Water top-off while gone.....

[Volkman]

Ok, so the future Father-in-law is going to be taking care of the tank while we are gone for Turkey Day, showed him how to feed, all that stuff, but he is going to need to add water to the tank. Is it okay for him to add some pre-mixed water from our 5gal, new Hinckley/Schmidt water cooler jugs? I read on the label that it was from Ro/DI machines with "some minerals" added. Is this good water in a pinch? Can I use this all the time? What do you guys think?

Thanks and everyone have a good Turkey Day!!! Gobble-gobble!!!

[MinnFish]

What does it mean by "pre-mixed" (salt added?). If, that is the case. I would say, no. Do not add salt water as a top-off. It will raise your salinity. Only add fresh RO. BTW, i would not add anything to a tank without knowing what the "mineral added" consist of. Just my take of things. Have a great turkey day.

[usmc121581]

I agree with the above. If you dont know what was in it for sure I wouldnt use it. Maybe its just me but I am very picky when it comes to adding/staring things for my tank. When ever I leave I buy gallons of water from walmart. YOu know the green labels that are for drinking. Believe it or not I actually tested it and it is 0'ed out for all tests. I would by enough for the time that you are gone. Then when you return dont throw the empty jugs away, save them for when you leave again. You can just fill it up with your top of water.

[Volkman]

Sorry about the "pre-mixed" comment, I meant pre-mixed with my additives, not salt. I'll contact them and see what they put in and let you all know.

[RobNJ]

how many days are you going to be gone?

[Volkman]

Leaving Wednesday morning, coming back Sunday night. Usually I lose about 3-4 gallons every couple of days. So it'll be low.

[papagimp]

aGree with Minnfish, I"m picky as well about the water I put in my tanks. What's safe for human consumption may not neccessarily be okay for delicate reef inverts. Those added "minerals" are what your saltwater adds to get the right mixture, adding more on top of it could throw something out of wack, plus you don't know what 'minerals' they added. It may be something you do not want in the tank. That comment about added minerals let's you know it's no longer purifed ro/di water, it's been altered already and a TDS reading would probably show this.

[Sk8r]

ultimately, get an autopoff unit and save your sanity. Mine is from autotopoff.com, cost 75 dollars and has worked infallibly for 2 years, except when my stupidity has screwed it.

Buy one when you're NOT going on a trip, so you can learn to use it without glitching, and you'll never have to worry.

As for your storebought water 'with minerals added,' they're, as I understand, things like calcium and mg, which we metabolize, and so do your fish. [The one thing you don't want to do, of course, is top off with salt water, but I'm sure you know that.] The problem with pure ro/di is that the water is stripmined of everything but the H's and O's, and we need more than that. Your salt mix, when added, supplies not just salt, but all those trace minerals, so it's doing much the same as this provider, only in a fishy way, and with salt.

They surely wouldn't be adding copper. Not good for us, either.

[Volkman]

Found out what's in the water: Potassium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride. These okay?? I am going to get a auto top-off system, when I get back. For sure!! I know not to top-off with saltwater, ro/di water only.