R/o Water

[restricted_alchemy]

I've just ordered an R/O filter from www.osmotics.co.uk so I can create my own soft water to use in the aquarium.

Can any one advise on what proportion of R/O to tap water I should be using? Any general advice around the usage of R/O water would be appreciated. I was origninally going to use pure R/O water until advised that this would be very bad!

Thanks

Mike.

 

[paul-discus]

R/O takes everything out of the water including minerals e.t.c. I personally just use a water purifyer for my discus which removes the nasties but leaves all the essentaials so you don't have to add anything to it. I may be wrong but i don't think that by using R/O that it softens the water, you need to use peat or peat extract and i would advice having bogwood in your tank.
What fish are you keeping? do they really need R/O water or could you change that for a 3 cannister water purifyer and how soft are you looking at having your water because if you lower it you will then need to keep it stable or it will do more harm than good if it is bouncing all over the place, also this is all further expense. What Ph is your tap water as you may think about keeping fish that are suited to your local water, most fish nowadays tolerate Neutral Ph 7 so that gives you masses of choice. My Discus are in Ph 7 and i would only lower it for breeding purposes but then i do know what i am doing. I would learn all you can about water chemistry before you start messing about with your water as it is a very interesting subject. Finally fish that have been kept in R/O water will need to be kept in it or you will lose them. Most fish now are tank bred and are far hardier than you imagine, the key thing is a fully cycled tank followed by cleanliness and no overfeeding. Hope any of this helps...Paul

 

[restricted_alchemy]

Hi Paul,

R/O is softened because all ions are removed as are bacteria, chlorine and pretty much all impurities.

The filter contains three stages one of which is carbon.

I think i'm right in saying that aquarium shops all use R/O to create their soft water. I know for certain that all Maidenhead aquatics do as i've been to around five in my local area and that's the same water you can buy at £3.50 a barrel.

I'm not sure what minerals they add to the water if any though.

I've read about using peat moss and it sounds imprecise and very slow.

Mike.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

you need to remineralise it with something like this

http/www.aquariumsuperstore.co.uk/mall/kentroright.asp

loads of different brands and formats, not really familiar with them to know which is best for you though

 

[rabbut]

RO can be used on it's own, so long as you add trace elements and something to add a little hardness. the most likely problem with using ro, is not adding enough extra compounds, to act as a butter. Without a buffer, you are setting yourself up for a pH crash. That would be very bad, resulting in the loss of many fish.

RO can be mixed with tap water, to get the desired water quality, thus eliminating the need for bufers. the tap-ro ratio varies, and is just that, a ratio. for example, tap water with hardness 6, pH7, and ro hardness 0 pH6, target water with hardness 2, pH6.5, would need a ratio of 1:1.

Hope this helps

 

[restricted_alchemy]

RO can be used on it's own, so long as you add trace elements and something to add a little hardness. the most likely problem with using ro, is not adding enough extra compounds, to act as a butter. Without a buffer, you are setting yourself up for a pH crash. That would be very bad, resulting in the loss of many fish.

RO can be mixed with tap water, to get the desired water quality, thus eliminating the need for bufers. the tap-ro ratio varies, and is just that, a ratio. for example, tap water with hardness 6, pH7, and ro hardness 0 pH6, target water with hardness 2, pH6.5, would need a ratio of 1:1.

Hope this helps

Thank you everyone who replied that was very helpful.

 

[thegnu]

i normally use pure RO water but as it's collecting in a 20L bucket i have a nylon stocking tied up full of peat moss. when it no longer stains the water you've got to change it. i now and then, (about once a month) put about 10mm of kent RO right into my main 400L tank. the pH is 5.8 and it never swings

 

[ArauraDiscus]

You can use 100 percent R/O water and get some "essential nutrients" additives that help re-mineralize your water.