How is YOUR Tap Water???

[MikeS]

Hi all

One of our threads got a little sidetracked and the topic of nitrate in tap water came up.

http://www.coralforum.com/sutra18056.html#18056

I have had a difficult time locating any data on national statistics concerning nitrate levels in tap water...so I'd like to see how many of you here have it in YOUR local tap water. (Or well water, whichever is applicable).

If you could, please test your tap water for nitrates, and post your results here, along with the type of kit used for the test, claimed accuracy of the kit, and your location....(state will be fine if you do not wish to disclose your city....)

I tested mine last night, I got .4 mg/L nitrate. I used Aquarium Systems SeaTest low range nitrate. I could not find any statement on manufacturer's accuracy claim. I'm in Casper, Wy.

I just want to get an idea of how many of you have nitrates in your tap water....thanks... :-D

[FishinInTheDark]

I'll just restate:

In Cheyenne, WY we have .6 mg/L according to the water department. The form they sent me also says the EPA limit is 10, which is a long way from .6, but truly very high!

Conni

[gman0526]

A few wks ago I got the EPA water tests report and it stated .40 mg/l.

[nbaker]

I'm testing mine.. this is good education, and a heads up in what I'm doing wrong here.. I think I'm about to invest in a RO unit, it might not be the best there is but it's going to do better than the PUR faucet filter I'm sure. Any suggestion on rating? I have a 30gal, and other than the small 1-2 top offs I do an average of once a week I might use 20-30gallons every month... so I would think a 30gpd unit should do fine. Wanting an opinion thou. Oh and any spacific brands I should look for or steer clear of?

[cich1]

i haven't tested my tap water in awhile, i'll test tonite since i want to check nitrates in the tank anyway, Nathan, i have a 9 gpd ro/di that was given to me along with 2 storage tanks it keeps me supplied with plenty of water for my 29g tank but i think when i comes time for filter replacement i'm gonna buy a larger ro/di unit

[fairviewdr]

.46ppm for nitrites and nitrates combined for Kenosha, WI (Lake Michigan water).

[Condiman]

.10 ppm for using Red Sea test kit and I recieved my test results from the state and it said .13 ppm. I had the state done because of the little one.

[cich1]

5ppm for greenville ohio using AP test kit

[NaH2O]

I have horrible water - TDS is sometimes in the 500s. I just tested the tap 473 reading with the TDS (thank goodness for RO/DI), and nitrates were 0.2 ppm. I know I had the city's report around here somewhere...I'd like to compare.

[gman0526]

Welcome to the forum NaH2O!!! Hope u hang around here often, you know ur stuff.

[tatuvaaj]

0 ppm here in Tampere, Finland. Salifert NO3 testkit.

[NaH2O]

oops, should have posted I used Salifert test kit.

Thanks for the welcome gman!

[Aquaman]

10ppm using a Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater Liquid Master Test Kit.
Central valley California.

[nbaker]

Interesting enough I tested Nitrates from three different sources in town yeasterday, I wanted to make sure my first reading was correct...:lol: Lockhart Texas has a 0ppm reading. I'm sure there could be a small trace but with out those expensive test that Mike uses I won't know for sure. I went ahead and tested ammonia as well. My parents have .25ppm reading while everything else is fine. Funning thing since we are all on the same water system, but they live way on the other side of town. I found this that I might have gotten from CF but I figured I'd share for those of us that have a tight budget. To the long life of your aquarium inhabitants :chuggin: http://www.inreef.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=16175&cat=302&page=1 :D

[MikeS]

I'm sure there could be a small trace but with out those expensive test that Mike uses I won't know for sure.

The SeaTest kits are not all that expensive really, I think I paid around $12 for mine....

Mike

[skiflyer]

0 ppm using hagen master liquid test kit , 0ppm using red sea stripes. Located in Cape Coral Florida. Also according to the water dept. here it is also 0ppm

[mybubbles]

0 ppm here in Sydney Australia 8)

[BigBill]

Will have to check my well water... I know the PH of my well water is off the chart of any PH test kit that I have owned...

[icereefer]

grand forks ND tap water. nitrates 0.5 ppm. phosphates 0.25 ppm TDS 197. tested with Salifert.
Icereefer

SW Wyoming... TDS 160ppm. For most of you, go to http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html for water reports.

[BoldAsBrass]

Tap water in Fort Lauderdale is a very good quality

[MarineScientist19]

heh im in central ohio, columbus water division we have 0 nitrates but our phosphates are stupidly high apprx... 240 ppm lol crazy huh

[MikeS]

wow...that's crazy high...did you get that number from the water treatment plant? And why is it so high?

Mike

[MarineScientist19]

well its primaraly because they draw it from a local lake and run off, this of course is always a problem in my saltwater tanks, but it works to my advantage with freshwater plant tanks. i tested using red sea phos test and industrial system tests they both read within the same range, im in the process of hooking up a R/O so i dont have to deal with it

[MikeS]

yeah, I bet 240ppm phosphate creates all kinds of algae/cyano problems...at 10ppm in my tank I'd start to panic... :oops: :lol:

Mike

[MarineScientist19]

yes i combat cyano alot grows around 2 1/2 inches per day its a reef so i cant bomb it with meds that i have for cyano all i can do is gavel vac that crap

[MarineScientist19]

i just hope i can keep it contained to the substrate
untill i get my r/o unit online another prob i run into is green and brown "rust" algae <---phosphates at work, its really insane

[MarineScientist19]

if it gets really bad im gonna have to relocate my corals and live rock to a purified system downstairs i use for ISO got to many leather corals to lose and 1 med hammor coral (please mr.cyanobacter dont hurt my lil hammor coral, please please) eh screw it im gonna move it first just in case id rather lose it by my hand then to stoopid cyanobacter

[MikeS]

good idea...

If your water is truely that high in phosphates, then I'd imagine your substrate and live rock will become so completely saturated with it as to make it nearly unuseable. Even after you switch to a phosphate free water source, I'd imagine you'll be combating cyano and microalges for quite some time following that. IMO you'd likely be better off getting new substrate and live rock for your tank once you get a RO/DI filter. That is of course, if the phosphate levels there are truely that high...

Mike

[MarineScientist19]

yea, i had agro florida crushed coral, dont ask me why ... because i should have known better lol yeah the levels dont change much either tested 4 times in a month then tested 1 time a month later after than and it never changed (only to rule out a possable surge in water treatment or local supply) but ill be damned if ill let this ruine anything , as for the cyano its under control but to be safe im moving the coral and not transferring any tank water to try and help with the mass