Q. Is it okay to use tap water?

A. Theoretically, no, realistically, maybe. Tap water usually contains chlorine and or chloramines, nitrates, phosphates, silicates, and heavy metals to name a few that can build up in the aquarium over time. There are numerous additives to break down the chlorine and chloramines and detoxify heavy metals, which must be used for all tap water used in an aquarium. The best way to evaluate the safety of tap water is to perform a few tests before use to determine the level of nitrates, phosphates, pH level, hardness (alkalinity), and others. We prefer and recommend the use of water that is properly purified via reverse osmosis and deionization or distilled. These processes remove most of the harmful or negative substances from the water and therefore should be a better and more natural alternative to tap water. As with tap water it is important to test the pH and alkalinity or hardness as purified water tends to be soft or low in alkaline and neutral in pH.