Ro/Di Drip Sytem - pure water - add supplemment

[michalm]

Hello,

I have RO/DI drip system in my fresh water tank with 2 Black Arowana. It take one week to change 100% water in my tank.

Because Ro/Di gives me pure water I'm thinking to add some supplement to the water. Salt will be good ? What do you think ? What kind ? Just regular API ? If not salt, what will be the best ?

Thanks

 

[jcardona1]

Using pure RO water is not really a good idea, as it contains many minerals essential to osmoregulation and bone developement. Also, pure water has no buffering capacity whatsoever, which can lead to dangerous hardness swings if you were ever to introduce different water.

Salt is not the thing to add. I use Kent's R/O Right. You add it depending on what hardness level you need for the fish you keep it.

 

[michalm]

OK, Thanks !

Well... I did all tests what I have. My parameter are:
NO3 - 5-10ppm
NO2 - 0ppm
Ammonia - 0ppm
PH - 6.2-6.3
but...
I'm using the API Test and...
KH - I put one drop water changed to yellow immediately, that mean < 1KH
GH - I put one drop and water changed to green immediately, well.. it looks like <18

Any idea what is going on ?

 

[jcardona1]

but...
I'm using the API Test and...
KH - I put one drop water changed to yellow immediately, that mean < 1KH
GH - I put one drop and water changed to green immediately, well.. it looks like <18

Any idea what is going on ?

Yup, that's because you're using pure RO water. It has no buffering capacity (kh), and no hardness (gh). The RO filter has stripped out all the minerals which make up the buffering capacity and the hardness, which is not a good thing. That is why products like Kent's RO Right replace those essential minerals that get removed by the RO filter...

 

[michalm]

Yup, that's because you're using pure RO water. It has no buffering capacity (kh), and no hardness (gh). The RO filter has stripped out all the minerals which make up the buffering capacity and the hardness, which is not a good thing. That is why products like Kent's RO Right replace those essential minerals that get removed by the RO filter...

OK, thanks... Better is liquid or powder ?

 

[jcardona1]

It won't matter as they both contain the same mineral content, but one may last longer than the other, not sure how long though. I myself am using the powder form right now. I'll have to see if the liquid lasts longer...

 

[michalm]

OK,

I got this stuff )

I read direction, but I prefer to ask I have 180 gal tank with Black Arowana. It says that I need to use 2 teaspoons per 10 gal = 32 teaspoons ???

To check if water is OK, should I test KH and GH or what ? How often I should add a "R/O Right" ?

Thanks !

 

[leather]

Doing a constant change you are going to have a swing. This is worse than what your water is to begin with. I am currently designing a system (experimental) Where I have two drips, one is ro and the other is my tap water. The tap water drip is being controlled by a ph controller (like for planted co2 tanks) but is controlling a solenoid in the fresh water line. That way the ro water is brought up to a more neutral ph and buffered by my well water.

The swing is what is going to give you a problem. You won't be able to add the ro right constantly like the water is being added.

I would recommend very slowly changing your tank from ro water to your tap water.

 

[michalm]

OMG ! You killed me mate )))))))))))))))))

This is my tap water tests:

Water Test Summary
Ammonia (NH3-4) ........................Good ......................................... 0.001
Nitrite (NO2)................................Good ......................................... 0.001
Nitrate (NO3)...............................Good .............................................0.1
Phosphate (PO4) .......................... High............................................ 1.21
Silica (SiO2-3) .............................Good .............................................0.3
Potassium (K) ...............................Low............................................... 43
Calcium (Ca).................................Low............................................... 90
Boron (B) .....................................Low..............................................0.5
Molybdenum (Mo).........................Good .............................................0.1
Strontium (Sr) ..............................Low..............................................2.4
Magnesium (Mg) ...........................Low............................................... 88
Iodine (I¯)...................................Good ........................................... 0.07
Copper (Cu++) ............................Good ........................................... 0.03
Alkalinity (meq/L)..........................Low............................................ 0.79

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Dose Seachem Equlibrium to replenish the stripped minerals
Either that or replace your drip source to just regular tapwater

If you choose the 2nd, you might want to replace the RO/DI filter with one which removes chlorine/chloroamine or just dose prime.