Tap Water

Getting my 55 gal set up started. Just wanted to know if I could use my well water to strat cycle. The water has been tested and is 99.9 percent pure no chemicals or any other bad stuff. This will be a reef tank. Any thoughts.

 

do you intend on getting an Ro/Di filter or staying with well water? I would say starting the tank with well water is ok. allow the tank to cycle and do a couple water changes with RO water prior to adding any fish or inverts. I would also question what was tested for in your test. you may still get some algae blooms with the well water depending on what is really in it. this is just my opinion and not fact. the Pro's here will definetely add to this or correct me if I am wrong.

 

I had to use well/tap water with my 55g tank. Plan on getting hair algae/red bubble/etc blooms from it. If you can purchase a R/O unit of the internet it would be best. But if thats not a option you can get alot of buckets and goto a r/o water machine at your local grocoery store. and if you are still going to use well water make sure you have got Phopsate remover, nitrate remover, and carbon in your sump. those need to be changed out every 30 days as they loose there effectiveness.

So the answer is yes but there probly be algae problems in near future if you do. P.S. dont run your lights much if you dont have too during cycling.

good luck

 

I wouldn't. Even though it may be suitable for drinking its almost certainly not suitable for a reef. I don't know what you mean by 99.9% pure but thats not how a lab lists contaminants. You will very probably have measurable levels of calcium, alkalinity, iron, copper, silicates, arsenic and possibly nitrates, ammonia, phosphates and any number of contaminants. Untreated water is never pure, thats where a RO/DI comes into play. Granted some levels may be low as far as drinking water standards but thats different from what a reef likes. Do you have an actual water analysis of the well? It should show everything expressed in mg/L or ppm, actual quantities or levels.

 

Iron isn't bad for humans. Nitrates are bad if there are too many, but for the most part, are safe for humans. Phosphates are fine for humans. Chloramines (chlorine and ammonia) are safe for drinking water too.

All of the above are bad are fine for a human but bad for a reef tank.

EDIT: or what AzDesertRat said. LOL

 

+1 AzDesertRat. Whats is consider safe for drinking is not always safe for a reef. All the things mentioned above while they may be way lower than the drinking water standards, will probably be way to high for a reef.

 

great answers guys karma to all

 

I just recently switched over to RO/DI using a spectrapure proplus 90gpd. The tank has gone through about 2 water changes and constant top off with the new water and it is already starting to look better. I recommend it!

 

Oh my God!!! I am learning... I read the question... thought the answer was "No. too much chance of metals, phos and others in well water" and then read everyone else's answers and I actually understood the answers and got it right!!!!

Two months of reading and I think I might be getting a clue!!! Kidding, but only a little....

I was using tap water... had major green hair algae going... switched to SpectraPure RO/DI and am seeing great improvement. I am definitely a convert on RO/DI being a must.

Mark

 

Mike, I just ordered a Spectrapure 90gpd also....haven't gotten it yet. Thanks for the confirmation on the results. I only heard good reviews out of these guys. They build each one to order......good quality is hard to find these days.