Hello,
I'm new to the forum and this is my first post.
Around a six weeks ago I brought a 40L 'Panorama' starter tank, upgraded U2 filter, added a 12w Chinese LED bar in addition to the supplied LED bar which seemed a bit weak. I believe the tank is fully cycled - master test kit results show 0-0.25 Ammonia, 0 NO2, 10-20 NO3. The Ammonia and NO2 results look very much the same as the tap water results, perhaps half a measure higher. Ph is around 7.5. I use Seachem prime/stability/pristine. I change 8-10L of water once per week. The tank houses 10 neons, 1 rummy nose, 1 ram, 3 otos and 2 wood shrimp with some plants in gravel.
I've been having problems with the water looking cloudy despite test results looking fine. Plants are also looking a bit sad/yellowing. They are fertilised with a couple of pumps of tropica liquid fert each week, and seachem tabs in the gravel.
Reading various articles and talking to the LFS it seems the only thing I can do to improve water quality further is to use RO water so that I can control PH and KH/GH. I understand this will suit the fish better (seem to prefer softer more acidic water) and may also help the plants with nutrient uptake. It would also mean that I'm not adding nitrates when adding new water. Based on that I have brought a 50 GPD 4-stage RODI and Seachem Equilibrium, Acid/Alkaline buffers. I also brought the API KH/GH test kit - KH is at 12 drops/dKH and GH at 18 drops (off the scale!). I don't fully understand the chart on the test kit instructions as I had thought GH had a measure of degrees rather than ppm.
So that's the background, now my questions:
Having been bitten by the bug I just brought a 125L ROMA for our living room but want to get a handle on managing the smaller tank before I start to stock that with plants or fish.
I understand this is a complex topic and I have just dumped quite a few questions that may not have straightforward answers. Any advice will be appreciated.
I'm new to the forum and this is my first post.
Around a six weeks ago I brought a 40L 'Panorama' starter tank, upgraded U2 filter, added a 12w Chinese LED bar in addition to the supplied LED bar which seemed a bit weak. I believe the tank is fully cycled - master test kit results show 0-0.25 Ammonia, 0 NO2, 10-20 NO3. The Ammonia and NO2 results look very much the same as the tap water results, perhaps half a measure higher. Ph is around 7.5. I use Seachem prime/stability/pristine. I change 8-10L of water once per week. The tank houses 10 neons, 1 rummy nose, 1 ram, 3 otos and 2 wood shrimp with some plants in gravel.
I've been having problems with the water looking cloudy despite test results looking fine. Plants are also looking a bit sad/yellowing. They are fertilised with a couple of pumps of tropica liquid fert each week, and seachem tabs in the gravel.
Reading various articles and talking to the LFS it seems the only thing I can do to improve water quality further is to use RO water so that I can control PH and KH/GH. I understand this will suit the fish better (seem to prefer softer more acidic water) and may also help the plants with nutrient uptake. It would also mean that I'm not adding nitrates when adding new water. Based on that I have brought a 50 GPD 4-stage RODI and Seachem Equilibrium, Acid/Alkaline buffers. I also brought the API KH/GH test kit - KH is at 12 drops/dKH and GH at 18 drops (off the scale!). I don't fully understand the chart on the test kit instructions as I had thought GH had a measure of degrees rather than ppm.
So that's the background, now my questions:
How do I go about introducing RO water in to the tank and adjusting its parameters. I understand that the tank water parameters need to be adjusted gradually to avoid shocking the fish. Should I just start doing smaller water changes with pure RO and monitoring the Ph/KH/GH/TDS of the tank - then once it gets close to desired values begin to buffer the new water I put in there? If not then do I start to buffer the new water as per my desired target?
Should I mix the water with tap water to buffer or use the Seachem products to do this (I can easily return them to Amazon if I have mistakenly brought the wrong thing). Seems if I used tap water then I would be re-introducing some of the unwanted pollutants (like the nitrates) which partially defeats the point.
Are there other things I need to add to RO water in addition to the previously mentioned buffers? Seachem have such a range of additives and you read forums and people are adding phosphates, iron etc etc which gets to be a bit much to take in. If I use the buffers and continue using the tropica plant fert then will I be covered for all of the tanks needs? Perhaps there is and all-in-one buffer/mineral product that will set the water to the correct hardness and add all other required minerals?
Should I mix the water with tap water to buffer or use the Seachem products to do this (I can easily return them to Amazon if I have mistakenly brought the wrong thing). Seems if I used tap water then I would be re-introducing some of the unwanted pollutants (like the nitrates) which partially defeats the point.
Are there other things I need to add to RO water in addition to the previously mentioned buffers? Seachem have such a range of additives and you read forums and people are adding phosphates, iron etc etc which gets to be a bit much to take in. If I use the buffers and continue using the tropica plant fert then will I be covered for all of the tanks needs? Perhaps there is and all-in-one buffer/mineral product that will set the water to the correct hardness and add all other required minerals?
Having been bitten by the bug I just brought a 125L ROMA for our living room but want to get a handle on managing the smaller tank before I start to stock that with plants or fish.
I understand this is a complex topic and I have just dumped quite a few questions that may not have straightforward answers. Any advice will be appreciated.