Reef REVISITED

[christan1959]

Hello everyone! I have just started a nano marine tank with intention of building a small reef community. It is my first marine set-up after more than 15 years absence. Got more time now that the kids are bigger. Noticed a few things since returning to the hobby:

- The hobby has advanced a lot, and there are many shops offering lots of convenience such as prepacked water (natural or salt mix), prepared top-up water, etc.

- Livestock a lot more expensive than 15 years ago. Shocked at some prices, really.

- Reef hobbyist community very big and vibrant (such as this one).

- Lots more choices of inverts, with some really colorful and outrageous ones.

I am threading carefully, and don't want to spend too much. So far, my hardware is quite low-cost (converted from freshwater set-up) + a few inexpensive equipment. Live rocks have been cycling in natural sea water for more than one week now, and I can see lots of micro shrimps swimming about.

If anyone wants to give up or sell off excess inverts, please contact me.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

[wilsontantw]

Good to see reefers returning to the hobby!

Welcome back.

Indeed, technology has advanced for local reefing scene, and with it, comes the prices for equipment and live stock as well.

A lot of LFS have also closed their shutters and chose not to lift them up anymore. Reborn is, sadly, the most recent one.

Let's hope more reefers return to the scene and start sharing more often (setup/knowledge) so that the forum can progress even further!

[christan1959]

Good to see reefers returning to the hobby!

Welcome back.

Indeed, technology has advanced for local reefing scene, and with it, comes the prices for equipment and live stock as well.

A lot of LFS have also closed their shutters and chose not to lift them up anymore. Reborn is, sadly, the most recent one.

Let's hope more reefers return to the scene and start sharing more often (setup/knowledge) so that the forum can progress even further!

Thanks Wilson! First question as a born again reefer: Is it safe to use bottled distilled drinking water (sold at Watsons and other outlets) as top-up water? Are these waters really "distilled"? If not, where can I buy distilled/RO water? Am trying to resist installing an RO unit.

[wilsontantw]

Hey bro, ive never tested the bottled DI water before with a tds meter.. so cant advice on that.

If its a small tank, why not visit iwarna, i think auntie sells DI water.

Or just get a crystal pro... it works like a charm.. madpetz also have a DI unit.. quite affordable.. but RO/DI is a different ball game.

So far, i think for me, DI is enough..

[christan1959]

Hey bro, ive never tested the bottled DI water before with a tds meter.. so cant advice on that.

If its a small tank, why not visit iwarna, i think auntie sells DI water.

Or just get a crystal pro... it works like a charm.. madpetz also have a DI unit.. quite affordable.. but RO/DI is a different ball game.

So far, i think for me, DI is enough..

Sorry, what's Crystal Pro? Tried googling but no luck.

[wilsontantw]

Here you go...

http://www.aquamarin.com.sg/productsDetail.asp?productid=379

[wilsontantw]

If u dont mind 2nd hand, i think theres a sale thread in pasar malam for the one from madpetz...

[christan1959]

If u dont mind 2nd hand, i think theres a sale thread in pasar malam for the one from madpetz...

Thanks much! Will check it out. Product specs do not state how many litres it can treat before replacement.

[straydum]

Thanks Wilson! First question as a born again reefer: Is it safe to use bottled distilled drinking water (sold at Watsons and other outlets) as top-up water? Are these waters really "distilled"? If not, where can I buy distilled/RO water? Am trying to resist installing an RO unit.

i've been using bottle distilled water for quite a long while now for my tank, no complains from me

[christan1959]

i've been using bottle distilled water for quite a long while now for my tank, no complains from me

Thanks man. Will any brand do, or do you have a preferred brand?

[braincoral]

Go ntuc buy distilled water

Life brand one carton 5.50 only

1.5 l per bottle

Been using for yrs

NO problem with it

[straydum]

Thanks man. Will any brand do, or do you have a preferred brand?

no preferred brand, when there're offers i'll just buy a few bottles. house brands are normally the cheapest.

an alternative to consider would be those larger cylinders used for offices and commerial places. not sure about the price but it surely would be more environmental friendly. i've yet to find a place that sells them individually though, mostly through suppy contracts etc

[christan1959]

no preferred brand, when there're offers i'll just buy a few bottles. house brands are normally the cheapest.

an alternative to consider would be those larger cylinders used for offices and commerial places. not sure about the price but it surely would be more environmental friendly. i've yet to find a place that sells them individually though, mostly through suppy contracts etc

great! thanks!

[christan1959]

Go ntuc buy distilled water

Life brand one carton 5.50 only

1.5 l per bottle

Been using for yrs

NO problem with it

hey thanks!

[christan1959]

Good to see reefers returning to the hobby!

Welcome back.

Indeed, technology has advanced for local reefing scene, and with it, comes the prices for equipment and live stock as well.

A lot of LFS have also closed their shutters and chose not to lift them up anymore. Reborn is, sadly, the most recent one.

Let's hope more reefers return to the scene and start sharing more often (setup/knowledge) so that the forum can progress even further!

Saw pics of your tank in gallery. Wow! Very impressive. Didn't know SPS could be so dramatic! I was quite successful in keeping soft corals and large polyp corals, but never ventured beyond.

[christan1959]

Go ntuc buy distilled water

Life brand one carton 5.50 only

1.5 l per bottle

Been using for yrs

NO problem with it

oops, i read from another hobbyist forum that Life brand distilled water has v low pH (around 6). does this acidity detrimental to reef environment over time?

[cjh]

distilled water has low PH?

[ReDDeviLs]

use buffer?

[christan1959]

use buffer?

thanks for input, guys. i think the low pH is because of the CO2 absorption (since pure water is a powerful solvent, and the bottling plant may use CO2 as a preservative or something). in small amounts, it shld neutralise fairly quickly in a reef set-up (which is naturally buffered).

am weighing the pros and cons of using bottled distilled water (environmentally unfriendly becoz of all the plastic bottles), and paying for a RO unit which is also environmentally unfriendly (lots of water wasted), or a DI unit which works out to abt 6-10 cts per litre of treated water. Also, dunno where i can install the (somewhat) bulky treatment units. headache.