RO Questions

[Truckmuddr]

I did a search but didn't find anything about this. This will be mainly for FW but if I ever get enough $$$ I wanna get SW also.

I'm on well water here and I have water that isn't that great, PH-8, GH-300, KH-300 and been having a hard time gettin my tank water as clear as I'd like it cause it comes out of the faucet alil non clear.

So I was thinking about gettting a RO unit and using it just for water changes. I read around that you have to add minerals and such if you use RO, So here's my questions.

If I do weekly or by-weekly 20% water changes, Would I need to add minerals or will there still be enough minerals in the existing tank water.

And if I do need to add minerals, What kind, Who sells them, and How much do I need to add, Also, Is there test strips or anything for minerals.



Thanks for any and all help.*thumbsups

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I never use RO personally, I have a lot against it, lol. One thing is that the minerals and electrolytes that the fish need are not in RO water, and needs to be replaced. Also, each time you do a PWC, you are diluting the water until eventually the water will be so diluted that the fish health will start deteriorating. and they also say RO water is best for fish like GBR's for breeding, etc. Well, here's a correction, I never use RO and I breed GBR's, and they breed worse than rabbits, lol. I get 200-400 eggs every 2-3 weeks, lol. And I'm just starting, lol. I use nothing but tap water and dechlor.

If you are wanting softer water, then use the RO to dilute the tap water like doing 20% RO and 80% Tap, or 50% each. But I personally wouldn't do more than 50%. That's my opinion....

 

[Avalon]

RO water situation specific. If you want a reef tank, then yes, you will need RO. RO water is necessary for certain plants if your tap water is not within certain specs. Extremely soft water can help certain types of fish to flourish, such as many species of tetras. RO water is also typically used for breeding certain fish, such as discus.

RO water is simply pure water. Depending on what you are trying to do, you will almost always add something back to that pure water. I use 100% RO water for my planted tanks. I only add the hardness (Ca & Mg) and the essential elements required for my plants back. My fish do just fine. I only use RO water because my tap is very hard, and does not allow me to grow the plants I want to grow, and allows the ones that will grow to grow even better.

To be honest, I would never use well water in an aquarium because it's not regulated, and it could cause heavy metal poisoning, and no telling what else. I would use RO and reconstitute it if I didn't have access to a municipal water supply.