RODI water or Treated Tap

[hvangus]

Hello, my question has anyone changed from RODI water to tap water and if so what are your thoughts? My 125gallon tank has been running for just about a year and I am considering the switch. I have 8 stendker discus:) and just ordered three more all 5'' fish. I would like to switch because of the time it takes me to make 45 gallons of RO water.
Thanks
Bryan

[LizStreithorst]

Are your tap water parameters the same after aging as they are after?

[hvangus]

I have never aged my water so I am not sure

[Jack L]

i switched from RO water and adding back minerals to doing 50/50 ish tap and RO mix.

the only difference i noticed was saving money on seachem products i stopped buying, and less hassle when doing WC, (no more measuring powders)
the GH/KH and TDS were a little different, and i'm sure the mineral of tap/ro compared to RO + seachem powders is different, but it didn't seem to matter.


i add prime out of habit (and i have it), but i probably don't need to do that either as the chlorine off gases and test strips show none.

[LizStreithorst]

I have never aged my water so I am not sure

You'll have to age some water and find out. I have to age because I have a pH swing of .4 and the fish don't like that. Aging water is a lot easier and less expensive that RO for me. Some folks are lucky and have little swing in pH. They can go straight from the tap to the tank, the lucky dogs.

[Jack L]

ph
mine swings 1.5 in about 4 to 6 hrs
enough to off a fish, not that i would know from recent personal experience, but there is a good chance if you forgot about that tidbit (lets say because you age water for a Discus tank), and change water in your qtank with non aged water... filled with black neons, one might just see some death spirals displayed by said black neons.

[Filip]

The other not so scientific method to do this is to try and mix your current RODI water with 20-30 % of straight tap and gradually elevate the tap % with every new WC .
And just watch your discus closely after WC and see how they respond .
If they don't peel slime coat , don't breathe harder, don't get stunned after the WC that would be a good pointer if you can get away with straight tap without aging.

[hvangus]

Hey guys thanks for the tips. I have aged some water for about 12 hrs and I have went from about 7.5 to 7.3. My current RO water is 6.2.. This scares me to make the change! Getting ready to do a 50% water change today so I think I am going to start slow and add 10 gallons of tap and 50 gallons RO. Over the next 5 to 7 days I am going to increase my tap water. ANY THOUGHTS?

[Willie]

You should have no problems with this approach.

Willie