# Fish only on tap water?



## CoralConnoisseur (Mar 5, 2014)

A friend of mine just got a great deal on a used system. 140 gallon tank with a sump and skimmed etc etc.

He has an RO system but is not willing to use it because he believes his water bill will go up too much.

He is set on a predator tank, not a reef tank. Wondering if anyone has experience keeping fish, and clean up crews alive long term on tap water.


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## mmatt (Feb 12, 2012)

I would think clean up crew wouldn't survive. More sensitive. And I wouldn't want to risk the rest. Could cost him more money in the long run. Tell him to collect the waste water and and water his plants with it. I have no experience with just using tap water. Just my opinion. 

And really the easiest thing to do is to tell him to stop being such as cheap ass. Lol make it a fresh water instead.


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## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

Tap water will lead to endless algae, cyano and diatom blooms in my experience.


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## loonie (Mar 29, 2008)

I believe it will be fine since most stores they use tap water. There is a big difference in reef mix and only fish tank. Of course the difference is chemistry of the water. Some corals like mushroom are fine with just tap water. Of course there will be issues like algae but if you have fish like tangs to take care of it. Also chemistry of tap water differs from area to area.


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## noy (Nov 19, 2012)

He can run just run the water through the 3 stage filtration (and not use the RO stage). At a minimum the carbon and resin will remove chlorine and heavy metal ions and other impurities. Not ideal but better than nothing.


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## steve8855 (Aug 23, 2016)

I have a reef tank and have been using tap water for over 15 years with not issues. 

I see no issues with it working for a fish only tank.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Most of my clients in the GTA-Miss-Pickering used tap water. Beyond that area, you have to use RODI keeping a reef or triple dose the dechlor for FOWLR. Some were reefs but its always keeping 10 steps ahead making sure that there was a sufficient CUC/fish that constantly graze on the LR.


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## steve8855 (Aug 23, 2016)

maybe ill get a ro/di unit one of these days and see what kind of difference it makes.

Do you think you can use the "waste" water from the RO unit for freshwater tanks?


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

With higher TDS, species that prefer "soft water" may not like it long term. Rift Lake Africans will love it.


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