
work, about 12 hours after adding the Amquel+. It was about 11 hours
later I found them all dead. There were no visible signs of any illness
prior to this.
<Illness does not sound likely. This is
environmental.>
So far, I've done 2 partial water changes and I plan
on doing a 3rd this weekend. I've also added some Seachem reef
buffer. I removed and completely cleaned the CPR BakPak. It is
currently the only filtration. I need to completely replace all the
media in the VIA Aqua so for the moment it's disconnected.
What
could have killed the fish and not the crabs and feather duster?
<It
does sound like your Amquel+ was the culprit. Crabs and annelids can be
pretty hardy sometimes. Fish have such high metabolisms they are very
sensitive to toxins or oxygen depletion. The manufacturer is not
sharing the recipe for this newer product, but lists the composition of
original Amquel as sodium hydroxymethanesulfonate. Assuming this is a
primary component of the new formula as well, It does sound like it
broke down into some very unpleasant compounds, including hydrogen
sulfide. Here is the link to the safety information about the product:
http://www.novalek.com/kordon/Amquel+/index.htm
Although they
say it is very safe, of course, they also say that deoxygenation of the
water occurs after addition, and this is certainly one way the fish
could be injured. The hydrogen sulfide and pH drop could also be
culprits. I would not add any products like this to the tank to reduce
nitrates. Nitrates are much less dangerous than these chemicals!>
Is there something I should test for other than the normal water
parameters?
<pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate should be
sufficient. The Sulphur should not be a problem as long as your pH and
hardness are appropriate, especially since you have diluted with
significant water changes. The water changes should have taken care of
any obscure compounds. >
Do I need new substrate and live rock?
<I would not replace the substrate and rock. You might go ahead and add
some more. >
I plan on waiting at least a few weeks, I'm afraid to
even consider adding any fish until I figure out what went wrong.
<Yes, once your pH and other parameters are stable, and if your
invertebrates continue to do well, I would add fish back one at a
time. The quarantine period for the fish should give you plenty of time
to assess the stability of the tank. I would not use Amquel+ in the
tank anymore. After a similar fish kill from another “safe” product
that also deoxygenates the water, I have sworn off adding any
proprietary formulations to my no matter how safe anyone says it is.>
Dawn
<Alex> A follow-up to "I need help, all my
fish died 3/28/07" More on Amquel (and A.C.E. . ) poss. toxicity
3/31/07
Good afternoon Crew,
<Nicole>
I just wanted to
add to this question, which Alex answered, in which someone named Dawn
relayed the disaster that her 45 gallon reef tank experienced.
<Please do>
I myself have noticed this odor with the Amquel+
product, but when I first bought a bottle of it about a year ago, it had
a similar smell.
The smell seems to have become concentrated as the
product was expended. It leaves a very lasting odor - an uncapped bottle
can quickly smell up a room! This makes me uneasy, but I do believe it
is normal to some extent. Even Prime (in my opinion the best
dechlorinator, the 50 ml dropper bottle makes dosing very simple - 3
drops per gallon) has a section on the back where it says:
"Sulfur
odor is normal."
<Yes>
Prime, however, has a very slight odor,
in my opinion. The Amquel+ product definitely does not! I answer fish
questions on another site, and have seen many cases where an addition of
Amquel+ or A.C.E. . caused major disruption of the bio-filter, usually
nitrites shooting up sky high.
<Yes>
I cannot say that it is due
to the product alone, but it certainly was a catalyst. Although both
Novalek and Jungle do offer other fine aquarium products - these
particular ones, I would never recommend to anyone.
<Me neither>
Thanks for reading this, and for all that you do each day for hobbyists
worldwide!
Nicole
<Thanks much for coming forward... with this
lucid, useful input. Bob Fenner>
Bubble Tip Anemone and Prime
– 3/11/07
Bob,
<Hi Cindy, Brenda here>
I have a question
about a Bubble tip. My husband got this guy on Thursday. He put Prime
in the tank today.
<Why? Prime is used to remove chlorine and
ammonia. It is also used during cycling to reduce ammonia, nitrate and
nitrite toxicity. You should be using RO or RO/DI water. An anemone
should not be added to a tank until it is well established. It is
recommended to wait six months to one year before adding an anemone.>
Now the Anemone is sucked back until it is very small and looks a little
jelly like.
<It is not unusual for an anemone to deflate from time
to time. It needs to expel waste. If it looks like it is melting or
decaying, it is dead. Need to remove it, do a large water change and
monitor your water parameters closely.>
What could be wrong with
this guy and is there anything we can do to help him?
<Without more
information on your tank such as equipment, age, water parameters, and
as to why Prime was added, I can’t offer much help.>
He did try to
feed him today but he wouldn't eat.
<That is not unusual for a newly
introduced anemone.>
Cindy
<Sorry, need more
information. Brenda> PRIME (SEACHEM) 3/11/07
How are
you all doing?
<Good thanks.>
I have a question about the
product PRIME from Seachem. I have a little system made to dispense
Freshwater (R/O) from a 26 gallon trash can and a saltwater mix (1.023)
that is in another 26 gallon. I have heaters in both and have power
heads in both. My question is when I make new fresh water with the R/O
maker, can I just implement the PRIME in the freshwater trash can? <Not
necessary with R/O water, it removes the chemicals Prime treats.> Or
when I'm ready to mix new saltwater and add it to my saltwater trash can
should I put the PRIME in the saltwater mix? Where do you think the
Prime would be more effective or does it even matter? <Unnecessary.>
Sorry but two more question my tank has been cycling for two weeks now
and I have been doing 5-10% water changes so far at the end of each week
( Only two so far).
However, I also have real fine sand in the tank.
Do I need to siphon the sand too. <I would not unless it has algae
growth on it.> Or can I just pick up the die off from my LR with tongs
and not have to stir up the sand. <Would work fine.> Because as you know
if you suck to close to the sand you end up sucking up sand as well and
I don't want to do that. The last question I have is my tank has already
gone through a phase where I had brown algae and now it has turned green
in the tank is this normal? <Yes> I believe it is from all of the books
and forums I read on this web site. Also can you all give me a good web
site to go to that has detailed info on how the Nitrogen cycle works and
the steps your tank goes through from beginning to end and also charts
and pictures of what it looks like in these stages. <Don't know of one
with everything you are looking for. Can start here
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm and see
where it leads you.>
Thank you for all of your
help!
Jeff
<Chris> Tap water, trtmt. –
03/09/07
What do I need to do to make tap water safe (as far as
chlorine and chloramines) for my 75 gal. saltwater tank? Should I use
Kent ammonia detox or prime?
<<There are many products available. My
favourite is Prime, by Seachem. Please be sure to cycle your tank, and
research all your purchases before bringing home any fishes. Lisa.>>
Cat shark: feeding and soft water 1/17/06
Hi
guys,
<Tim>
I have a newly hatched cat shark and had two
questions that I couldn't answer myself on your site. First, knowing
that you don't recommend silversides as a diet for them I was wondering
if it was ok to feed striped killifish (a common salt water bait
minnow).
<These should be fine>
Second, do you know how this
fish will do in soft water? When I set up the tank the softener was
bypassed and it was filled with regular dechlorinated tap water. The
manufacturer of the softener recommends that you gradually introduce the
fish to soft water and it will be ok. Just wondered if this would be ok
for such a delicate fish. Thanks for any help you can offer.
Tim
Taylor
<Mmm... most water softeners are "exchange" in principle...
trading ions for "hardness" material... and being re-charged with
salt/s... One can end up with a bit of sodium/chloride imbalance... but
not really much of an issue in an otherwise properly set-up and
maintained system... I would not go to extraordinary measures to avoid
the softened water here... Just mix, store your synthetic and you'll be
fine. Bob Fenner> Two topics: pH of RO\DI and Amquel+
11/21/06
Good morning crew,
I have two topics that I need
assistance with.
After reading Bob Fenner's article on 'Treating
Tap/Source-water for Marine Aquarium Use'. I was worried about Amquel+
product that I use for removing chlorine and chloramines from my filter
socks after treating them in bleach solution to clean. With the smell of
the product it makes me believe it has formaldehyde in it. What is the
general thought on this product and is there a product I should use in
its place to remove chlorine?
<Is a worthwhile product..., safe,
effective... rarely going "bad">
Our water is sooo hard in our area
and I have a water softener before the RO system to soften it. My RO\DI
system produces water that has 9.1 PH before aerating.
<Mmmmm>
After aerating and adding Seachem Reef Buffer the PH is at 8.89. I
replace the filters on the RO every 3-4 months and the membrane every
20-24 months. I have calibrated the pen and have a tank PH of 8.11-8.16
that has a calc reactor dosing it. Is the pen bad possibly?
<Mmm,
doubtful... you do calibrate it, check it against/with solution/s of
known pH I take it>
I did a test on 24 gallons of RO\DI water, after
aerating it for 24 hours I added the buffer\baking soda till the PH
reached 8.2. After 24 hours I added Reef Crystals salt to the water and
CABLAMMY everything 'snowed' out of the water and the ph went to 7.65.
<... I would aerate the new water for a day or more... mix the salt in,
allow to run another day or more, THEN do whatever adjustment to
chemistry/physics>
The reason I did this was my calcium levels never
improved above 280-290.
<...? In the newly made-up seawater?>
And feared that my top off water and water change mixture was hurting
the tank.
<Something/s is/are amiss here...>
I am left to
believe that my PH pen is giving me untrue measurements, but
reproducible readings. What are your thoughts on this 'PH'oohy
observation?
As always thank you for your time.
Dave
<Time
to "check the checker"... Perhaps a visit to the LFS where they can
gauge your readings against theirs. Also... I would try eliminating the
water softener in your tap/source water treatment path here... even just
to see what the consequent water chemistry reads. Bob Fenner>
Water to use. Tap trtmt 10/03/06
I have a 60 gallon DAS with 65
pounds live rock and 110 pounds live sand. Currently I only have a
hammer coral and xenia and some cleaner crews going. The tank has been
set up for 2 months. I am having some evaporation. I understand that I
need to add some water that does not have salt in it since the salt does
not evaporate. My question is Do I have to get RO water or DI water or
can I filter my own water through an inline filter that I can get at
Lowes or home depot to remove the chlorine and such?
<You do need to
use RO or DI. I suggest using a system designed for aquarium use. The
drinking water systems at the big box stores (or anywhere for the most
part) are not a good idea for use in a tank with invertebrates.>
Thanks a million,
<Very welcome and best of luck - Emerson>
Mark
Re: Water to use - RO or RO/DI clarification 10/4/06
Does
it have to be DI and RO? What do you suggest?
<I have known many
reef keepers that only use RO with success, and have no problem
recommending RO as long as it is maintained properly. I use RO/DI, since
I don’t mind the added expense for the few extra percentage points of
purity.>
Are there any good reasonably priced units you would
recommend?
<I have used the Kent Marine and Spectrapure systems, and
found them both to work very well. You can find the lower gpd (gallons
per day) units for around $130 online. Depending on usage you can recoup
the cost in a modest amount of time.>
Thanks again,
Mark
<Have a good one Mark – Emerson>
Aging Tap Water and creature ID 9/26/06
Hello all,
<And
to you>
After filling my 30 Gallon Brute with Tap water should
the lid be left on, off or partially covered to allow the
dissipation of the chemicals the city uses to treat the water?
<Of small matter... if not much risk of stuff "getting in", I'd
leave askew>
There is a power head and heater in there and I
have both fresh and salt tanks so I do not add salt right away. I
let it stand for 5-7 days before using for fresh than add salt to
the remaining for another 3-5 days.
<Good practice, protocol>
Also any idea on what this creature is? I am guessing it is a sponge
of some sort.
<Me too>
The clear "straw" coming out of it is
definitely neat. There are several and they are the size of an m&m.
Thanks,
John
<Yummy! Bob Fenner> | 
|
-Xenia in trouble?- - 09/03/06
Bob and wonderful staff,
<Todd, you have Justin tonight.>
Update on my BTA getting caught in
the powerhead: It's been just over a week since I learned the hard way
about NOT covering powerhead intakes with
a BTA in the tank. Well,
powerheads are covered and the BTA appears to be doing well. Thanks for
all you help.
<Good to hear, they can get themselves into very
interesting situations cant they. Glad yours is doing better.>
Now
with the another hard lesson learned by a new reef daddy.. DO NOT ADD
AMQUEL+ to your tank! I was starting to get a Cyanobacteria bloom due
to
increase in my Nitrate readings (0 - 10ppm to 10 - 20ppm). So
what did I do? Added some Amquel+ to lower the Nitrate level to (in
theory) kill off
my Cyanobacteria problem. Instead, my pulsing
xenia within minutes beginning to look like something out of Tim
Burton's Nightmare Before
Christmas. I immediately did a 20% water
change and plan on doing another one today (the day after). Is there
any chance the xenia will pull through?
All the other corals look
good.
<Tis possible, keep up the water changes and try not to move
or overly stress the xenia. Have a lot of current blowing near the
coral, but not directly on. Xenia is generally incredibly hardy if it
"takes" to a tank, and can be considered a weed at times, so yours
should bounce back. Don't ever use any product to remove nitrate or
ammonia in an established tank, why waste money and risk tank health
when a bag of salt and a water change will fix it all right up.>
Thanks,
Todd
<Justin>
Phosphates in tap water 9/2/06
Hi again,
I've
been trying to get to the bottom of my phosphate problem and have
narrowed it down to my tap water. What is weird is that when tested as
fresh water it tests at about .03 on the Salifert Kit but when mixed
with IO it tests only as traces of PO4 as saltwater. Does this make
sense?
Also, I do use a DI and results are pretty much the same. Do
you think that using Polyfilter or phosphate sponge in one of the DI
chambers would be useful? Thanks for all your help, past and present.
Mordy
Mordy Eisenberg
<<Mordy: If your RO/DI unit is working
properly and you have a TDS meter, you TDS reading should be 000. At
that point, you shouldn't have phosphates. If you have too much
phosphates in your tank, growing Chaetomorpha algae in the sump, can
help. Best of luck, Roy>> Water changes
9/2/06
Hi Crew,
I know that we need to aerate our water
before adding it to the tank, but here is my question......We have well
water at the house and we have an Odor Oxidizer on our water system
(basically it removes odor from the water by mixing it with air, our
water coming out of the faucet is white from the air bubbles). Do you
think that I should still aerate the water for 12hrs or do you thing
that this is not necessary with this Oxidizer?
Also about the PH and
the Alk. when I make water for water changes should I use NatuReef
Alkalinity Plus and Hardness Plus to bring it up to where I want it to
be or should I use something else (I'm about to do a 60Gallon water
change in my 150Gallon Tank due to the fact that I have used straight
well water so far, but just received my RO/DI system and want to do some
good water changes)
Thanks for all you help,
Diana
<<Diana:
Once you install your RO/DI unit, get a TDS meter. If all goes well,
you should have a reading on your well water of 000. At that point,
your well water won't have any hardness at all. You can then mix it
with your preferred brand of synthetic salt. I don't think you will
need any other additives at the time you mix the salt. Best of
luck, Roy>> Algae in water supply
8/13/06
Dear Sir,
We have a private water supply from a
spring, and our shower is being gradually affected by green algae. Is
there a filter we can fit to remove this?
Yours sincerely,
Mark
Turner
<Mmm, yes... there are in-line mechanical
and chemical filters that would serve here. The first require either a
rather high ambient pressure to "drive" the water through the cartridge
membrane/s, and the latter comprise automated dosing gear to kill
water-borne life. I would look in your local "Yellow Pages" (and
secondly the Net) for insight, bids on what is available here... under
"Water". If I may volunteer something further, I would (and actually we
do) use another filter in addition, Reverse Osmosis, for your drinking,
cooking... potable uses. Bob Fenner>
Filtering Spring Water
7/31/06
Dear Sir,
We have a spring from which we draw our
water supply and it is very effective. However there is a build up of
green on the shower tiles and we wondered if there was a filter which
could be put into our main in pipe that would filter out the algae? If
so what kind of cost it might be and from whom could we purchase one?
<Mark, first I would have the water analyzed so you have an idea what
needs to be removed. Here is a link to a company that makes excellent
systems. You may
want to contact them and explain your needs. http://www.equinox-products.com/EquinoxEQ-300RhinoWholeHouseWaterFiltrationSystem.htm Keep
in mind that our site deals with aquarium related topics only.>
Yours sincerely,
<And to you, James (Salty Dog)>
Mark Turner
Baking Soda as a Buffer? 7/18/06
Hello WWM crewmatie,
<<Ahoy me heartie!>>
I have a question about using baking soda for
buffering RO/DI top-off water.
<<Alrighty>>
I have a 125 gallon
mixed reef tank with LS, 125 lbs. LR, calcium reactor and Milwaukee MSM
122 pH monitor. My tank was established in May 2006. Generally
speaking, so far, so good.
<<A very young system...>>
I have not
been adding anything to the RO/DI make-up water I have been using these
past couple of months (5-10% water changes ~monthly and weekly for
evaporation as needed).
<<Best to do so in my opinion>>
This
could explain why my Xenia are not doing so good-right?.
<<Mmm no,
more likely attributable to the "newness" of this system>>
I did
read the article listed in your website by Anthony Calfo on
"Understanding Calcium and Alkalinity" where he mentioned using baking
soda vs. a retail product is generally not advised.
<<I actually
"cut" the retail product with baking soda to stretch its use/my dollar>>
Since I can and do monitor my pH real-time, (1) can I use plain baking
soda to prep my top-off water and, if so, (2) is it best to add the
baking soda just before use or 24 hours before use while aerating it
with a powerhead?
<<You can use plain baking soda to "buffer" your
makeup water. Just don't expect it to bring up your pH much past 7.8
without some help. If you want it to increase pH as well you will need
to spread it on a baking sheet and bake it in your oven to drive off the
C02 used in its manufacture (300F for an hour I think, but check the
Chemistry forum on RC to be sure). As for when to add to the makeup
water, do this at least 24 hours prior to use and aerate as you
describe>>
I do monitor KH with readings between 10-14. My pH has
been ranging between 8.0-8.
<<...?>>
I realize I should be
maintaining it at the 8.3 range and want to do so starting with
buffering my replacement water.
<<Nothing wrong with 8.0, but if you
wish to boost your pH you'll need more than just baking soda. If you
want to try my recipe...mix 1-part Seachem's Reef Buffer with 3-parts
baking soda. You can adjust the portions depending on how much of a pH
boost you need>>
Installing an automated top-off system is my next
project.
<<Very worthwhile>>
I'm no Homer Simpson, but every now
and then I do deserve a "doh!" for pulling a you-know-what.
<<Indeed
my friend...been there...done that>>
Gracias.
Steve
<<Cheers
mate, EricR>> General Dechlorination
7/18/06
Hello,
<Hi - Jorie here>
I was wondering if the
liquid dechlorination products that say they work 'Instantly'...really
do work immediately?
<So far as I know, yes, but it certainly
wouldn't hurt to be more cautious and wait half a day or so before using
the treated water. Also, there are test kits that measure chlorine
levels which would answer your question for you immediately.>
I have
a greenish/blue bottle of 'DeChlor' that has a red fish on the bottle
which reads 'Instant'.
<Not familiar with this one...surely it's
like all the rest.>
The instructions on the back provide dosage info
per gallon for chlorine and chloramines respectively.
There is no
other info on the bottle. I am curious as to how adding a few drops of
this product can work so quickly in removing the chlorine from 2 gallons
of tap water.
<Well, I am not the chemistry major, but my
understanding is that sodium thiosulfate (probably contained in the
product you have) neutralizes chlorine immediately. You should be aware
that chloramine is also present in some tapwater...take a look at this
helpful article for more information about that.
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-tapwater.html#tap-water
The
absolute safest thing to do is to use RODI (reverse osmosis/de-ionized
water)...don't know how many fish you keep or how many gallons of water
you require to do your water changes (at least weekly, I hope!), but if
it's significant, look into a unit. It will pay for itself in the long
run, and alleviate the need to let tap water sit, or use chemicals to
neutralize harmful things like chlorine. Check out www.airwaterice.com
for great and reasonably priced products.>
Thanks for any insights
into this...I looked in the archives and
couldn't find anyone
questioning the 'Instant' aspects of such products.
<Always better
to err on the side of caution, but truly, if you are just dealing with
chlorine, the effect should be instant. Chloramines' another story - do
look at the link provided above.
Eric
<Jorie>
Water Prep...Some Things Are Best Done Yourself - 06/21/06
Hi
Crew, how's tricks?
<<Hiya Debi!>>
I have been reading a lot to
find it and see no specific answer to this question and am pretty
confused at this point so I decided that I should write.
<<Mmm okay,
let's see if I can help...>>
First here are the parameters: Six
months old 46 gallon Bowfront reef with one frogspawn, one xenia, one
lawnmower blenny and one sand sifting goby (who sifts his sand onto the
live rock),
<<A big reason I prefer Amblygobius species for
this...not so bad with "crop dusting" the top of the reef>>
one
cleaner shrimp, various snails and red- and blue-legged snails and
crabs.
<<Snails with legs, eh? <grin> >>
50 lbs. live rock,
Ammonia-0, Ph 8.2, Alk 3.0, Calcium 440, Phos (reads 0) probably being
taken up by algae,
<<Yup>>
Nitrate-0, Nitrite-0, SG 1.023
<<I would raise the specific gravity to natural seawater levels
(1.025/1.026)>>
Temp 79-80, Aqua-C Remora skimmer HOB going 24/7,
Seio 620 Power Head, Aqua-Clear Power Filter running Chemi-Pure and
Phos-Ban, also has a sponge that is cleaned every few days. My problem
is with my water preparation. I buy my water from the LFS, both salt
and RO/DI for top off. After much reading I am afraid I am not doing it
correctly.
<<Oh?>>
I don't do anything to it before using either
one.
<<If the LFS has prepared/stored it correctly you shouldn't
have to>>
I just put it in. Sometimes, actually most of the time, I
hold the water for several days before using it, especially the top-off
water.
<<Aerated during this time?>>
Am I supposed to be
preparing it in some way like aeration or buffering before I use it?
<<Ahh, okay... Firstly, let me suggest you test this water for
alkalinity/calcium/pH...test it right after purchase, and then again
after at least 24 hours with aeration. This should give you an idea of
whether or not the LFS is "maturing" the water before sale. But
anyhoo... Yes, I would aerate this water for 24 hours before use...and
buffer "as needed" based on your test results>>
I have consistently
sort of low Alkalinity even though I add either B-Ionic 2-part or baking
soda to try to get it up higher.
<<Odd>>
The calcium is usually
around 440 and this is without the addition of the 2-part of any other
type of calcium.
<<Hmm...seems artificially high for freshly mixed
seawater. I wonder if the LFS is boosting (or overdosing, in this case)
with a calcium chloride supplement? Which might also be suppressing
your alkalinity>>
My pH is usually about 8.1 to 8.3 or 8.4 toward
the evening.
<<All good>>
I would like to keep it around 8.4 at
the lowest.
<<Often a difficult endeavor, but dosing
Kalkwasser may help here>>
I also have a raging hair algae problem
and have no explanation for this.
<<Mmm, let me make an amendment to
my earlier suggestion...in addition to the afore mentioned tests of the
water from the LFS, add tests for nitrate and phosphorus>>
I have
tested the LFS water that I use and it shows no phosphates
<<I
really should start reading ahead...>>
and since I am not really
feeding at this point due to my lack of fish that need it I don't feel
that nutrients are a problem, although I also recently have some brown
on the sand that I assume is diatoms.
<<Likely so>>
I have no
idea what can be causing all this algae.
<<Something in the water
would be my guess...how do you feel about filtering/preparing your
own?>>
I do 15% water changes weekly, so far as vacuuming the sand,
I go back and forth on that and so have only done it once in the six
months I have had this tank running.
<<Not usually necessary with
vigorous water movement...in my opinion>>
I tend to get mixed advice
on whether or not I should be vacuuming. The sand bed I have is only 1
to 1-1/2 inches in most places.
<<With this substrate depth I say
"up to you!"...though a bit of vacuuming with water changes may prove
helpful with your current algae situation>>
So I want to know if I
should be doing the water differently and do you think it is making a
difference in my alkalinity, calcium and pH?
<<Yes, yes, yes...and
yes>>
Also if you have any more suggestions on the algae problem I
would love to hear them.
<<Have you read here (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/avoidingalgaeproblesm.htm),
and among the indices at the top of the page?>>
Thanks,
Debi
<<Quite welcome, EricR>> Water Prep...Some Things Are Best
Done Yourself II - 06/22/06
Thanks for the reply.
<<You're
welcome>>
Yes, I think I may have read everything on this site,
well, I obviously couldn't have, but it sure seems like it.
<<Hee!...truly "gads" of information to be found here>>
I have spent
many many many hours reading what you guys
<<gals too!>>
have to
say and find it most helpful.
<<...but...>>
In answer to your
question on my filtering and processing my own water. I really have no
place to do that as I have read that the RO/DI systems are very slow and
I have no faucets I can dedicate to that.
<<Mmm...it is true the RO
systems are "pokey" (even my 100gpd system requires "all day" to fill a
55g drum), but a "dedicated" water source is hardly required. A simple
adapter can be utilized to attach/run the unit from "any" faucet as/when
convenient. Another option is to use a quality Kati-Ani deionization
unit which produces filtered water at a much greater rate than an RO
unit>>
I live in a large metropolis area and have a choice of LFS to
choose from and have used at least two of them in this endeavor.
<<Yet you are still having issues...>>
As you see I have tested
their water, both of them, for phosphates, not nitrates.
<<Might be
worth a test for NO3>>
But, I do not aerate their water and did not
even know it was something I should do until now. Yes, I do hold it on
a regular basis for several days with no aeration. So I gather I should
not do that?
<<I doubt this is cause for all your water
ills, but aeration will be beneficial for increasing oxygen, better
mixing/maturation of "raw" seawater, and blowing off carbon dioxide (and
possibly raising pH as a result)>>
I don't see what that could have
to do with the algae though.
<<You stated yourself, you have no
fish/don't overfeed...if the source of algae fuel is not the water, then
what?...your rock?...your substrate?>>
So here is my plan based on
what you have suggested. I will do several 15% water changes, say two
to three days apart. I will vacuum the sand substrate. Is it
acceptable to scrub the rocks of the hair algae while they are in the
tank?
<<Using the hose to siphon away the algae as you
scrub?...sure!>>
The worst ones can't be removed without tearing
down the tank and disturbing the two corals a lot.
<<understood>>
I have given thought to getting a "sea hare", would that help.
<<Genus Aplysiidae? Possibly...and much more so than the more commonly
available Tridachia crispata aka "lettuce nudibranch". Though I have
always found the sea hare to be prone to physical damage and its
subsequent demise. A better biological control might be Turbo
fluctuosa, the giant Mexican turbo snail...or even one of the Salarias
or Atrosalarias blennies>>
I recently changed LFS water suppliers
thinking that would help, but I swear it got worse after that, so I am
going back to the original.
<<Hmm...>>
This particular one uses
Seachem Reef Salt but only keeps it at 1.022.
<<A fine salt brand>>
I was thinking I should add salt to bring it up to 1.025, would that be
better?
<<Yes>>
Also, let me make sure I understand. The RO/DI
water should be at the correct pH before it goes in the tank?
<<It
should...else the water in your tank has to make up for the
deficiency...if it can>>
What is the best way to bring up the pH and
should the alkalinity be brought up also?
<<BOTH should be
adjusted. I like Seachem Reef Buffer...and for economy, I have found
that "cutting" this with 3-parts sodium bicarbonate to 1-part buffer is
quite satisfactory>>
I don't think the LFS is adding anything to
their salt mixture other than the salt itself. The current one uses
Seachem Reef Plus I think. The former used Fritz?.
<<Mmm, not familiar to me>>
I really appreciate your help as I am
just about to throw this thing out the window thinking that would at
least get rid of the algae. Maybe you can help me come up with a better
solution.
Thanks again,
Debi
<<I want to help Debi, but you
haven't mentioned anything to raise any flags to me other than I think
your water source may be suspect. Are you adding any liquid coral
foods?...other "supplements" you haven't mentioned? After reading
through the data on nuisance algae on our site, what's "your" take on
the cause of the algae problem?...let's discuss further if you
wish. Regards, EricR>> Water Prep...Some Things
Are Best Done Yourself III - 06/24/06
Thanks for your patience
and willingness to keep at this.
<<Quite welcome>>>>
I have
indeed read everything on the algae subject and am truly stumped. I
thought at first, a couple of months ago, that I was getting to much bad
stuff because I was adding the frozen food and its juice when feeding.
<<A small contributor...in my opinion>>
I used to have fish, well I
had two clowns, one royal Gramma, one yellow tang (but he only lasted
hours so I think he was sick when I got him), and a six-lined wrasse.
All died mysteriously and at different times and after being in the tank
for various times from a few days for the Gramma and the wrasse
(different times) to a few weeks for the clowns, (that died at different
times after just going downhill for several days and then keeling over).
<<This is telling...either you have more serious issues with your water,
something in the system is poisoning the system (something in the rock
or substrate maybe), or your source for these fish was/is bad (did all
the fish come from the same LFS?)>>
Several emails to your site and
several people trying, but never got an answer to that.
<<Do
consider my previous statement...thinks about any links/correlations to
the dying fish>>
All agreed that my tests were right on target and I
was apparently doing everything right, but obviously something was bad.
<<Have you tried new/different brand test kits to validate your
findings?>>
So, I decided not to add any more fish until I had let
it sit just the way it is for several weeks and until I got the algae
problem under control.
<<Smart...is best...>>
It has now been
about five weeks since the last clown died and the blenny and the goby
and the corals have all been here all along and seem to be doing
perfectly fine.
<Hmm...did the blenny and goby come from the same
source?...did they come from the same source as the fish that died?>>
The only things I could ever come up with is that being new and not
thinking I know I had perfume on my arms at least once when I was
messing around in the tank and decided that maybe I had poisoned
somebody,
<<A possibility...>>
and once I cleaned up a Cyano
problem and let a lot of get mixed into the water, again inexperience,
and shortly after that my clowns got sick so maybe that was something.
<<I don't think this killed your fish>>
Otherwise I have not a
clue. So, back to the original problem. My suspicion is that it has to
be the water, but when I test it tests fine.
<<Maybe something you
haven't/can't test for>>
I take it to the LFSs and they all say it
is great.
<<Again, maybe something not tested/can't be tested with
hobby kits. Have/can you confirm that they/you store the water in
suitable, clean, chemically inert containers?>>
I have no
temperature fluctuations, I know this because I
have the heaters on
a controller. My lights are on for 12 hours total, the actinics come on
one hour before the main lights and go off one hour after the main
lights do, so actually 10 hours of main lights.
<<is fine>>
I
have the Coralife 2x96 compact fluorescents w/lunar lights. I do
regular 10% weekly water changes and top-off as needed. It's true I am
not feeding anything to speak of right now. The only extra nutrients
are the very occasional (less than I should I think) addition of 10 ml.
DT's for the frogspawn and every few days a few Mysis shrimps (probably
10 or 15) for the shrimp that
he practically eats out of my hand so
maybe 4 or 5 individual Mysis shrimps get away.
<<I doubt also this
is your problem. But an observation here...the DT's is of little use to
the frogspawn. Being a carnivore it will much prefer the Mysis/diced
meaty foods. I would discontinue dosing the DT's...at least till you
have need of it (clams/gorgonians)>>
So I don't know what to do. I
do wonder though, if everything
is normal now and for some reason
wasn't before would the hair algae that is already there go away on its
own or would I have to physically remove it?
<<Generally requires a
combination of manual removal along with cessation of excess
nutrient/food. Maybe just speculation but I've heard it theorized that
in large quantities, many nuisance alga can generate/manufacture enough
nutrients to sustain themselves...thus where physical removal comes in>>
Oh yeah, I have an Aqua-C Remora Skimmer that seems to be working well.
<<Indeed...a quality/suitably-sized skimmer for this system>>
Also,
the calcium does stay high on it's on and I know that's weird too.
<<You have little in the tank to utilize it, and with your aggressive
water change schedule you likely won't see a fall in levels>>
Maybe
I should try yet another LFS, like I said, I have many to choose from in
this area.
<<Is worth doing...>>
Thanks,
Debi
<<Work on
clearing up the nuisance algae, then we can revisit the fish issues
(this might be as simple as getting your fish from another
store). Regards, EricR>> Water Prep...Some Things Are Best
Done Yourself IV - 06/24/06
Ok, yes the fish that died all came
from the same source, but the goby came from there also. The blenny
came from another source. The store I got the dead fish from has a very
good reputation and many many people buy both water and fish from there
with no complaints. I think I would know about unhappy people if there
were many because of our local marine aquarium organization. Surely
there would be something on the site if this store was
a problem.
<<Even the best stores can get a shipment of livestock that has been
mishandled. Please understand this Debi, it's not my intention to
malign the store(s) from which you make your purchases. I'm simply
providing feedback/comments/possibilities based on the information you
provide. In the end it's up to you to use your own good judgment to
determine what is wrong and what plan of action to follow>>
No, I
personally haven't tried different test kits, but yes different ones
have been used since the LFS stores, neither one, uses the same test
kits and I have stood there personally many times and watched them test
my water with identical results to mine, unless as you say there could
be something we can't test for. Then how would I know?
<<Likely you
wouldn't>>
If that was the case wouldn't the other things have died
also?
<<Not necessarily...possible differences in
tolerance/sensitivity ...levels of health at time of exposure...>>
If I don't need the DT's can you tell me how I feed the frogspawn?
<<Can easily be "target" fed when the feeding tentacles are extended>>
Will it eat the Mysis shrimp, whole little ones like the frozen?
<<Yes>>
Where is it's mouth?
<<Lightly "dust" the animal with
the Mysis shrimp a couple times a week when it expresses its feeding
tentacles...it will do the rest>>
I know I sound pretty ignorant but
I've never seen a mouth on it and so have no idea how to feed it.
<<The mouth (or mouths) is not readily visible, but you don't need to
see it to feed this animal. And...your knowledge of this
animal/husbandry (and most all else) is easily expanded by a Google
search re on our site/the net in general. Start by reading here and
among the indices at the top of the page:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/caryophyllids.htm>>
So far as the
storage of the water at my local stores, these are large popular stores
that people use all the time so yes the storage is just as it should
be. Again, the local club would know and not use them and lots do, very
large club covering much area so they shop all around the city.
<<Have you consulted the club on your problems? Asked about any
experiences similar to yours?>>
I got a Sea Hare today, Apsiladae
genus or however it is spelled,
<<Genus>>
really ugly.
<<Interesting creatures>>
Hopefully he will help me with the algae.
<<My fingers are crossed>>
So, if you would kindly let me know on
the feeding of the frogspawn I will continue to work on the algae and
leave you alone for a while.
<<No bother Debi...this is what we do>>
Thanks so much,
Debi
<<Cheers my friend, EricR>>
Source water concerns for SW use 6/16/06
Hi Crew!
Thanks again for the fine articles and FAQs...I have read so many that
my eyes are crossed but can't find an answer to this question. My tap
water...well water....has a ph of 8.4-8.6...Also alkalinity is very
high, Will these readings affect the way that additives such as NovAqua
or Amquel work?
<Mmm, shouldn't much>
Also will this affect
water clarity or cause high nitrates?
<Actually, should help in
reducing such over time>
Thanks so much for your time and fantastic
website!! Thanks again...DR
<Having a "high", stable (buffered) pH,
alkaline reserve aids in providing a steady, optimized marine
environment. Bob Fenner>
Re: Source water concerns for FW and
human use 6/19/06
Bob...One last question. Would an
RO/DI unit remove the ammonia?
<Most units, yes>
If so then that
is the only way to go. Thanks so much for your answers to my questions.
You have been very helpful. Thanks again...DR
<I am very relieved to
hear/read of your further cogitation, plan. As I oft-remark, "We're not
going anywhere (that I want to go) w/o our health"... And water of safe
composition is definitely (more than 70 percent of our bodies...) a
principal component. Thank you, Bob Fenner>
Carbon in aquaria
and human consumption 6/12/06
Greetings Crew,
<Hello>
I
have been reading through past posts about the use of carbon in marine
and freshwater systems and have a question. <ok>
In answering
questions on carbon and how long it lasts, more than one crew member
responded that carbons' usefulness lasts only a few hours to a day or
two at most. <Yep> It is suggested that after this period it is no
longer 'activated' so to speak. I know that Brita and other
manufactures use carbon for their water filters. They also allow for 30
days or so of usage before replacing. Does this mean that their filters
aren't actually doing anything for 29 of those 30 days?
Thanks for any help in clearing this up...no pun intended) : )
Eric
B.
<Some of it is marketing, who would buy a filter that needs to be
replaced every day, and some is the environment. Tap water is going to
have a lot less "stuff" in it to remove than the water from your average
fish tank. The city water system sees to that. Also the amount of
water running through a "Brita" like filter adds up to at most probably
10 gallons a day, while a filter on a normal powerfilter could push
through 10X that in one hour. Carbon basically has only so many holes
in it to fill up with unwanted material. The rate which these holes
fill up depends on the concentration of impurities in the water and how
much contact time with the water it has.>
<Chris>
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