I am setting up a new tank of about 500 liters and want to know if I can use tap water with Aquaclear (removes chlorine from water) to fill it up for the first time?
Can I use tap water?
- Thread starter HendrikKotze
- Start date
Unfortunately not. You will only remove the chlorine and still be left with tons of desolved solids. Try getting RO water from LFS, but with 500l you might as well invest in a decent RO unit to help with you water changes. In the long run the capital outlay now will be worth it.
Hendrik: NEVER use tap water in your system. The TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) is sky high, which will eventually feed algae problems you will encounter. Its not just the chloring you need to worry about.
As Alfie has said, RO water only! Get a RO unit, it will be well worth it in the long run.
As Alfie has said, RO water only! Get a RO unit, it will be well worth it in the long run.
Kanga
Retired Moderator
NO
no no noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Likesfish is selling a Waterboy RO unit for excellent price.
Check it out: Lots of hardware for sale - Marine Aquariums of South Africa
Mekaeel
Moderator
nope.and no dechlorinator liquids aswell.if you arent keen on purchasing a RO unit immediatley,most LFS sell RO water
Only prob with that is, in Gauteng 500L is going to cost R500.00, may as well buy the RO unit
Mekaeel
Moderator
sheesh thats pricy,yeah might aswell invest in an RO unit
Thanks everyone. I have bought a Waterboy unit this morning. Better than wasting R 500 on buying water.
Of course you can set up a tank with tap water. I have done so in my first 550L reef aquarium and the tank was beautiful. Yes I did have algae issues, but I used a phosban reactor and cheato and aggressively removed all phosphates. I did not even remove the chloramine. Not because this is a wise thing to do but because the guy who installed my tank did it that way.
Point I am trying to make is yes you can use tap water but you will have more algae issues that if you had started with RO water, and there is always the odd chance that other weird chemicals might end up in your system such as copper especially if your house is newly built.
Point I am trying to make is yes you can use tap water but you will have more algae issues that if you had started with RO water, and there is always the odd chance that other weird chemicals might end up in your system such as copper especially if your house is newly built.
Hi please PM me where you bought it and what it cost thanks