Tap to RO/DI?

I have a 29 gallon saltwater aquarium. I have been using tap water since the beginning, but I have had some bad algae problems. How would I change the tap water to RO/DI water w/o stressing the tank out? Also, would it make the tank clearer. I have also heard that carbon helps clear up the tank. Is this true? Any and all comments would be gladly appreciated.

 

Adding it right away is what i would do, if anything youll be destressing the tank with clean 0TDS water. just make sure to have the correct salinity level when changing. Yes carbon collects all the water born particulates that make the water "Cloudy" so you see clean water.

 

Thank you SO much, but how would I add it to the tank? How much water would I need to remove?

 

Make sure you use that water for top offs as well. Clean 0tds RODI water that is.

 

How would I add it to the tank? How much water would I need to remove?

 

well heres what i would do.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket with pure RODI.

Add your salt, and make sure its the SAME salinity as your tank. (Guess and check for most, untill you have it down)

Put a pump and airstone in there if you can and let her sit over night.

Take a second empty 5 gallon bucket and siphon out the same amount as you made the day before. Maybe a little less so you have room for error. its so hard to get it exact

Add your premade salt water into the tank, and call it a day

As for topping off, i use an airline with a valve in a milk jug, and use a siphon to drip it in a high flow area of the tank. at ~1 drop/second

 

Dont think your out of the woods, thats only 5 gallons changed, its going to take that same process, over time. Maybe do that once every 2 weeks for the life of the tank. that way itll be tap free and your doing your weekly water change to export nutrients and import new ones to the tank. What i described was your basic water change, which if you havnt done, you might wanna start practicing. But youll have no choice if you wish to remove the tap.

 

You are awesome!

 

And you are now educated on the art of the water change.

 

I have been doing this every 2 weeks, only w/ tap water.