Should I use RO/DI?

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Miller2112

AC Members
Nov 2, 2020
13
0
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44
Maryland
Sorry, I didn't mean to accuse you of lax ro/di maintenance. I'm just wondering why your water didn't change...shouldn't it have? My cheap HM TDS meter recently bit the dust, I haven't replaced it yet. I'm just trying to understand...
No worries.
I don't know why it didn't. Yeah I thought it would have. I'm kinda confused by it also.
My TDS meter is just a cheap in line meter that I'm pretty sure cane with the unit. I don't use it much I usually just replace all cartridges when both DI chambers have changed colors. Its been almost 2 years might be time for a membrane
 
Apr 2, 2002
3,536
642
120
New York
Apr 2, 2002
3,536
642
120
New York
The nice thing about the hand held is one can easily use it in any tank as needed.
 
Apr 2, 2002
3,536
642
120
New York
The thing about fw is that parameters are not ubiquitous. Aftrican Rift lake Ciclids v.s S.A. Acid water Angels are pretty much as different in TDs as night and day. Most reef fish will go into the same params as far as I understand things. Fish live in different temperatures, different TDS and different pH.

So the general rule of thumb is to keep fish that work well in one's tap water. When that is too nasty to use and one must mix their own water, the whole spectrum becomes available. However, soft acidic water is much harder to keep stable than hard alkaline water.

If one is new to fw and in your situation, I would suggest using specif premixed "ingredients" made for specific types of fish. This means you need to decide what you want to keep and how much chemistry you want to master to do so.

My advice is to start with an easier route. You can always add new tanks or redo existing ones. That pretty much means a pH neutral and up. it also mean TDS from about 80-120 on the low end and the several 100s on the high end.
 

Miller2112

AC Members
Nov 2, 2020
13
0
1
44
Maryland
Mixing water to meet parameters is something I'm pretty used to. I want to just keep a simple community planted tank. I picked up a few rasbora and I'm thinking of adding gormai maybe some rummy nose im pretty much open to suggestions.
 
Apr 2, 2002
3,536
642
120
New York
Research what parameters the fish you want need. When one decides to keep a variety of fish from around they world, this is important. Fresh water parameters vary greatly. Just bear in mind that harder, higher pH water is easier to keep stable than the reverse.
 
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