Additives For Extremely Pure Water?

[DarkSoul]

I have an RO filter, as well as a UV filter purifying water before it is RO+DI filtered.

My question is, being that this water has absolutly nothing in it, including any microbacteria or other organisims, What kind of micronutrients would I need to buy to add to the water to make it able to support life?, IE Cycling, Fish etc

As it is now, I couldn't start cycling because there are no organisims in the water to start growing....

 

[Tolak]

What you would add to the water depends on the fish you plan on keeping.

 

[DarkSoul]

oh.... tropical freshwater fishes & plants

angels, tetras, and other pretty fish.

 

[Tolak]

Many people will go with 75% ro & 25% tap. This gives enough hardness to prevent pH swings.

 

[gpgscott]

I have the same situation my well water has less than 6ppm tds, I used to have vicious ph swings. I have been putting a couple cups of crushed oyster shell in a nylon stocking and hiding this under rocks in the bottom of the tank and it seems to help alot. You could also keep a container of your RO water to which you add dolomitic limestone. The limestone will get hardness into the water faster but it will also make the water cloudy for a bit. As far as bacteria go they will come with fish waste etc... and colonize on your filter media. I started keeping tanks before this fishless cycle thing and have not been without fish for 25 some odd years and so have never tried a fishless cycle. Scott

 

[DarkSoul]

I would like to fishless cycle, But i suppose i could pickup a couple of hardy fish to throw in to begin cycling.

Initally when i fill this tank, I will fill it with this ultra pure water, and may add it during water changes.

once the tank is established though, adding it during a water change shouldn't really be a problem, since it will be ultra pure water being added to water that has been already setup/cycled etc.

right?

 

[gpgscott]

Without some mineral buffering capacity in your water you will experience wide and abrupt pH shifts, these are hard on the fish. You need to do something to add this mineralization, there are commercially prepared products or you can do as I advise with oyster shell or lime. Lime scares me as it will cause an almost instant change in mineral content I prefer the oyster shell. Maybe someone with RO experience will post some other suggestons. Scott

 

[Tolak]

Straight ro will have wild pH swings. Many different acids are used to lower pH, everything from vinegar to hydrochloric acid has been used, muratic acid is one I often hear of. Calcium carbonate is often used to add hardness, this will buffer your pH, helping to avoid pH swings.

The easiest way if you don't want to play home chemist is to look up one of the ro right products sold by many companies. These will have the correct amount of acids & buffers to acheive the results you are looking for.

If you try to cycle with fish using straight ro your pH will be all over the chart, and the fish won't last long. Ro filtration removes 95%+ of the minerals needed to buffer your pH. Folks cycling a tank with hard tap water have pH swings, even with there being plenty of buffers.

 

[DarkSoul]

Straight ro will have wild pH swings. Many different acids are used to lower pH, everything from vinegar to hydrochloric acid has been used, muratic acid is one I often hear of. Calcium carbonate is often used to add hardness, this will buffer your pH, helping to avoid pH swings.

The easiest way if you don't want to play home chemist is to look up one of the ro right products sold by many companies. These will have the correct amount of acids & buffers to acheive the results you are looking for.

If you try to cycle with fish using straight ro your pH will be all over the chart, and the fish won't last long. Ro filtration removes 95%+ of the minerals needed to buffer your pH. Folks cycling a tank with hard tap water have pH swings, even with there being plenty of buffers.

This is exactly what i was looking for...... what type of chemicals would i be looking for.... this is what i want to know.

 

[Tolak]

I'm looking at Big Al's, as I know they ship to the US as well as Canada. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals has Proper PH 6.5, this would adjust the water to what you are looking to keep. API is a good company, and make one of the most commonly sold test kits for aquatic use.

 

[thegnu]

RO right by kent is good, got everything in it you need. easy to follow directions but if your tap water is not too bad (why are you using RO) then i would do as Tolak says and mix the two. RO right is expensive but kent its an american co so might be cheaper for you

 

[DarkSoul]

Im Canadian

Im using RO water simply because i figure it will allow me better control over the conditions in which my fish live.

plus we will be drinking the water once i get the system in full operation....so i figure i may as well use the unit for my fish as well.

 

[kribensis12]

RO systems are a avarege 150 dollars in america, which is why I dont have one. I would get a marineland bio-wheel filtration system because it add beneficaial bacteria, which will make your water able to systain fish.

 

[DarkSoul]

First off this system was purchased on ebay from aqua safe canada..... and it is a great and very afforadible system.

It cost me all said and done, about $150 for the unit including shipping.


Not too bad for a 6 stage RO+DI system.

secondly, what issues could arise from having a systerm fully cycled and established and adding just RO water during water changes?
Would i need to add more RO right, per water change?