Is Walmart RO Water good enogh for reef tank? TDS meter test result!

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for Is Walmart RO Water good enogh for reef tank? TDS meter test result!

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Doryan Duvyan - 6 years ago

ok ok ok go on !!!!

joel maldonado - 6 years ago

George Arias - 6 years ago

TDS of RO/DI water from Walmart is 53. TDS of tap water here in New York City is 40-46!! :-)

Matt Tran - 7 years ago

I bought water from Mariano on my neighborhood, Glacier water, i love their water filtration system, i wait when the do the service i buy 6 5g bucket, i checked the tds is .0-0.03ppm and its cheap .39c per gallon. I been used this water for more than a year.
Check it out!

luis galvan - 7 years ago

are u still using ro water ?

Inappropriate Reefer - 7 years ago

+luis galvan still using RO/DI water and can’t believe it took me this long to switch

hustlecoral vlogs - 7 years ago

you dont have an rodi machine ??? whats with all the excuses lol jeeze !! my tds from the wall is 150-175 tds then water goes through sediment , carbon , extra strength carbon then travels through 100 gpd tfc membrane which then the water is 6 tds after 2 years of use then it travels through the DI stage and comes out as 0 TDS !! get an ro machine I hook mine up under the sink and run a line to the unit in the bathtub dont have to worry about overflows ... only happened about 10 times flooding the downstairs neighbor hahaha good luck man you should be good with a 5 stage unit like mine

brian tatgenhorst - 7 years ago

Dude get an r o buddie

FishPerson Vblogs - 7 years ago

My guess is 3 tds

ED PE - 7 years ago

I've been using Walmart water for a year now, with zero issues. I don't even know what an algae issue is. besides coraline algae.
I rather trust whatever type of commercial RO filter they use than a standard cheap 4 stage RO/DI filter. you need at least a 6 stage filter to make it work
trust me, I'm a mechanical engineer and I did my research with some of the Plumbing Engineers at work. plus I don't have to worry about wasting water :)

10. comment for Is Walmart RO Water good enogh for reef tank? TDS meter test result!

Goldy Coaco - 7 years ago

zoeith6 - 7 years ago

In central PA we get ~330. In Atlanta some areas are almost as pure as RO/DI <10. Then in the SouthWest, like Phoenix area its over 1800 TDS due to the run off of minerals from canyons, salt river etc etc.

Sam B - 7 years ago

TDS is total dissolved solids.

Abner Sanchez - 7 years ago

Your so inappropriate

GO EVIL - 7 years ago

WhoaDammit1967 - 7 years ago

walmart adds stuff to their ro/di water. you can look it up on their website.that's why i only buy the 1 gallon jugs in the water bottle aisle.

Nick Powell - 7 years ago

I guess 10 t0 20 hopefully

nz music - 7 years ago

hi i saw a post on our local hobby page in new zealand about someone getting good readings off their fresh made RO water but then after testing post salt mix (overnight for waterchange) the reading were off the charts implying maybe the mixing container was really quite dirty and defeats the purpose really so would be interesting to see you do similar testing and maybe a video on how and what you store RO in even if just for overnight mixing

nz music - 7 years ago

sorry to explain better.. i mean filling up 50L water in a selected container like a plastic bin.. leaving it overnight with a wavemaker (only used for that too) then testing TDS before salt.. sorry i worded it wrong but was curious what to clean mixing bin with and if its known if mould or anything grows that would effect salt water mix

Mok-Yi Chow - 7 years ago

I am under the impression that TDS meter should only be used to test RO or RO/DI water, and that it would go off the chart if used to test salt water. That may explain the crazy reading from that post. =)

Frag Corals - 8 years ago

Have you thought about just using distilled water. With the reading of one you can't beat it.

hustlecoral vlogs - 7 years ago

OR get a rodi machine..... lol

Mok-Yi Chow - 7 years ago

Yes you are absolutely right, I actually used distilled water for a few weeks before I switched to RO/DI. Distilled used to get a bad rep due to the use of copper piping in the process, but they have all switched to non-copper pipes now and should be reef safe.

Anna Metlow - 8 years ago

just find a pet store that sales ro water its not that expensive like 50 cents or a dollar a gallon

20. comment for Is Walmart RO Water good enogh for reef tank? TDS meter test result!

Michael Holland - 8 years ago

I used nothing but Walmart water before and it destroyed my system. However, I was a fool and didn't get the $10 tester. lesson learned. the placard on the machine said 5 tds at any given time. Real world was over 100 smh...

ROG L - 8 years ago

you need 0 ppm your better off using the distilled forget the Walmart

ROG L - 8 years ago

Dude i used all the water you used and ended up buying a rodi unit from amazon for about $63.oo well worth it

ROG L - 8 years ago

Dude i used all the water you used and ended up buying a rodi unit from amazon for about $63.oo well worth it

Ken Rosecrans - 8 years ago

total disolved solids

Samuel Pulis - 8 years ago

Its probably RO without the DI resin. RODI is the best option, for all the money you've spent on your tank, i'm kinda shocked you never shelled out the $200 for a good RODI unit.

Wesley Smith - 8 years ago

At "king of coral". They normally get them in.

goodall1bay - 8 years ago

Looks like Walmart don't change their filters very often . Maybe you can get your RO/ DI water from your aquarium shop instead.

Dennis Younger - 8 years ago

why did you use tap water for a marine tank ? Wow really not informed are you.

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

I guess it's because I have always only used tap water since 10+ years ago. Aquarium always did OK and came to accept algae as part of the hobby. Let's see how RO/DI unit changes the game...

Dennis Younger - 8 years ago

Cheaper tds unit on ebay. Around $5

30. comment for Is Walmart RO Water good enogh for reef tank? TDS meter test result!

Dustin A. - 8 years ago

My Tap water here in Texas (which is ground water) is 170ish. I've been using an RO for a year and was getting 20-24 TDS and was still getting cyano. I then added DI canisters to my water and got 0-2 TDS. This solved the algae and the cyano problem.

TheFishTank Doc. - 8 years ago

Average T.D.S for tap water. 53 is very bad. It should be zero. Was the glass tumbler clean. Was the storage container clean. 0.02 phosphate for a reef tank is good. You need to use good R.O.D.I water to beet algae. If you don't the alge will just come back. Tank is looking good.

TheFishTank Doc. - 8 years ago

1100 is very high. If should not be higher than 500. Where in the world do you live.

Ryan Wilson - 8 years ago

My tap tds is 1100+

Blake Graumann - 8 years ago

TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids, this includes any elements that are in the water other then H2O. The Dissolved solids in tap water are not necessarily bad for your tank. what you need to check is the nitrate and phosphate levels of your tap water, and to contact your water provider and see if you can get a breakdown of what is in the water (they run lab grade tests on the water at a minimum monthly). The reason RO/DI is so hyped on the internet is because it is a safe bet for people who do not want to check into their water source. Depending on your local water topping off and doing water changes with tap might only be adding in more calcium, mag, carbonate, and trace elements instead of adding in algae feeding elements. Another thing to keep in mind is that they amount of water you are changing out at a water change should have a insignificant effect on these elements in your tank.

Personally i would look into more efficient methods of removing Nitrate and Phosphate from your tank instead of looking at removing them from your top off/change water.

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Thank you Blake, lots of food for thought here in your comment. I will do a phosphate check on my local tap water as well out of curiosity. My BRS RO/DI unit arrived so I am switch over to clean water, but I am definitely curious as to what phosphate level is in my tap that I had been using.

Marine Aquarium - 8 years ago

Hi, .02 is not too bad for phosphates. The science still unclear, here's a vid from MACNA you may want to watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRIKW-9d2xI

My blind guess is that you are using frozen foods, which can cause bursts of nutrients. Looks like you went with RO, so you'll never look back now. Enjoyed the video!

Martin Olcott - 8 years ago

try a uv sterilizer

Martin Olcott - 8 years ago

yeah petco has the 24watt one rated for up to 100g for 80bucks in store and cheaper on their website

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Thank you, let me look it up. Reminds me of that Finding Nemo dentist tank... =)

Martin Olcott - 8 years ago

Check out the green killing machine uv sterilizer

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

I actually looked into it and a lot of high-end reefers seems to swear by one. I read about the different UV units and it seems that they need to be a certain size ($$$) in order to be effective, a regular cheapo one just won't do. I will look into one for my next tank, which should be much larger, I just don't think it fits my budget for this 45g tank at the moment. Great recommendation though and thank you!

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

1,100?? That is crazy. You know what, sometime last year I do remember my tap water coming with a bit of haze, I used it in my tank and drank it anyways... shutter

Yeah I am convinced, there is a reef club group buy with BRS this weekend, I will be picking up a 4 stage system from them and try to find an appropriate space to hook the unit up. I assume you have no more issue with keeping fish after the switch in water source? I am pretty surprised the barbs weren't doing well even with the high TDS water, I remember those fish being pretty bullet proof!

Osama Kamel - 8 years ago

TDS = Total dissolved solids

eric olsen - 8 years ago

great research. Just bite the bullet and buy RODI unit. Many good RODI units have multiple connectors for water hoses or for you sink faucet.. Hook it up in your bathroom and make 5 gallons at a time. Easy .

xXRadioRamboXx - 8 years ago

yes you need ro/di you will find an adaptor it is a pain but it will pay off plz try it you tank will thank you visually trust me been thier and done that no more black tarp or chemicals the ideal is to make it as pure as the ocean but nice vid I have often wondered about walmart water thx.

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Yeah I am procrastinating because I still don't have a clear idea on how I could hook the RODI unit up to my water source... but I will look into it, now that I am sure the water I am using is far from ideal.

xXRadioRamboXx - 8 years ago

you can get a ro buddy for like 60 bucks n go from thier.

Andrew Hales - 8 years ago

If you don't want to wait for amazon shipping, Walmart sells TDS meters in the automotive/RV section for around 15 dollars. Also, buy the GREEN top gallon water. They are around 80 cents and are Zero TDS. I used them on my nano tank for a year before I bought an RODI system.

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Awesome, I am about to run to Walmart for topoff water today, I will try this. Thank you!

Andrew Hales - 8 years ago

Yeah, pre-bottled gallon jugs in the beverages/gatorade/water aisle. Green tops are the ones to get.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Drinking-Water-1-gal/10315383

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

I refilled my water at an auto fill station outside of the checkout area with my own 5g water jug, did you buy them pre-bottled?

Reefing with Reefer - 8 years ago

phosphate rx

WestPhilly Reef LW - 8 years ago

I live in Philly. I use distilled water from Walmart. It cost $0.88 cents per gallon. I perform a 15 gallon water change weekly on a 75 gallon tank. I've been doing this for about 5 months now. So far so good!

WestPhilly Reef LW - 8 years ago

it looks like there was a price drop!!! 0.58 cents/gal

WestPhilly Reef LW - 8 years ago

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Distilled-Water-1-Gal/10315382

WestPhilly Reef LW - 8 years ago

+Inappropriate Reefer they sell 1 gallon jugs of distilled water under the brand name "Great Valley" for 0.88 cents. This is different from the RO water they sale. This water has a TDS = 0...... Like it should!

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Was there a refill station serving up distill water, or do they sell pre-bottled distilled water in 5g jugs there? I think my local Walmart only has a refill station for RO water, maybe I should double check.

Antony Marshall - 8 years ago

my south uk tap tds is271 and using a cheap dennerle unit gets it down to 15

DeAndre Ellison - 8 years ago

I think that Hanna checker can check phosphates in fresh water as well. so, you can check phosphates on the ro water you use as well

MileHighReefers - 8 years ago

I haven't tested my tap water in a while, but last time I did it was about 40. Walmart doesn't use a DI stage on their RO water. This is'n't bad because the water is for human consumption and the human body needs the dissolved minerals in the water. I recommend buying RODI water from the LFS or buying the RODI unit. Even at the low TDS of the Walmart water you are adding nutrients and unnecessary minerals to your water every time you do a water change or top up. I used dechlorinated tap water for years and I have to say using RODI made a night and day difference in my tank.

WaterspoutsOfTheDeep - 8 years ago

You should have tested the tap water after the RO water. It's like trying to measure clean water after you put the tool into dirty water. The reading you got on the RO changing and going down during the video proves this.

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Another vote for RODI, I think it's time. Thanks MileHigh!

theduckdk - 8 years ago

hustlecoral vlogs - 7 years ago

Yes CJ tell him !!! lol

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Hahaha, sounds like I will be joining you! My local reef club happens to be doing a group buy from BRS this few day, I may jump onboard for a unit... I see that you are using the 4 stage RODI, it should be plenty good enough right? As always, thank you CJ!

CJ'S AQUARIUMS - 8 years ago

+Inappropriate Reefer bathroom sink is all I use.. Screw it right on the faucet.. Remove it when company comes HAHAHAH ... RODI video I posted couple days ago shows how I have it running. Good luck man

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Very true, it is just the installation process that is intimidating to me since I cannot easily see a unit installed, but it's time to face the music...!!

50. comment for Is Walmart RO Water good enogh for reef tank? TDS meter test result!

Reefing with Reefer - 8 years ago

yes exactly CJ all the money in ppl"s tank and they dont have rodi unit hehe

Jeroro Mouse - 8 years ago

what LED light are you using? radion??

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Yes I'm running a Radion G1 that got upgraded to G3

Fred Nixon - 8 years ago

Why can't you use distilled water for the tank?

WaterspoutsOfTheDeep - 8 years ago

+Inappropriate Reefer
The PH is the problem not whether it has anything dissolved in it or not... It is also the fact it is sometimes done in copper equipment which can put copper in the water which is terrible for lots of marine animals....

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

I tried Distilled water 2 weeks ago and it was good, TDS measured 0! I have also just received my RO/DI unit... =)

WaterspoutsOfTheDeep - 8 years ago

Distilled water has a higher PH.

Hatredy11 - 8 years ago

https://youtu.be/XdMQ_mgMFFw

John Zimm - 8 years ago

I really appreciate the video. I have wondered about the Walmart water too. But I had never heard anyone mention it. I only have a 29 gal Biocube (starting to set up). So if I do 10% water changes a week, ( is 10% about what people do?), then I only need 3 gallons, do they sell small rodi units? I don't have a place to sore a huge amount of pre made saltwater, and the small unit would be easier to get "wife approved" and price too.

John Zimm - 8 years ago

+Inappropriate Reefer do you think you will go with their $150 basic unit or the $200 plus unit that has the flush kit, tds meter and pressure gauge?

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

I am planning to go with a BRS unit when I do pull the trigger, it looks to be small enough to slide under a sink?

Abbey Lee - 8 years ago

Yay! How am I only subscribing now :) Love this video, Chow!

Daniel Lee - 8 years ago

Maybe possible contamination from the tap water?

NanoReef Drop - 8 years ago

i change all my filters when my TDS gets over 5 :)

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

I hope dealing with a reef tank that was using 190 TDS water has prepared me for anything in the future

telegraham - 8 years ago

I second the above. 3-5 TDS from the RO and 0 TDS post-DI. Anything higher, and you're just working harder later.

Tidal Flux - 8 years ago

my Tap tds is 300+ but have been using rodi for a 8 months and it comes out at 9ppm still. its alot of money up front but its worth it in water quality for the corals and fighting algea.

I beat cyno tho by sucking it off my sand with a turkey bayster and removing it from the tank. cleaning out my sump during a small water change and removing and cleaning sponges etc that filter and catch water with h202. I also have a refiguim tho so once i did that it began sucking up the phosephates im sure. Been a month without a water change and cyano has still not returned.

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Encouraging to hear success! Have you noticed a difference in your coral health since switching to RO/DI? Or is the lack of bad algae the main difference before/after the switch?

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Thank you again arringar, it decided help with the decision to move forward with an RO/DI unit! If there is adapter to hook the line-in with a shower pipe, that would work, I do have a spare shower down in the basement where I could just leave the entire system in the shower. Thanks for the idea (also the tip for the thread tape)!! ;-)

Sjet - 8 years ago

I was like you man, hesitant to get a RODI system. But after I got one, it's it's really worth it. It's just not for reefing, I also set it up for RO to provide drinking water for my family. Even if you don't have a reef, everyone should have an RO system, city water is bad. If worst comes to worst you can always just hook it up to a water hose outside if you have no other option. Say you do 5 gallon water change weekly @ $1/gallon from the shop. that's $5 x 52 week, that's $260 a year. It pays for itself in a year.

Kevin Dewey - 8 years ago

+John Zimm that's DI, he said drink RO, without the DI, the subject is a debate, but I would say it's safe to say do not drink RODI, just RO, it will get you low enough and clean the water 90 or more percent anyways. I believe that you are correct, DI resin strips the water clean and your body try to attach to it, sacrificing your bodies nutrients. I would say it's fine to drink every now and then, but just RO is more than fine and many people do this.

John Zimm - 8 years ago

I have heard that if you drink water that is that pure, allot of minerals, vitamins and stuff are attracted/attached to the water inside of your body and it is all removed from you... Stripping you of all the good stuff. But I will have to research that more.

just0ten - 8 years ago

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Lots of faith in Walmart =)

oceanslide - 8 years ago

Get an rodi unit! new or used. My tank is on the second floor so I set up the rodi unit on the sink in the bathroom. and they make a lot of adapters for the sink faucets and then just place the dirty water line down the drain, no holes drilled! Now i only have to carry water about 10 feet instead of from the lfs to my tank

Aquatasy - 8 years ago

Yeah, that is indeed a real eye-opener.

WestCoast Reefer - 8 years ago

Thanks for the video...RODI unit is the way to go they have so many different adapters and connectors for any kind of setup. Plus it's less of a hassle.

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Thanks Rob, I am going to give a RODI unit a serious look now

yoshi moto - 8 years ago

195 means dino

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Truth.

Wesley Smith - 8 years ago

Yeah I've used petco's nutra water as well. It's fine but not really that beneficial for long term use I would say. It's supposed to have the same compounds as natural seawater. But the price is horrible like you said, lol! Yeah definitely check out your local lfs and see what they charge. Normally most lfs charge $1 for fresh RODI water and about $1.50-2.00 for premixed saltwater. I really don't go there too often myself because of the the distance, I live in Capitol heights Md, which is about 5 minutes from DC. But I'm currently waiting for them to get some more leporad wrasses in. Went there last week to pick one up and the guy sold all three before I arrived at the store! SMH... Not surprised especially since the three that they had were eating frozen food!! That's worth an hour drive for me any day. So hopefully they should have some more come in, in about a week or so. We can definitely set a meet up there!

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Which LFS are you waiting to pick up Leopard Wrasses at? Shoot me a DM the next time you plan to head down and I will come meet up. ;-)

Aiden Tolomay - 8 years ago

Total dissolved solids!

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Hahaha wish I knew this while filming!

Wesley Smith - 8 years ago

Hey bro you should really consider getting your water from your local lfs. I go to quantum reef in va. The owner is really cool and knowledgeable and I only pay $1.00 a gallon for RODI water. It looks like your having some diatom algae issues. I had the same problem when I was buying water from shoppers. RODI vs just Ro water is definitely the answer to your your algae issues. Really love your vids to by the way and would love to link up with you in the future! I stay in the dmv area about an 1 hour away from King of corals. By the way TDS stands for "total dissolved solids".

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

$1/g? That's not bad... I was at PetCo checking out their saltwater and it was in the neighborhood of $19 for 5g, I think I was still chuckling by the time I walked out of the store. My closest LFS is Congressional, I will call and ask them how much they are selling their RO/DI water for... maybe it is time to just bite the bullet and hook a RODI unit up.

Do you visit King of Corals often? We can meet up there the next time they run a sales - It also takes me about an hour to get to KoC so I don't go too often. Would you by any chance closer to Roozen or BRK? Thanks for the answer to TDS btw! ;-)

jazzmik2000 - 8 years ago

hey, no sink needed in laundry room. just get a splitter for your cold water line on washing machine and run the waste line of ro unit to the drain of washer and you're set.

jazzmik2000 - 8 years ago

+Inappropriate Reefer yes, any sink will work with the right attachment. my tap is crazy high also, something like 275 I believe.

the other thing to check with your local water company is if they are using Chloramine to treat water supply. you may have to buy upgrade kit to treat chloramine which I had to do. just call your water company and they'll let you know.

look into AquaFx units and they sell the upgrade kit as well.

Mike Seliga - 8 years ago

+Inappropriate Reefer I believe CJ runs his RODI unit from BRS through a sink. I know it comes with connections. I luck out with the basement, haha.

Inappropriate Reefer - 8 years ago

Would it be possible to do the same thing with a regular sink / faucet, or does it have to be the same line as a washer? Asking for my legs / arms so I don't need to lug water up a flight of stairs. Thanks for the info!

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