Which water to use?

Nereaga

Im starting a 55 gal. FOWLR, I am cycleing the tank first. I was curious since i am cycleing the tank if i have to buy Distilled Water, Spring Water, or Tap water?? My one friend says just spring water, but my uncle who has had a saltwater tank for years said if I'm cycle the tank I cant use just tap water... Any help would be great thanks.... oh and Im using live sand too...

Chitown1

The only type of water I recommend and use is RO/DI filtered water. You can pick up a RO/DI filter for about $150, I get mine from the filter guys, you can call them up and give them your application and they will make sure you get the right unit. Some bottled water is also RO or RO/DI filtered, it will state that on the label if you cant get you own filter and check with you LFS, they may sell RO/DI filtered water as well, at my LFS they sell fresh for .45 per gallon and mixed with salt for .90 per gallon. Here is a link for the filter guys if you go that route.


http://www.thefilterguys.biz/

gm333

When first filling the tank to cycle you can use tapwater that has been dechlorinated first. If you are not using live sand or rock you can add the water and dechlorinate the water in the tank before adding salt. It would be wise to use r/o water for waterchanges after the cycle ends to keep down nitrates and phosphates that generally occur in tap.

Loman

Not to disagree but I am with Chitown. I prefer to use RO/DI watrer in a slat tank always. I would also like to add that the use of "spring water" is IMO worthless. So many people pull water out of thier tap and filter or something and claim it as spring water that you really have no sense of what you are getting when that name is used