Fort Collins Tap - good to go?

[rajah]

I chatted with a fellow at The Fish Crew in Fort Collins and he told me they use straight tap for all of their reef tanks in the store. He also said he uses Fort Collins tap for his SPS tank with good success.

I measured TDS at 43 on my Fort Collins tap water. Anybody else using straight tap with success in Fort Collins? Trying to decide whether to return the spendy RODI unit I just bought....

 

[Haddonisreef]

43 seems pretty good for tap water

 

[JuanGutz]

43 seems pretty good for tap water

what about chlorine? It’s already bought (rodi) I say why risk it personally. If you’re looking to go fowlr I guess whatever. If you want a mixed reef tank give your tank the best chance. Especially if you want to keep sps.
OR return your expensive one and buy a less expensive one that will rid the water of the little tds and any chemicals to
be safe.

 

[Tinyreef]

What is added to your water will change with the season and with what problems your city is experiencing at the moment. Eliminating the unknown to me is priceless. I filter mine and have lower tds. Maybe overkill but its one less thing to think about when the tanks doing something funky.

 

[rajah]

Thanks for the feedback. I like to keep it simple with less gear when possible. But I do see the "why risk it" argument as a strong one, especially if you have thousands in corals.

From the guy I spoke with, it seems like the risk might be relatively low - the long-term success he had suggests the local tap is consistent.

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

If you already have the rodi unit, I’d keep it and use it. If your TDS is that low the cartridges should last a long time and you get the piece of mind of starting off with “good” water. I’m in Loveland and I have always used the rodi filter.

 

[jda123]

I don't care if you use tap or not, but please don't take advice from a LFS on how to reef in this hobby. Their goals are not the same as yours and you could probably use tap in Flint, MI if you are only going to keep corals and fish for a short time before selling them. A hobbyist has to think long term.

I have TDS in the 30s in Longmont and I use a RODI and the cartridges and resin last years, and I make a lot of water. I would not have any issue doing the initial fill with tap water, but then after that, get use some RODI.

Also, as Dr. Randy Holmes-Farley often says, what is in our tapwater has as much to do with your house as anything. One neighborhod can have safe tap and the house next door might not.

 

[Angelo]

BRS just put out a video on this. I'd consider chlorine and copper depending on your plumbing and location. I use RODI to be safe and ICP every now and then.

Sent from my SM-G975U using MASC - Marine Aquarium Society of Colorado mobile app

 

[Marcus Adams]

i know this is an old thread but for anyone who moves to the area, fort Collins uses chloramines. I would not take any advice from the fish crew and absolutely get an RODI unit.