What is the right amount of KH / Buffering

[dmed]

That's very strange, and unfortunate.

I would use 1 tsp per 10 gallons, unless your fish are acclimated to very "hard" water. Remember to add straight R/O water without additives when "topping off" for evaporation. You will also need to test KH and pH and probably add buffers. It will work but will require extra vigilance.

 

[nfored]

Just so I am clear. when doing WC add 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons of R/O water, and when I top off just use R/O water. My fish have been living in pretty hard water, but I have slowly been reducing that by mixing 50/50 r/o and tap.

 

[nfored]

Thanks a Million

 

[dmed]

Thanks a Million

Got a Million??? J/K

 

[dmed]

Just so I am clear. when doing WC add 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons of R/O water, and when I top off just use R/O water. My fish have been living in pretty hard water, but I have slowly been reducing that by mixing 50/50 r/o and tap.

That's correct - when water evaporates, the R/O Right does not (it is still in the tank). When you remove water with w/c, you are also removing the proportionate amount of R/O Right. Don't forget your KH and pH test kits - I would recommend liquid reagents not strips. You can adjust "dosage" more accurately to match existing conditions if you have the capability to measure total dissolved solids.... requires electronic equipment.

I would add the new R/O concoction slowly to avoid possible osmotic shock just in case you are changing the hardness significantly, maybe 10% every few days instead of a single big w/c until you are up to 100% of the "new" type of water.

 

[dmed]

Almost forgot my mission in life! Do you belong to an Aquarium Club??? That would be a great place to discuss these type of "regional" issues with experienced locals.

Just in case you don't belong to one, I came prepared...

Heart of America Aquarium Society, http://www.kcfishclub.org/ is in Kansas City. Whenver someone names a city, I always name a club!!! Check out their annual summer auction Saturday August 9 in Independence, MO.

 

[nfored]

I actually signed up for them a couple days ago. My true goal here is to end up with a drip system. Here is what I have planned from your information.

Two 20 gallon containers.

In container 1 is a feed line with pure r/o water feeding it hooked up to a float valve, with a liquid doser attached. The tank would fill up in about 5 hours, so on day 1 the tank files up, on day to the liquid doser adds the proper amount of r/o right. Day 5 the the first tank is pumped into the second tank. Then the process starts over.

The second tank drips water into my sump at a rate of 4 gallons a day.

With this setup I can measure the pH, kH, gH of the tank, and the water being added. And then adjust, but once the water coming in matches what is in the tank, I should be ok.

 

[dmed]

Wow, hard to believe so many people b***h about simple weekly water changes. Yours makes me want to whistle "I've Been Working on the Railroad"!

Great to hear you joined, looks like a great club - hopefully some of the members can share their expertise. Feel free to add comments about them on my club thread: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150819&page=6

 

[nfored]

Wow, hard to believe so many people b***h about simple weekly water changes. Yours makes me want to whistle "I've Been Working on the Railroad"!

Great to hear you joined, looks like a great club - hopefully some of the members can share their expertise. Feel free to add comments about them on my club thread: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150819&page=6

you miss the point, it's not about water change, I don't mind the 20 minutes it takes. I have a bad Nitrate problem, and I have seen that this setup will give me very low nitrates. I love all my pets.

 

[dmed]

you miss the point, it's not about water change, I don't mind the 20 minutes it takes. I have a bad Nitrate problem, and I have seen that this setup will give me very low nitrates. I love all my pets.

I'm just saying that a LOT of people would NOT have gone to the trouble and expense to do this right - Good Job!