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What is R/O water???

3K views 18 replies 11 participants last post by  Raul-7 
#1 ·
I know its reverse osmosis water... but what exactly is reverse osmosis water and where can I get it? I understand that it is very soft therefore I need it for my rams. Is it the same as distiled or can distiled be used instead of R/O?
Thanks in advance!:thumbsup:
 
#2 ·
Distilled water is the "purest" since it's basically water that has been collected from an evaporation process.

Reverse osmosis water has been put through several membranes to remove "impurities" and theoretically comes out the other end "pure" but there typically is still some mineral content depending on the quality and age of the filtration system used.

You don't want to use just RO or DI water, you'll need to "reconstitute" it or mix back in a little of the minerals that were removed since fish (and plants) do need some traces for metabolism and growth.

You can buy it at a grocery store, some LFSs (especially those that specialize in SW), or buy your own RO unit (which in the long run is usually cheaper).

On the flip side of the coin, unless your water parameters are extreme (very hard with pH over 7.5) I wouldn't bother. If your Rams are captive-bred (which these days is most likely) they'll probably breed just fine in most average hobbyist's tap water.
 
#5 ·
You don't want to use just RO or DI water, you'll need to "reconstitute" it or mix back in a little of the minerals that were removed since fish (and plants) do need some traces for metabolism and growth.
I run a RO into 2 DI filters cuz my water has too many impurities in it. So u suggest controlling what we put back into the water? What do u recommend to remix the RO water with? (minerals & good place to buy) possibly trace ferts? e.g. seachem flourish trace? Thanks
 
#7 ·
awesome responses!!! thanks guys! I'm prob going to go buy some tonight for a water change. Want to see how it effects the rams. Will it say "R/O water" on it? If I cant find it I'll just do some distilled water mixed with some tap. I don't do water changes that often so I'm not going to worry about too soft of a tank.

Thanks again!
 
#13 ·
R/O water:
Water that is passed through a membrane full of microscopic holes that rejects particulates based on size. So water, being relatively small molecules passes through the holes and larger molecules or ions can't fit through the holes and are hence rejected. Some particles do pass through the membrane with the water and so RO is not "Pure". A typical way to measure an RO filter's effectiveness is based on how much it rejects. Above 90% rejection is considered pretty good, but about 85% is more normal.

DI (Deionized):
This is a process used to further purify the water coming off of an RO membrane. It works by exchanging the leftover particles for other charged ones. It consists of a two part resin formed into beads. One part exchanges negatively charge ions, while the other exchanges positively charged ions. Positive ions like sodium and potassium are exchanged for hydrogen ions (H+) and negative ions like carbonate and phosphate are traded for hydroxide ions (OH-). The H+ and the OH- attach and form H2O or pure water while the particles are attached to the resin. Eventually the resin gets full of particles and has to be replaced, or recharged if you feel like seperating all the beads out. So DI water is typically about 99.99% pure.
 
#14 ·
Good topic. I was wondering about the use of RO vs Tap for a planted tank.. My friend has a RO/DI filter on his tap and makes water daily.. I just bring 5g poland spring jugs over to his house every weekend and fill em up. I've used it for water changes as it helps keep algae down?

I plan on picking up one of these machines since they are only around 150-200 bucks and I can fill my larger tank with it, without making water trips to his house.
 
#15 ·
IMO, RO is a great tool since it always the aquarist to set the aquarium at the parameters they please and it is great if you're tap has silicates [cause of diatoms], sulfates, copper, etc. I know it is not necessary in most cases but it's great asset when housing or trying to breed wild caught soft water species.

The only downfall is the the amount of waste water they produce [often 4 gallons per 1 gallon of pure water], however there are now units that use two membranes in a series to narrow it down to 2 gallons per every 1 gallon of RO. Most people just use the waste water to water their plants.
 
#16 ·
An RO filtration unit is one of the best inventions ever. It is easy to use, inexpensive and healthy. Use it for coffee, tea, general cooking and drinking. It is incredible for aquariums where you can have any water parameters you want and it is easy as well, just add CaSO4 and plants and fish will love you.

Edward
 
#17 ·
So if you reconstitute your R/O water with Equilibrium or Grumpys' GH booster, does it eliminate the need for extra iron and potassium additions?


Second thought, I might just buy CaS04, and combine it with MgS04 to get to get it to recommend Ca/Mg levels. So I dont have to change my fertilization regimes.
 
#19 ·
Seachem Equilibrium will provide the necessary ratio of Ca:Mg and will also add plenty of K. But it takes a while to dissolve, I recommend you add it to your storage container to let it dissolve completely before adding it to your aquarium. Adding a powerhead and heater will also help.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I cannot speak for Seachem or the so called booster. What works for me is PPS-Pro fertilizer with only CaSO4. That’s it, it doesn’t need anything else because it comes with the right amount of Mg. And you are right about your second thought in terms of providing plants with Ca and Mg but it takes more work.

Edward
 
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