Using Reverse Osmosis Water

[brainstormer]

I am getting a RO filter with Deionization Monday. It has an output for RO water, and a separate output for RODI water.

What do i need to do to the water to make it ok for plants?

IS Greg's Greg Barr's GH KH booster supplement enough, or do I need to use something else like Seachem's Equilibrium, or perhaps both?

Inotherwords, what is the best supplement for me to use for a planted tank. The tank will have some fish in it, but I will match the fish to the water parameters.

If anyone can point me to an article that covers this in more depth, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks
Rick

 

[VaughnH]

The obvious question is why do you want to treat your water? What does it have too much of? That gives us a clue about what water parameters you want to work with.

 

[brainstormer]

Water paremeters change frequently here straight out of the tap. The RO should give me a consistent water, and I can have a lower ph too. I've had problems keeping some loaches in high alkalinity water.

Plus, I like the idea of starting with a clean water and then building it the way I want it.

 

[Panda]

Water paremeters change frequently here straight out of the tap. ...

that's the same reason I use RO/DI water in my discus tank, I mix with some tap water and add Barr's GH booster

 

[VaughnH]

If there is nothing really bad in your tap water, that tap water is the best thing to mix with the RO/DI water. If the result is water with a GH that is too low, then adding GH booster/Equilibrium is a good idea. Just don't forget that every time you change water or add water you need to try to match the water parameters again. It is that nuisance step that stops me from even considering a RO/DI unit.

 

[brainstormer]

Thanks everyone. My Local fish store has Kent RO Right, but I read somewhere that it adds salt to the tank so I'd prefer the eqilibrium.

I'll have to pull a water quality report and see what's in my water. I know the PH and chlorine levels fluctuate widely.

I've got Barr's GH booster on order.

Thanks

Rick

 

[skids]

Any updates?

I moved from San Francisco to Sunrise, FL near Ft Lauderdale (the opposite of Tom's migration for grad school)

The water here is very soft but high in Na. I have had great plant growth in summer months but poor in winter as it changed.

I got a AirWater&Ice Typhoon III Extreme on craigslist for steal and am trying to figure out the initial starting points for making up about 25g a week without mixing with raw water. Targets are around 200-250 ppm for good hatch rates on corydoras and ram breeding. If I can get that (ever) maybe the harder cardinals later.

From old posts on fins list I found this from Greg Fiske:
If 100% R/O 1/2 tbs seachem equilibrium = 6 dh (GH), 3/4 tsp baking soda= 6
dh (KH) to 5 gallon jug. Heat water to 74 F.


but one must be careful since Equilibrium incorrectly ODs on K > around 60ppm, which could however be good in some cases.

An older post suggests this which is much more EI friendly:
For every 5 gallons of RO/DI water, I add 1/2 rounded teaspoon of Kent's RO
Right, 1/4 rounded (not heaping) tsp of baking soda, and 1 Duplaplant tablet


I guess you replace the dupla tablet with TMG or CSM+B

I am setting up 2 x 2.5 gal tests with RO right/ baking soda and another with RO Right /Greg's KH GH up mixture and will report back.

 

[skids]

I am setting up 2 x 2.5 gal tests with RO right/ baking soda and another with RO Right /Greg's KH GH up mixture and will report back.

First test:
2.5 gal tests with RO right/ baking soda 117ppm TDS , 0 dGH, 4.0 d KH
2.5 gal tests with RO right/ Greg's GH booster 205 ppm 2.7 dGH , 0.7 d KH

5 gal test
1/2 tsp GH Booster, 1/2 tsp RO Right, 1/4 tsp baking soda:
pH 7.1, 225ppm, 3.4 dKH, 4.0 dGH . tests after sitting 3 days at RT.

All tests with a HM digital handheld TDS meter, pinpoint pH probe, and LaMotte test kits (15 months old)

Source water RO/DI from Thyphone Extreme III with 0 ppm TDS.
Teaspoons are the semi precise ones that go from 1/4 to 1/32.

Will now add Mg to 5ppm, and try final mix.