The guy told me that to top off my tank, I could use a Brita water filter. I don't think he is right or anything, but what do people think about this?

he's wrong....brita filter in no way comparable to ro/di....

Maybe for a FW tank - you'd get a nasty algae problem if you did that.

You're better off using RO/DI water, this should be the only water you use when topping off and making SW.

I figured as much. It was just interesting because those guys usually are spot on when it comes to suggestions.




I have been looking around at RO/DI systems and they all seem like they are too much for my smaller tank. Do you have any suggestions on something small scale that is affordable? I don't want to deal with all this plumbing and such.

they not too much for your 20....you should get one...mine uses sink adapter...i put it in closet when not using it...

Back when I had a Brita on my tap, the TDS got worse, lol!

My LFS told me that just using my well water would be fine. Said it made no difference. Our water is such garbage it usually comes out of the tap Red/BROWN and smells like a rotten egg farted out toxic waste


LFS lie. Do what Burt sayeth, and ye shall be led from the evils of unmanageable algae.

On an unrelated note, Brita tap thing sucks.

Just get a cheap unit and set it up in a garage or something similar and fill a bucket/garbage can(Clean garbage can) And just top off or mix salt with it. Easy, cheap, and almost no plumbing.

I am by no means advocating the use of a Brita filter for use with a reef tank, but it is essentially the same type of filtration used in many RO filters prior to passing through the RO membrane.

Heres how it works. Water passes through a mesh filter, then through a sediment filter, followed by a carbon/zeolite filter. This will reduce sediments, heavy metals, chlorine and some volitle organics. It will not reduce TDS appreciably as reverse osmosis and/or deionization is required for that job. In fact, TDS can increase over time due to leaching from the carbon.

A Brita filter is an expensive, incomplete filter, but it is chemically purer than your starting tap water provided you change it regularily.

Again, a Brita filter is not a substitute for RO or RO/DI water, but it is essentially equivalent to the prefiltration utilized by such devices.

If you are looking for a good water source, try your grocery store or Walmart for an RO dispenser; make sure TDS is displayed and the unit is regularily serviced.

A taste and odor filter does nothing for a reef tank.................
There is not substitute for a RO/DI system especiall;y if its your own so you alone control the quality of your water.