[jeffturneraz]

Thanks to a member here, local to me that knows the tap water, I got some guidance today.

I did my first WC today using RO water. Actually it was Distilled water to be exact, I bought it from the grocery store so I would have some containers to use later once they were empty...but next time I will be using RO.

So today I only did a 20% WC. Granted I don't completely know what I'm doing, hence this post...but this is what I did.

I added some Seachem Trace per bottle directions and pinch of baking soda. Then I drip acclimated the new DW into the tank which took about 1 hr and 15 minutes to top off.

The results:

My GH dropped from 17 down to 14
My PH & KH stayed roughly the same.

Fish and shrimp all seem fine. Hours later everyone is eating and acting fine.

Now...I have never done this but I am assuming the best way to get to 100% RO water is to repeat this process probably once a week?

Am I doing this right?

Also, I know a lot of you have your own methods to re-mineralize your RO water.

What do you put in your RO on WC day?

 

[poormanisme]

Hi,
Sounds about right as far as 20% each time. I would just buy some seachem equilibrium or gh booster and add until u get what u want. 3GH seems fine for most plants. I would't add baking soda. I dont think there is much need for kh at least after your tank is cycled. You don't want 100 percent RO water as everything need minerals to survive. GH especially since plants need ca, mg, and K, which makes up the majority of your gh. And you probably don't need to drip for an hour for a 20 percent change unless you have fancy shrimp in which case you would know this.
Scott

Thanks to a member here, local to me that knows the tap water, I got some guidance today.

I did my first WC today using RO water. Actually it was Distilled water to be exact, I bought it from the grocery store so I would have some containers to use later once they were empty...but next time I will be using RO.

So today I only did a 20% WC. Granted I don't completely know what I'm doing, hence this post...but this is what I did.

I added some Seachem Trace per bottle directions and pinch of baking soda. Then I drip acclimated the new DW into the tank which took about 1 hr and 15 minutes to top off.

The results:

My GH dropped from 17 down to 14
My PH & KH stayed roughly the same.

Fish and shrimp all seem fine. Hours later everyone is eating and acting fine.

Now...I have never done this but I am assuming the best way to get to 100% RO water is to repeat this process probably once a week?

Am I doing this right?

Also, I know a lot of you have your own methods to re-mineralize your RO water.

What do you put in your RO on WC day?

 

[jeffturneraz]

Hi,
Sounds about right as far as 20% each time. I would just buy some seachem equilibrium or gh booster and add until u get what u want. 3GH seems fine for most plants. I would't add baking soda. I dont think there is much need for kh at least after your tank is cycled. You don't want 100 percent RO water as everything need minerals to survive. GH especially since plants need ca, mg, and K, which makes up the majority of your gh. And you probably don't need to drip for an hour for a 20 percent change unless you have fancy shrimp in which case you would know this.
Scott

Thanks!

Let let me clarify, when I say 100% RO water, what I mean is I have extremely hard water here so I want to be in complete control of my tank water so yes, I would never put just RO water. I will most certainly remineralize the water before it goes in.

That however is an unknown to me right now, it seems like a lot of people like to remineralize with various things.

I would be very interested to hear what others put in their water. What exactly do you use for your GH? Do you religiously add certain other things?

Trying to formulate what I will be ordering.

My guess only is that different people swear by different things. While certain things can't be disputed for example you have to bring your GH up, I'm wondering what you use to do that.

Or maybe everyone here uses the same thing, ha. I'm wrong multiple times a day so it wouldn't surprise me!

 

[poormanisme]

Got ya. Ok so how much do you want to spend to do the same thing?
I'll go in order of most expensive to least.
most- seachem equilibrium
mid- barr gh booster or any number of copies, just K, Ca, and mag
least-calcium chloride epsom salt
us this to decide how much you need to remineralize. http://calc.petalphile.com/en/
Scott

Thanks!

Let let me clarify, when I say 100% RO water, what I mean is I have extremely hard water here so I want to be in complete control of my tank water so yes, I would never put just RO water. I will most certainly remineralize the water before it goes in.

That however is an unknown to me right now, it seems like a lot of people like to remineralize with various things.

I would be very interested to hear what others put in their water. What exactly do you use for your GH? Do you religiously add certain other things?

Trying to formulate what I will be ordering.

My guess only is that different people swear by different things. While certain things can't be disputed for example you have to bring your GH up, I'm wondering what you use to do that.

Or maybe everyone here uses the same thing, ha. I'm wrong multiple times a day so it wouldn't surprise me!

 

[mrkookm]

Here are the ranges I use with my RO/DI water. Naturally, depending on how efficient you membranes rejection rate and if you are using only RO, then you will be fine using lower final ppm values.

CaSO4·2H2O (17.86 ~ 28.57ppm), MgSO4.7H2O (4.5~6.5ppm) & KCL or K2SO4 (10~14ppm).

The K addition is always more than the amounts listed above as I do add K daily, but with the above amounts added to your water you can grow almost anything providing other dosing routines are up to speed.

Kh I use is either 1 or 1.5 in my tank, but you can add whatever you think is best. With that said, adding .032gr Baking Soda will raise you a 1L of water to 1KH. So if you wanted 1.5KH then .048g x 20gal (75.7L)= 3.633gr.

If you don't have a gram scale then it's time to get one...if you are serious about being in control Minimum resolution you are looking for is .00

 

[Diana]

If your tap water has no toxins, just lots of minerals then you could create a blend of RO + Tap to reach your goal. If the levels are not quite what you want, then you could adjust the lowest one with a smaller dose of whatever you need.

The pinch of baking soda probably kept the KH up, it does not take much.
You might leave it out next time, if you want the KH to drop, too.

Wait a few days before doing another water change that results in lower mineral levels. Let the livestock adjust.
If your tank needs another water change make the new water match the current tank values.
If it takes a month to get it done, that is just fine. Gives the critters plenty of time to adjust.

 

[jeffturneraz]

Got ya. Ok so how much do you want to spend to do the same thing?
I'll go in order of most expensive to least.
most- seachem equilibrium
mid- barr gh booster or any number of copies, just K, Ca, and mag
least-calcium chloride epsom salt
us this to decide how much you need to remineralize. http://calc.petalphile.com/en/
Scott

Awesome thank you Scott!

 

[jeffturneraz]

Here are the ranges I use with my RO/DI water. Naturally, depending on how efficient you membranes rejection rate and if you are using only RO, then you will be fine using lower final ppm values.

CaSO4·2H2O (17.86 ~ 28.57ppm), MgSO4.7H2O (4.5~6.5ppm) & KCL or K2SO4 (10~14ppm).

The K addition is always more than the amounts listed above as I do add K daily, but with the above amounts added to your water you can grow almost anything providing other dosing routines are up to speed.

Kh I use is either 1 or 1.5 in my tank, but you can add whatever you think is best. With that said, adding .032gr Baking Soda will raise you a 1L of water to 1KH. So if you wanted 1.5KH then .048g x 20gal (75.7L)= 3.633gr.

If you don't have a gram scale then it's time to get one...if you are serious about being in control Minimum resolution you are looking for is .00

Cool thank you mrkookm.

I still haven't bought an RO system. But with that being next on my list a digital scale will probably be further down the road.

I do have measuring spoons though!

 

[jeffturneraz]

If your tap water has no toxins, just lots of minerals then you could create a blend of RO + Tap to reach your goal. If the levels are not quite what you want, then you could adjust the lowest one with a smaller dose of whatever you need.

The pinch of baking soda probably kept the KH up, it does not take much.
You might leave it out next time, if you want the KH to drop, too.

Wait a few days before doing another water change that results in lower mineral levels. Let the livestock adjust.
If your tank needs another water change make the new water match the current tank values.
If it takes a month to get it done, that is just fine. Gives the critters plenty of time to adjust.

Thanks Diana...I will be patient. Prob do 20% WC once a week.

Assuming my GH continues to drop by 3 each time, I'm thinking it could get tricky when I get closer to 3 dgh. Don't want to go too much below that on accident.

 

[jeffturneraz]

QUESTION

Its been mentioned a couple of times. Is the general consensus that I don't need to drip acclimate?

It is only 20% WC but my GH dropped from 17 down to 14.

So I can just fill it up next time and that isn't a big deal/shock?

(also with my GH at 14 and I'm trying to get to 3, should I not add anything to the RO water until I start getting closer to 3?)