ro/di water in freshwater
- Thread starter Statman
- Start date
it could be useful if your pH is at an extreme, but remember, you're stripping that water of a LOT of essential minerals and traces that you'll probably need to add back in.
yes, water can be TOO clean.
yes, water can be TOO clean.
I wouldn't, you would stripping your buffer, as well as trace elements that plants would need. leave the RO/DI unit for the saltwater tanks, tap is just fine for freshwater.
I just started using RO/DI water in my freshwater tanks,well,part RO/DI water mixed with tap.had to calm down the liquid rock that comes out of the tap here.My PH from the tap is at least 8.6,thats the lowest I've seen it in 2 years; with hardness and alkalinity to the extreme
So now I'm at about 50% RO/DI 50% tap,I just use the waste water from the RO unit for the tap water mix
I don't know if I should be putting anything back into the mix or not
Is there something I should be check with a test to see ?
So now I'm at about 50% RO/DI 50% tap,I just use the waste water from the RO unit for the tap water mix
I don't know if I should be putting anything back into the mix or not
Is there something I should be check with a test to see ?
if you have 'liquid rock' ( I like that term)
yes you may benefit with RO/DI
it is needed in most Marine tanks.
it also makes good top off water in between water changes since it will not add any dissolved compounds to the water and will in fact help dillute TDS in the tank.
yes you may benefit with RO/DI
it is needed in most Marine tanks.
it also makes good top off water in between water changes since it will not add any dissolved compounds to the water and will in fact help dillute TDS in the tank.
I think its best if used as a mix of tap and RO water, then you can add the essential minerals and buffers without spending money on products. But you will have to get the exact ratio right every water change.
I have tanks that I run on RO and tap mix and others that I run on straight tap. My water is on the hard side though I wouldn't call it liquid rock. That said, my livebearers tanks are fine with straight tap water. My south americans that like soft water get a 50 / 50 mix for water changes. All of my tanks get makeup water that is straight RO since I don't want to add anything but water back for what has evaporated.
Statman:
Please bear in mind that my experience is FW.
You have received "a ton" of good information in the previous posts.
I could not maintain an aquarium without my RO/DI as the potable water parameters in West Texas are very variable.
I have never observed the Ph crash which is set forth in the literature
but
I fertilize with Flourish and
every month or so I perform a small WC (like 5% to 10%) with tap water.
My typical protocol is a bidaily 10% WC with the RO/DI water.
A couple more items:
1) A LFS "set up my tank" back in my "young and ignorant days" (at least more ignorant than I am now) and installed a 30GPD RO/DI unit.
2) I have just paid approximately $60 for a 60 GPD "restrictor" and primary stage filter.
3) Per 1 & 2 above and as the cost of a 60GPD is not much more than a 30GPD IMHO I would purchase a 60GPD unit.
4) The manufacturers "are not just whoofing" when they recommend that the primary filter be replaced biannually and the other filters be replaced semiannually.
TR
That all depens on what type of fish and what you want to do and how hi your TDS is.
I am in NJ and TDS out of the tap for me is 374 which is hard water I use a lot of ro for my discus and angels I keep them at 58-100 TDS and they spawn regularly.
If you are not trying to spawn fish Tap water is fine and cheaper to use.
Just like oldman74 said, I have my guppy's in straight tap and they spawn like rabbits.
all that being said most tropical fish will do better at 100 - 120 TDS this is from some guys I know that have been in the fish business for 30 + years full time from hatching to now wholesalers.
I am in NJ and TDS out of the tap for me is 374 which is hard water I use a lot of ro for my discus and angels I keep them at 58-100 TDS and they spawn regularly.
If you are not trying to spawn fish Tap water is fine and cheaper to use.
Just like oldman74 said, I have my guppy's in straight tap and they spawn like rabbits.
all that being said most tropical fish will do better at 100 - 120 TDS this is from some guys I know that have been in the fish business for 30 + years full time from hatching to now wholesalers.
Draal5:
I do not disagree with your post on any points but several items to note:
1) San Angelo draws it's raw water some several surface reservoirs each of which exhibits varying water parameters (the reservoir near Robert Lee even has minor concentrations of NaCl and KCl).
2) The Director of Public Utilities will change the reservoir from which he is pulling raw water many times/year based upon rainfall and lake levels.
3) Hence to have long term happy fishies in my tanks I have no real choice other than RO/DI.
4) Most of my plants are soft water plants.
I typically have a Gh of 5 or less which I believe is equivalent to approximately 100 TDS.
Please do not laugh too hard here but I have had "h...l" with show guppies not only not bearing but not surviving.
The last batch:
1) I set up 2 5G tanks and
2) ordered fry guppies.
I performed approximately daily 90% WC's for the two 5G tanks from my main tank.
I added a serious quantity of floating plants to the tanks.
Not only did the fry grow to adults but I have fry in the 2 5G tanks as well as in my main tank where I moved several of the guppies.
TR