Should I use R/O water for my stingray tank

[ronin_man]

(continuation from another thread, "new stingray tank")

sorry if i seem like im arguing over this,
im not trying to start anything over it thats for sure, i know i dont know all there is to know about R/O.
but i have been useing my system for the past year and some to do regular water changes without any problems at all

 

[ronin_man]

i was told by a friend of the family a while back that R/O systems were great for that, so i did some research and it seemed like a good idea.

 

[Miles]

(continuation from another thread, "new stingray tank")

sorry if i seem like im arguing over this,
im not trying to start anything over it thats for sure, i know i dont know all there is to know about R/O.
but i have been useing my system for the past year and some to do regular water changes without any problems at all

Its all gravy.. let others chime in my opinion is only 1..

but like I said in the other said.. R/O makes your alkalinity low, and creates an unstable pH because of it..

you need something to buffer it - whether it be baking soda, crushed coral, mixing in tap water, etc..

If your pH is 7.2 and your telling me use 100% R/O and it doesn't crash with an ammonia reading.. i would say there is some other issue.

Test your Alkalinity of the tank you use R/O in.. what is it at?

Canadia is notorious for having ultra-hard water with bad minerals in it (copper, zinc).. so alot of Canadans use R/O mixture or 100% R/O with a chemical buffer like Seachem's RO right.

 

[Cool Mart]

My tap water has a Nitrate count of around 40ppm so I use 50:50 RO to tap water during my 2 x 25% weekly changes.
Technically this reduces the Nitrates to 20ppm and the tap water provides the necessary buffers to prevent and side effects such as PH crashes.

I've had my Leo's 5 years now and have been doing this for four of them.

Martin

 

[T1KARMANN]

no need for RO

the amount of water changes you need for a ray tank it just not worth the hassle with RO

tap water is fine

a PH of 7 and even nitrates of 80 ppm is fine for rays lower nitrates are better but rays will be fine in a nitrate of 80 ppm or below

just my opinion

 

[ronin_man]

ok first of all this is the test equipment i use, its from aquarium phamaceuticals. (photo on bottom)

now for the levels, tested 20 mins ago at 6pm
tank size 150g
Temp 80.4
PH 7.2
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0-.25 ppm if not totally 0, very close anyways
Nitrate 10-15ish ppm (kind of in the middle of 10-20)
GH 3drops so 53.7
KH 3drops so again 53.7

tank is still cycling (5th week) with 3 black tetras 3 redeye tetras 2 cherry backs and a small gold nugget pleco

the only chemical i have added to the tank is nutrafins "Cycle" which i have used since i can remember on all my tanks, alot of people have differing oppinions on this product but i have always had good luck with it so i figure i'll keep useing it.

if anyone has any thoughts please let me know, all ideas are welcome.

 

[ronin_man]

please guys, any input is welcome as i have never kept a ray and i am wanting the best i can possibly do. i just set this up as all my community tanks are, except with a little more turnover

 

[Miles]

Are you using 100% R/O ?

 

[ronin_man]

ya only water from my R/O unit went into this tank except for a gallon or so of water from my other tank when i put fish in for cycling

 

[skynoch]

I've got extremely hard water with a ph of 8.5 and my leos,pearl,henlie,motoros and castexi all do fine with it and have no problems. My motoros are reaching maturity and my male is making attemps to breed so I see no problems with you using tap water for yours.
If you are planing on getting a more sensitive ray like a flower or tiger I would suggest using a mixture of r/o and tap at first and then slowly phasing out the r/o to just tap. I have had problems with wildcaught flowers not acclimating well in just tap. I can give you more details if you are getting a sensitive ray.