Ro

[term_22000]

Is it worth it to go get RO or just use water conditioner? Anyone have any ideas on that?

 

[elisew]

It would depend on what fish you have and what their requirements are i.e high or low ph

 

[term_22000]

all my fish require a lower pH

 

[Skins]

all my fish require a lower pH

What is your tap water pH?
What pH do your fish require?

Keith.

 

[backtotropical]

If you are mixing ro with tap water to achieve a lower pH, that is fine but dechlorinator would still be required to condition the tap water.

If you are suggesting using pure ro water, this is not a good idea. Fish (just like humans) require minerals which they get from the water. The ro process removes these minerals, and so pure ro water is not suitable for keeping fish in. You can buy solutions to add to ro water to re-mineralise it, but then what would be the point? You could just use tap water and dechlorinator.

BTT

 

[term_22000]

If you are mixing ro with tap water to achieve a lower pH, that is fine but dechlorinator would still be required to condition the tap water.

If you are suggesting using pure ro water, this is not a good idea. Fish (just like humans) require minerals which they get from the water. The ro process removes these minerals, and so pure ro water is not suitable for keeping fish in. You can buy solutions to add to ro water to re-mineralise it, but then what would be the point? You could just use tap water and dechlorinator.

BTT

I have the mineral additives that I would need if I used pure RO, but right now I'm just wondering if it's smarter to just use tap water and condition it or if it is better to use RO and mineralize it myself.

If you are mixing ro with tap water to achieve a lower pH, that is fine but dechlorinator would still be required to condition the tap water.

If you are suggesting using pure ro water, this is not a good idea. Fish (just like humans) require minerals which they get from the water. The ro process removes these minerals, and so pure ro water is not suitable for keeping fish in. You can buy solutions to add to ro water to re-mineralise it, but then what would be the point? You could just use tap water and dechlorinator.

BTT

I have the mineral additives that I would need if I used pure RO, but right now I'm just wondering if it's smarter to just use tap water and condition it or if it is better to use RO and mineralize it myself.

 

[backtotropical]

As Skins mentions above, it will depend why you want to use RO water. Is it to lower your pH? If so, I'd recommend mixing RO water with tap water rather than using pure re-mineralised RO water. It costs money to make RO water and it costs money to re-mineralise it, so I wouldn't do it unless there is good reason. A mixture of RO and tap water achieves the same result for less cost.

There aren't really any fresh water fish who require their water to be that pure anyway.

For the vast majority of tanks, just tap water and dechlorinator will do just fine.