Reverse osmosis for freshwater?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
R.O does waste a lot of water. The waste that comes out is all minerals. So its very hard water. Plants won't like that at all.
Is it possible to filter and store water for water changes? Maybe even airrate to keep the water moving b4 using?

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Here is how i do it - it works ok to me bit i dont know how is with water there..since i have only 120g tank, i prepare 20g of r/o water and mix it with 10g of tap water..i store it in open canister with pump to mix water, add chemical you get at lfs to remove chlor and bonds heavy metals-then i dont touch it for 30h just to be sure that all chlor gas went out.. For getting right parameters i use peat and such water i can have for two changes :)

main point is to let water to age 24h, otherwise you can kill bacterias in filter with chlor in tap water..result is death of everything in tank..

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RO/DI takes everything, including the things your fish need to properly osmoregulate.
For salt water tanks, it is good because the sea water mix replaces all the things the animals need, but unless you add back those trace minerals the fresh water fish need, you could be causing another form of stress.
Many times the water provider has to dose chemicals according to the quality of the source water. If the source is contaminated with coliforms from runoff, it must be treated accordingly to prevent human disease. This often comes into conflict with what fish keepers need.
You should be able to find out what your provider doses by googling the name of your city or county, followed by "water quality report". All water providers are required by the EPA to submit a yearly report, which its customers can view.
I have googled many MFK member reports, but you do not have a city listed below your avatar, or I would have looked it up.
Chlorine/chloramine levels may change drastically with the quality of incoming water, but must remain within national MCL limits and guidelines
I found when I used pure RO/DI in the lab, even bacteria would die, they would lyse because the lack of trace elements would cause their cell walls to rupture.
Especially with cichlids like Cubans and Mayans, I doubt RO/DI would be a good choice, unless you mix it with tap water (that you should be de-chlorinating). These cichlids come from highly alkaline waters, that are often called "liquid rock".
 
Okay it seems that depending on situation, it could be beneficial or it could cause problems inversely. So, if I were to raise my specific gravity to 1.010 and add a few more trace minerals and vitamins, would that satisfy? Now let me do say that an Ro/Di set up would be a last resort for me due to other constraints. I do keep 325 gallon totes that, after proper cleaning, would probably make a good water storage. I have a few options, but as a keeper, I am becoming irked with losing fish.

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I use the waste water from my to unit in my washing machine to wash clothes. 80% Ro water 20% tap. It's a good mix for me
 
I believe it lacks a number of minerals/nutrients that FW fish need in the water to survive, as is implied in the post above.

Hey do you think it's a good idea to use that in your area for your tanks?? arowana dont like carbon filteration systems.. i know they will get hole in head with carbon in filter systems.. not sure drip systems will have any of those traces??
 
The air is reasonably clean here. I think my biggest concern still is the phosphates. Does having high phosphates rate getting a Ro/Di system?

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