Reverse osmosis water?

[Greendragon1128]

I talked to my cousin about fishkeeping, and she suggested I do water changes with reverse osmosis water, which she said she could get for about twenty cents a gallon. It sounds like a good idea (she said it removes ammonia and fixes pH) but it doesn't really fit in my budget, especially after I buy a QT tank and update my lighting for the plants.
A few questions:
1. What exactly is reverse osmosis water, and do I really need it?
2. Is there a DIY method I could use?
3. Where do I get it? (My cousin lives 12 hours away)

She also suggested a chlorine dip for new plants so I don't have to let them sit in a rubbermaid container for 2 weeks to kill any diseases or introduce them to the tank right away and hope for the best. How do I do this?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[stud_man50]

Reverse osmosis is the method of forcing water througha semi-permibable surface "filter" which removes almost all impurties in the water, and RO/DI removes 99.9% of all impurities. your LFS might sell it, i know mine does. the diy method would be to buy a system the one im purchasing is from P U R E W A T E R C L U B and i've never heard of the chlorine dip but it sounds like it might kill the plants?

 

[Lotus]

The problem with RO water is that it contains no buffers and no minerals. It can cause massive pH swings, and you'd need to supplement the water for both the plants and the fish.

A mix of RO and tapwater can work for lowering the pH, hardness or TDS in the tank, which can be good for fish and plants that prefer soft water.

There are many dips you can do for plants, including potassium permanganate and alum (and 5 percent bleach). Delicate plants don't do well with a bleach dip. A two-week quarantine will work, too.

 

[homebunnyj]

Why do you feel you need to use RO water? If there isn't a problem with your tap water, it's an unnecessary expense and aggravation. I would only ever do that if my water was too hard and/or too alkaline for the fish I chose to keep, which would be a rarity.

 

[Greendragon1128]

Why do you feel you need to use RO water? If there isn't a problem with your tap water, it's an unnecessary expense and aggravation. I would only ever do that if my water was too hard and/or too alkaline for the fish I chose to keep, which would be a rarity.

My cousin seemed to think it was a good idea, and I had no idea what it was. It sounded like a waste of money, but I thought there might be some compelling reason to use it (less water changes, healthier plants, etc.) I am sticking with the easy stuff for now, so I don't think I would need this. My cousin had a 20g heavily planted tank with expensive fish and a nano reef, so perhaps her fish were more sensitive than mine. Thanks for clearing up my confusion.

 

[bmoraski]

good questions
and good answers LOL
i looked for a method of making sure new plants dont give some kind of funk or snails in my tank.
the potassium permanganate was the best that i have found but have not used yet because i cant find.
last time at the LFS i asked the guy do you have something to kill the bad stuff if i buy plants ( HornWort is what im going with to eat up Nitrates ),and he had know idea.
he at least admitted he didnt know much ! LOL
anyway i thought id chime in.
Later........................