myelin Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 I went to the local Fish n Chirps and the people imformed me I would be better off using their pre-mixed water. I tested it with a hydrometer and it tested at 1.021. They told me that the local water has too many chemicals and I would be better off using their water. They are charging $1.00/gallon and I need 12 gallons. Is this a common practice? Thanks! Link to comment
harbingerofthefish Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 A LFS near me does the same thing. My problem with it is where is the water coming from? Is it from a resivoir of sorts or are they taking it from a tank? My LFS has some nasty cyno in a few of their tanks and the last thing I'd want to do is add that to my tank. Your LFS has and RO system at least. IMO buy their RO water and some salt and make your own. At least then you know what your putting in your tank. Link to comment
WorldNation Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 u are better off using store RO water, but 1 buck a gallon seems a lil steep. out where i live, its aorunf 40-60 cents a gallon. but i get it for free from my work anywyas. have u checked your local petco to see if they have an RO line?... Link to comment
myelin Posted June 5, 2003 Author Share Posted June 5, 2003 I haven't checked PetCo yet. I'll do that tomorrow. Thx Link to comment
WorldNation Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 yeh, jsut make sure u ask one of the managers, or the aquatics specialists. we do have ppl that dont know ###### about teh sore(dunno how they get hired), but anyways, make sure to ask one of those. they'll know, or at elast they are supposed to . if u have a newely built store(one in the last 3 yrs) then i cna slmost guerentee they'll have an R/O line. and its free there. jsut bring your 5 gallon bucket, and fill on up Link to comment
myelin Posted June 5, 2003 Author Share Posted June 5, 2003 Yeah, I think going to the store everytime I need to change water would suck. Can I keep RO water in 5 gal buckets for a month or so? Link to comment
swordfish Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 I get my RO water from a local store (rhymes with "gall-mart")and take it home in my own reuseable 5 gallon bucket with a sealable top on it for 30 cents a gallon. They have a machine you set the bucket in and then turn a handle to get it flowing into the bucket or whatever you wanna put it in. You pay the cashier afterwards. Most food stores have the same thing, sometimes out in front of the store. I add my own salt. Do it this way and you won't even miss the money. No sane person should pay more than 50 cents a gallon for RO water, and this is indeed RO water. Or, as suggested, go to PetCo if you can. The LFS is fleecing you, screw them and thanks for asking here first. Link to comment
Billdemart Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 Went to my local Petco a couple of times the past few weeks, getting ready for my 10 gallon nano. I asked them if they had Reverse Osmosis water and the lady at the counter looked like I asked her what is the meaning of life? She asked the fish specialist who walked in at that point and he said "I don't even know what that is." I asked what they used in their tanks and he said tap water. I then asked if he had algae problems and he was like "YEAH, we have terrible algae problems." I also noticed one little tank with about 20 dead or dying clown fish in various stages of decay, gasping for breath, etc. It was disgusting. So I went to Publix and bought 15 gallons of RO/DI water for 10 bucks. 69 cents a gallon. Bill Link to comment
harbingerofthefish Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 I'm SO glad my petsmart doesn't sell salt water livestock Link to comment
chufa Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 You can use distilled water from Wal-Mart. Works well for me, and is inexpensive. Link to comment
myelin Posted June 5, 2003 Author Share Posted June 5, 2003 Well, this is pre-mixed RO water at 1.021 spg. Is a dollar a gallon too much for that? I would think that $1.00 for just the RO water would be a little much since I would have to add the salt as well. Well, I am starting the tank today. I am excited! Link to comment
WorldNation Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 Originally posted by harbingerofthefish I'm SO glad my petsmart doesn't sell salt water livestock boooo! petsmart sucx! go to petco!!!! "Went to my local Petco a couple of times the past few weeks, getting ready for my 10 gallon nano. I asked them if they had Reverse Osmosis water and the lady at the counter looked like I asked her what is the meaning of life? She asked the fish specialist who walked in at that point and he said "I don't even know what that is." I asked what they used in their tanks and he said tap water. I then asked if he had algae problems and he was like "YEAH, we have terrible algae problems." " unfortunatly, there are lots of stores with morons working there:( *shakes head in shame* i am truely sorry u had to witness that. lol but if u ever come on down to my petco(Canoga Park, California) u wont find any of that ######! i run a tight ship our sotre's brand new, only 1.5 months old. first store built in the millenium design from the ground up so its a one of a kind Link to comment
WorldNation Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 oh, and gol on your tank koolaid. hope it turns out a success. Link to comment
Vincerama Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 My LFS sells sea water, "harvested" 15 miles from the coast (of San Francisco...to avoid pollution) TheY sell it for 1 dollars. This would save a bit on the cost of salt. However, if you are going to change water every week, and say you change 2-3 gallons per week, that adds up to $100-150 a year. A decent RO unit (say from eBay) would cost you $140 or so. Then add about 30 bucks for salt per year. V Link to comment
myelin Posted June 5, 2003 Author Share Posted June 5, 2003 I just got everything setup, and i'm cycling the tank right now. I will post specs later on. I think I got a few hitch hikers as well. I forsee empty pockets... Link to comment
FlyGTI Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 Originally posted by koolaid I forsee empty pockets... Very perceptive of you, grasshopper. Glad to have you in the hobby. Soon you'll be out on the streetcorner panhandling for new test kits like the rest of us. Welcome aboard!:woot: Link to comment
WorldNation Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 Originally posted by koolaid I forsee empty pockets... oh how right u are :P Link to comment
myelin Posted June 5, 2003 Author Share Posted June 5, 2003 Well, so far I have spent $259 for everything, excluding coral, fish, and fish food. I think that is reasonable. I am going to the store again to get another few pounds of live rock though. It needs more, I promise! X) Link to comment
harbingerofthefish Posted June 6, 2003 Share Posted June 6, 2003 i run a tight ship our sotre's brand new, only 1.5 months old. first store built in the millenium design from the ground up so its a one of a kind Hell of a long way to go for a pet store visit, but who knows I might get a bug someday. I guess this is refreshing to see. One more store to go to with out a dumbass trying to sell me sh! I don't need. p.s. aren't petco and petsmart the same thing, just named different by region? Link to comment
Billdemart Posted June 6, 2003 Share Posted June 6, 2003 Originally posted by harbingerofthefish p.s. aren't petco and petsmart the same thing, just named different by region? No they are different chains I think but they are basically the same thing Link to comment
myelin Posted June 6, 2003 Author Share Posted June 6, 2003 IMO, PetCo is better. They have more of a selection, and I think they take care of the animals better. Well, atleast at the one here. They have a larger selection of aquatic stuff. Petsmart here does not stock marine stuff. They have a couple of test kits for a mearine setup, but that's it. Link to comment
Dennis_said Posted June 6, 2003 Share Posted June 6, 2003 There's a LFS here that sells RO 1.021-1.023 for 69 cents a gallon.... i think that's pretty affordable, considering it saves you the work of testing the stuff out yourself right? OR should we still go w/ the DIY path? Link to comment
myelin Posted June 6, 2003 Author Share Posted June 6, 2003 Originally posted by Dennis_said There's a LFS here that sells RO 1.021-1.023 for 69 cents a gallon.... i think that's pretty affordable, considering it saves you the work of testing the stuff out yourself right? OR should we still go w/ the DIY path? Where is "here"? :*( I paid a dollar a gallon for 1.021. Link to comment
Dennis_said Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 Buena Park area... right by Cerritos where I live Link to comment
myelin Posted June 7, 2003 Author Share Posted June 7, 2003 Okay, I thought maybe you meant here as in close to me. When I need to top off the tank, what do I use? Do I use freshwater or the pre mixed RO water? Link to comment
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