Water supplements...

[jon carman]

I don't, or I would say I would rather have another tank. I hear they also waste a lot of water unless you get a top dollar one. Since I have africans, I would be taking all the hardness out and then just putting it back in. But I see what your saying. I've heard its almost a must with Discus

[sirknight]

RO or RO/DI units remove just about everything from the water TDS) including not not limited to buffers. When I had discus I used my unit then added buffers to stabilize the water, PH, Hardness, mag etc. because ro/di water is not stable. I also used it for my saltwater setups. Then added salt and some buffers. This is not needed for hard water high PH fish in this area. You may have to increase PH however it is not a matter of just adding for example baking soda you have to add other chemicals to balance.

Jon, is correct with any RO or RO/DI system you produce waste water at about 1 gallon of product water to 3 or 4 gallons of waste water.

If run just a DI there is no waste water however you will use up the DI very fast.

All I do is use a sediment filter, and two carbons to remove sediment, and chlorine. Then I adjust my water with, Baking soda, Epsom salt and saltwater salt.

[titansfever83]

I was refering to getting my tap water down to what my SA cichlids are accustom to. I don't keep Africans but if I did, I understand there is no need in a RO unit around here since our water is for the most part hard enough for them.


sirknight, how many gallons of waste water did you produce when you kept Discus and what water parameters did you have from your tap and what was you aiming for with the discus?

[jon carman]

Good point- We need a thread about what types of fish like what water chemistry. While some of us know, I have had customers try to mix things that don't mix. It would help new hobbyist since petco probably sells them whatever they ask for without asking any questions.

[sirknight]

My tap water is hard, with a PH 7.9. I wanted my water 6.5, which I did with just the RO part of my ro/di. I did have to add baking soda and Epsom salt to stabilize the water.

I was doing 50% water changes weekly on a 65 gallon tank so I was making about 35 gallons of product water and waste water was 105 to 140 gallons depending on water temp, and water pressure.

Joe

[leslie]

the water you take out of your tank could be used to water plants inside or out. so it really wouldnt be wasted.

now can any of you keep angels with your hard water? my water is had=rd and aph of 7.6 to 7.8.

[titansfever83]

I've kept Angel fish, Satanoperca, Geophagus, Gymnogeophagus, Apistos, etc. in my tap water. PH is 7.6 and GH is about 120ppm.

Just keep up on your WC(water changes)!!! Thats more important for most fish than trying to match their natural habitats to the dot.

[rogerhopper]

RO is the best way to regulate what you want. It is not cheap to buy a system. If you are going to keep Discus and fish like that it is a must. Africans will do fine from 7.0 to 8.5. It must stay constant. Tropheus like as high as 9.0

[angel]

Even though it's not stable water and takes everything out of the water, then some has to be added back in?

[tmom]

My water out of the tap this morning is 6.4 . I'm in the Lakewood district.

[sirknight]

Tina, you add baking soda, Epsom salt, sea salt and some calcium chloride to stabilize. This will stabilize and raise PH and hardness to where you want just go slow. I add 1 teaspoon of baking soda per 5 gallons, 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per 5 gallons and 1 teaspoon of sea salt per 5 gallons. I then add baking soda at 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons to raise PH to where I want it. I don't use cal unless I do RO/DI.

Tmon, before you test your water you want to aerate it for 24 hours, then check the PH. You may see a big difference in the PH. If not use the Baking soda and Epsom salt as I state above.

The reason for the Epsom salt is to raise Magnesium levels. this will help balance the baking soda in the water and sustain PH.


If anyone would like to know a few places to get RO/DI units at a good price just let me know and I will post some links if it is OK with Jon.

Joe

[angel]

Thanks Joe I was just wondering about why it was good to pull the hardness out and then put it back in. I'm not venturing outside of Africans, at least not now, so the water here is great. I would love to have discus though. Just not gonna try it.

[jon carman]

Joe, that will be fine, angel- unless you are crazy hardcore there is absolutely no reason to pull out and put back in. R/O is more for people that just want to pull out.

[angel]

gotcha

[sirknight]

Here are a few places that sell RO/DI systems. See links below

www.bulkreefsupply.com/index.html

www.purelyh2o.com/

www.thefilterguys.biz/index.htm

www.airwaterice.com/

Joe