Reverse Osmosis for Freshwater Setup

[undey]

Hi All;

I have a 180 Gallon Freshwater setup containing 1 12" Silver Arrow; 1 12" diameter Humerosa Ray; 1 Medium sized Discus; 4 Angels of various sizes and 3 mid-sized Silver dollars. There are a few blue-flame (probably not the right species name) tetras which I put in originally to cycle my tank and to my suprise have never been eaten by the Arrow or Ray.

Anyway, I have been having trouble keeping my nitates under control lately (starting this spring was hard to stay under 50 mg/L) and it finally ocurred to me that I should test the tap water. I found that it contained about 15 mg/l of nitrate.

This pissed me off because I was changing about 100 gallons of water per week and wasn't really getting anywhere with the levels. So I installed a R/O system with a 20 gallon pressure tank (which holds about 10 gallons of treated water). I have a water line that reaches my aquarium from the holding tank which will add the pure water at a rate of about 1 gpm. I comes out at room temperature but with a 180 gallon tank 10 gallons of room temp water shouldn't make a difference.

I would like some feedback on the following plan...

1. Change a total of 10 gallons of water per day using R/O water.

2. For the first week use no R/O treatments. After 1st week use treatment.
(I figure our water has enough mineral content that diluting it for the 1st week might
be a good idea)

This means I'd be changing 70 gallons per week or 39% and the water parameters (ph and hardness will be different from the R/O) should change slowly enough so that the fish don't freak out and keel over.

I could up the daily amt. to 15 gallons instead of 10, it just wouldn't be as convenient because I'd either have to incorporate a bucket or do the swap at two different times during the day because the holding tank will only hold 10 gallons of water. (These tanks are pricey so it's the largest one I could afford. It was already $200) This would give me a change out of 105 gal/week or 58% /week.

Do the experts out there feel that my 10 gpd plan is sound or should I be doing more?

Thanks in advance.

Shane

 

[dr_sudz]

It sounds alright to me, if your doing a trickle fill that should work out quite well.

 

[DeLgAdO]

1. Change a total of 10 gallons of water per day using R/O water.

2. For the first week use no R/O treatments. After 1st week use treatment.
(I figure our water has enough mineral content that diluting it for the 1st week might
be a good idea)

This means I'd be changing 70 gallons per week or 39% and the water parameters (ph and hardness will be different from the R/O) should change slowly enough so that the fish don't freak out and keel over.

I could up the daily amt. to 15 gallons instead of 10, it just wouldn't be as convenient because I'd either have to incorporate a bucket or do the swap at two different times during the day because the holding tank will only hold 10 gallons of water. (These tanks are pricey so it's the largest one I could afford. It was already $200) This would give me a change out of 105 gal/week or 58% /week.



with #2 i would add the minerals anyways, no need to dilute. it will even itself out.

if you add treated RO water with your tank water, its not like you'll get more minerals that way.

you remove water with more minerals and replace it with water with less.

 

[undey]

Is adding the mineral replacement to the aquarium just before or after the r/o water goes in the same as treating the r/o water separately before it is put into the aquarium??