[greenfish4]

I am setting up a 240 gallon planted tank, this is by far the biggest tank I have set up yet. In the past I have always used RO water buffered with a bit of tap, however I am now concerned over how to make and store enough water to do a water change. How necisarry is RO? my water is here is extremely hard.

 

[greenfish4]

Forgot to mention that I want to keep shrimp and maybe a big school of some kind of tetra's in this tank.

 

[Sharkfood]

It depends on your local tap water. For 99% of the people in this hobby it isn't necessary at all for plants or fish.

I am by no means an expert on shrimp, but shrimp like RCS and Amanos are bulletproof. As to high end CRS etc. maybe someone more knowledgeable can chime in.

 

[lauraleellbp]

How hard is "extremely hard"- pH, kH, and gH- wise?

With that size tank, a few schools of Rainbowfish might be much better options and work WITH your water parameters...

 

[fresh.salty]

I'd have to think really hard before I used mainly RO in a tank that size. For my 90g I use about 80% RO and 20% tap and even that's pushing my comfort zone.

 

[greenfish4]

I don't remember off the top of my head what the kh gh is, however I do remember that it has about 25 grains per gallon of hardness (per the water company's website) I do know that the ph and kh are quite high. when I get home I will check them and report back.

 

[greenfish4]

I'd have to think really hard before I used mainly RO in a tank that size. For my 90g I use about 80% RO and 20% tap and even that's pushing my comfort zone.

I feel the same way. It is not even so much an issue of waste (i use all waste water) it is really the storage issue. I guess I could do 2 giant 60 gallon trash cans with float valves in the top and bulkheads in the bottom. I am a little freaked out by 50% water changes on this thing.

 

[fresh.salty]

I make my water into a 60g drum on wheels. I roll it out of the garage and right outside the front door. I just pump the water in from there. I only do a WC every 2 or 3 weeks though. More than that and I get scolded. lol

 

[greenfish4]

I pretty much got the wife were I want her with regards to w/c but the scope of this tank is gonna be daunting to any marriage. I would kind of like to use EI dosing and big changes but I am afraid of making that much RO. I am gonna test my water tonight and get back with the results

 

[Sharkfood]

I'd tend to agree with Lauraleelp that with a tank that size it's probably easier to tailor the tank to the water rather than the other way around.

 

[greenfish4]

The shrimp would probably be RCS and I would be open to adjusting the fauna to suit the water. I just wonder if their is an outside limit to how hard water can be and still be suitable for a planted aquarium

 

[greenfish4]

Alright so I measured the tap and the kh is about 10.5 took ten drops to get any change then one more for full change. The gh is OFF the charts i added about 40 drops and never got a change. My probe read the ph at 7.6 but I am waiting on a friend to call with a reading from his monitor. Don't trust mine, it went dry (miles Ed SMS 122)

 

[mscichlid]

Are you able to collect rainwater? That's what I do. I have a 100 gallon outside by the fishroom window. I got a couple big ones to put on the shed...one day.

I used to filter it with peat, then a micron filter. But now I just aerate it. I put hoisery or a net on the hose to collect the mosquito larve to feed the fish.

I have a 5 stage RO unit that I've never hooked up because I have no use for the waste and feel to guilty about letting it run down the drain.

Rainwater...a win win situation.

 

[sayurasem]

Are you able to collect rainwater? That's what I do. I have a 100 gallon outside by the fishroom window. I got a couple big ones to put on the shed...one day.

I used to filter it with peat, then a micron filter. But now I just aerate it. I put hoisery or a net on the hose to collect the mosquito larve to feed the fish.

I have a 5 stage RO unit that I've never hooked up because I have no use for the waste and feel to guilty about letting it run down the drain.

Rainwater...a win win situation.

I thought rain water is bad? polution from the car/industry in the water.

 

[greenfish4]

I do collect rain water for my garden however I don't think this would be feasible were I live. This tank will take over 6000 gallons a year. I am pretty sure that even if I collected every drop of rain that fell on my property it wouldn't be enough. The waste from the RO isn't a big deal, cause I can use it. It is just the long term storage of one hundred plus gallons of water that is concerning me.

 

[mscichlid]

I thought rain water is bad? polution from the car/industry in the water.

All water is polluted in some degree. I don't think twice about anymore.

 

[mscichlid]

http://www.jehmco.com/html/water_storage_tanks.html
or any other place for your convienence.

Do you mean as in container or a place for the container?

 

[Craigthor]

Just need a larger RO unit. I upgraded to a dual membrane setup with booster pump and get around 300 GPD out of my unit. The plus side is there is even less waste water with a dual membrane unit.

Craig

 

[greenfish4]

http://www.jehmco.com/html/water_storage_tanks.html
or any other place for your convienence.

Do you mean as in container or a place for the container?

I am just a little apprehensive of were the container might go, I have a pretty packed two car garage and have always used one 40 gallon trash can to hold water, I guess I can look into a roto-molded tank that would hold an appropriate amount of water. Really i suppose I am just trying to decide now whether RO is necessary or not. the GH of the water concerns me.

 

[greenfish4]

Just need a larger RO unit. I upgraded to a dual membrane setup with booster pump and get around 300 GPD out of my unit. The plus side is there is even less waste water with a dual membrane unit.

Craig

Gotta love the two membrane system i have been using a 200 gpd system for awhile now and LOVE It, my water pressure is pretty decent too.