Tapwater + Salt for Initial Setup?

[MolaMola]

Plumbed my new tank on the weekend and filled it up with tap water to check for leaks, see if it is quiet. It rocks! So now my question is should I empty the 125g of tap water (chloramine, TDS 300) and start over with RODI or just add salt mix to the tap water? Do I need to add a dechloraminator? Plan is to get saltwater circulating and add very fresh live rock and sand in two weeks when my students are back from spring break (classroom tank). Tomorrow I will test nitrate and phosphate of the tap water in the tank to see what they are.

 

[Tskiller]

If it was me, I would start off with RODI. Why risk it?

 

[Enderturtle]

Sure as long as you dont have rock and sand or other porous equipment that might absorb the phosphates/chloramines/ etc in tap water.

I would start with RODI or RO.

If you're not somewhat confident about your plumbing then use tap water but yeah don't have rock/sand in it while testing for leaks. Watch for leaks as you slowly fill it. Then watch for leaks after its full too.

 

[jonmos75]

Definitely swap out your tap water with RO water or get yourself an RO/DI unit....

A long time ago I used straight tap water and had major Algae issues then I witch over to opening an account at a water store and bought in bulk 180 gallons for like $30-50 and they had RO water only and they would run a TDS of 0.04 and very little algae issues ....I just recently bought myself a RO/DI unit and have two 55 gallon tanks coming my way... and now have water with 0.00 TDS....

 

[bluprntguy]

Yup. Remove the tap water and start with RODI water.

 

[aqua-nut]

Yup. Remove the tap water and start with RODI water.

+100

 

[MolaMola]

Thanks everybody! Yes, I have an RODI unit I just set up but read something in a Fenner book and on ReefCentral about it and thought I'd check. Not a good idea to cut corners.

 

[650-IS350]

Don't start adding excess nutrients from Tap , Use RO/DI especially if your starting from scratch. Its good to start on a good foot.