Top-off water... what do you add (chemicals, ph's, heaters, etc.)?

[Kaos]

I have always just made my top-off water w/ my RO/DI and added it straight to my resevoir. I got to thinking the other day if I should add something like Proper pH 8.2, a heater, ph, or an air pump w/ air stone.

What do you guys/gals do to your top-off water?

[Billybeau1]

Do not use Proper pH. I will drive your alkalinity through the roof.

All I add to my top off water is a little lime (kalk) You should be careful not to let it affect pH more than 2 units.

[taketz]

If you have an ATO, I can't imagine that small of an amount of water negatively affecting your tank in any noticable way.

Like it was said above though, you can add a little kalk, and more info on that was in the latest issue of Reefkeeper online magazine. You might find it helpful with this sort of subject, I know I did...

[fishysteve]

I add Seachem reef buffer and use an aqua lifter pump just for some water movement.

[taketz]

I wouldn't think keeping the water ariated would be an issue seeing as how its being slowly added into well ariated salt-water and is being mixed with it before being added back into the display.

I guess it would depend on the amount of top-off your systems replaces at a time...

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[MTB]

I usually just add a bit of randy's 2 part. Usually I just need the alk part. Unfortunatly I do not have the privelage of a top-off system. I just use a bucket and pour slowly. I hope I will be able to add a top-off soon.

[Kaos]

My top-off is automated. I have it so it pours near the intake of my Remora (inside the surface skimmer box on the side that contains the MJ 1200 feeding the skimmer). I figure this will take the water and push it through the skimmer helping to mix it w/ the SW (I know it really doesn't matter much).

[In Deep Water]

Speaking of top-off....Can I purchase a 5 gallon of water once a week and have it used for top off. Is it okay to just have some under the cabinet. Basically, is there a certain shelf life from the time I purchase the water till the time it goes into the tank?

[Kaos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9699557#post9699557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by In Deep Water
Speaking of top-off....Can I purchase a 5 gallon of water once a week and have it used for top off. Is it okay to just have some under the cabinet. Basically, is there a certain shelf life from the time I purchase the water till the time it goes into the tank?

What kind of water (RO/DI, drinking, etc.)? Before I got my RO/DI I would get LFS water and use it as needed. Since I only have a 10gal. tank it would take me awhile to use all the water. I have had water sitting for a couple of weeks w/ no problems. But I would strongly suggest for you to test the TDS of the water before using it. I had to buy an RO/DI unit because my LFS's water kept getting more and more TDS. This was causing HA attacks in my tank. Once I started making my own water and monitoring the TDS levels the HA went away.

[In Deep Water]

Maybe I know of it as another term, but what exactly is TDS. Thanks for the help.

[Kaos]

Total Dissolved Solids. The meters are really cheap (most less then $30) but very much needed IME.

[In Deep Water]

How does TDS have an effect on my tank?

[vanmo92]

I don't see the need to add anything. However the exception is if you have a tiny nano (less then 5 gallons) then IMO you might want to add a heater so the temp doesn't fluctuate when it tops off.

Just my 2 cents

[Kaos]

TDS is basically a measure of how pure the water is. The more pure the water the less chance of something bad entering in the tank w/ water changes and top-offs.

While TDS doesn't indicate what's in the water (good or bad) it just let's you know it's not pure water. I like 0 TDS water because it means if there is anything in the water it will be because I have added it.

[Reefski's]

as water evaporates it leaves behind whatever was dissolved in it. so over time you can get high concentrations of things. not good.

Carl

[drummereef]

I add nothing to my top-off water. I do dose Randy's 2-part throught the week to keep alk/ca in balance. ;)

[REHEM]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9698884#post9698884 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kaos
I have always just made my top-off water w/ my RO/DI and added it straight to my resevoir. I got to thinking the other day if I should add something like Proper pH 8.2, a heater, ph, or an air pump w/ air stone.

What do you guys/gals do to your top-off water?

<img src=http://www.petco.com/Assets/product_images/5/5190600004B.jpg>

I use Kent Marine Superbuffer dKH . It stabilizes the pH in RO/DI water and builds the alkalinity(KH) to prevent pH drop off.

I keep my top-off water in a reservoir of its own (just like you), with a small powerhead for circulation to keep any undissolved powder residues from settling near the outflow. I just add it at room temperature as needed and my pH remains consistently stable.

[REHEM]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9699557#post9699557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by In Deep Water
Speaking of top-off....Can I purchase a 5 gallon of water once a week and have it used for top off. Is it okay to just have some under the cabinet. Basically, is there a certain shelf life from the time I purchase the water till the time it goes into the tank?

My LFS said that top-off water can be kept for a couple of weeks, but that it's best to keep it out of light. I didn't ask her why, from fear of getting smacked for questioning her, but I figure that water+light=life growth?

[taketz]

It really shouldn't if its sealed properly. There would need to be nutrients in the water for that to happen, but maybe her way of saying it should be 'sealed' is by saying no light should enter it?


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