I'm sorry if the topic had been discussed before. However i can't seem to find any exact answer regarding my question. The tap water in my area isn't that good, so i've been using RO water mixed with mineral water (its kind of cheap here). I've been thinking of using RO water and remineral the with seachem equilibrium. Is it enough or should i add any additives, i know that it would raise gH to a desired level, but would it raise enough kH? Thanks!

This is what I do RO/DI water add Seachem Equilibrium for GH. Arm and Hammer baking soda for Kh

I saw some videos and read a few forum that they remineralize their water solely using seachem equilibrium. Would only using equilibrium cause pH swing(due to the low kH)? how much should i add arm and hammer baking soda for every 10l of RO/DI water?
Thanks!

Cheaper option:

Per 1 US Gallon:
0.386 Grams CaSO4 - 30ppm Ca, 4.2 degrees GH
0.384 Grams MgSO4 - 10ppm Mg, 2.3 degrees GH
0.135 Grams KHCO3 - 14ppm K, 1.0 degrees KH

Should yield:
6-7 degrees of General Hardness
1 degree of Carbonate Hardness
7.1 – 7.2 pH

Equilibrium has no bicarbonates, so KH and pH will not be affected by using it.

Note that @Quagulator's suggestion to use KHCO3, to increase KH, adds the desirable potassium that plants need. Although the small amount of sodium in baking soda is not harmful (up to a point), sodium is not used by plants.

I can't seem to find anyone that sells KHCO3 that is accessible from where i am, is it alright if i use K2CO3 instead of KHCO3, or would the plants and livestocks suffer from the excess K? Thanks for the replies

You can use K2CO3

@Greggz used to use that I believe, maybe he can shed some more insight into it??

I've been using K2CO3 for years.

And there is the same amount of K in K2CO3 as in KHCO3 relative to increase in KH.

If someone wants to limit K after using K2CO3, use MgNO3 instead of KNO3. That is what do to keep levels where I want them.

Sorry for the late reply, so let's say I'm going to use equilibrium to increase the GH to 5 dH use K2CO3 to increase my kH, and aims for 1dKH and pH between 6.5-7.2, how much should i add K2CO3 to each gallon of water?

If i replace K2CO3/KHCO3 with NaHCO3, would the Na somehow cause any harm to the plants or fishes?

And is there any calculator/formula that i can use to calculate how much should i dose to reach my aim?

Thanks!

Equilibrium is essentially Ca & Mg at a ratio of 3:1, and a bunch of K.

IMO you are better off using CaSO4 & MgSO4. You don't necessarily want all the extra K that Equilibrium supplies, and you can mix to whatever ratio you want.

As to NaHCO3, plants and salt generally don't mix well. Personally I would prefer not to add it. Of course, much depends on the goals of the tank and the mix of plants. A low light/low tech tank full of crypts/swords/etc. may not show much effect. But a a high light tank full of fast growing flowery stems could.

Learn to use either the Rotalabutterfly or Zorfox calculators. They are your friend and it's worth getting to know one of them. If you need help, reach out and myself or others here can assist you.

Ok,
I am planning on using it as a premix, remineral the ro water before using it for WC. Would premixing equilibirum/diy GH booster with K2CO3/KHCO3 cause any precipitation?
Thanks

I've been dosing RO water to raise both GH/KH with CaSO4/MgSO4/K2CO3 for years now. No problems with precipitation.

Best to do it ahead of time so that Ca has time to fully dissolve. I run circulation pumps and air pump for a few days before using.

Try and look for CaSO4 from a brewing supply store, it's a very fine powder and dissolves relatively easily.

I was always using KHCO3 from a brewing supply store. very fine granules, CaSO4 from a brewing supply store, very fine powder and MgSO4 generic drug store brand that resembled course ground salt you put on a steak.

I mixed them up a day ahead, or at least the morning ahead of a water change, and would bring the remineralized new water up to the tank temp before performing a water change.

I know this is an old thread and a very late reply. However, the only CaSO4 available from where I live is CaSO4 Food Grade, I don't know whether it is CaSO4.2H2O, CaSO4.1/2H2O, or CaSO4(anhydrous). I checked the manufacturer's website (apparently it is an imported good) and the only information regarding the product is that it is food grade, 92-99 purity, and the molecular formula is CaSO4 (checked the other product from the same manufacturer, both anhydrous, dehydrate, and hemihydrate has the same formula CaSO4). I wonder if you guys would know wether "food grade" is anhydrous, hemihydrate, or dihydrate? also, both Zorfox Planted Tank Calculator & RotalaButterfly Calculator only has CaSO4.2H2O and CaSO4.1/2H2O option, no anhydrous option.

Sorry for the long question. Thanks!

CaSO4.2H2O is what most of use (The stuff from Nilocg, GLA etc.)

Gypsum based CaSO4 anyway...