Fish acting strange, 2 dead after Ro/Di Switch

[tawolcott]

30g FW

Amm = 0
Nitrate = 0
Nitrate =5

Switched to RO/DI water (20% water change twice) adding back in w/ Electro-Rite. Lost 2 tiger barbs (2-3 years old). 2yo bleeding heart tetra acting stange (sitting in the bubble wand stream, swimming up and down along the glass - all abnormal for this fish). Catfish was also acting weird though he seems to have calmed down.

I did notice that the first Ro/Di water change drive the PH down to 6.6 range from 7.0. The second has the tank sitting at a solid 6.6

I flushed the first 5g of the intial Ro/Di when i first set it up.

Any thoughts?

Also, can you over do the electrolites? I've considered doing 1/2 ro/di and half waste water but at this point I don't want to stress the fish any more. I primarily bought the ro/di for my SW. I wonder if I should just go back to tap.

 

[rich311k]

I imagine that you crashed your KH. Do you know what it was before the RO water and what it is now? Based on your PH readings I am sure that is what happened. You may want to go slower. Say 5% more RO water with each water change until you make 100%.

 

[tawolcott]

I don't but that makes sense. I guess I should pick up a test kit. I don't test it on my SW either. In another thread, when I decided to make the switch, it was recommended to convert all at once and not ease into it.

Live and learn (well except for the fishes that is)

Once I ease into it, all I need to add is the electro-rite?

 

[rich311k]

Yes add the electro lytes etc back in at a steady level and you should be good. Any reason why you are doing this? Is your tap water that bad?

 

[tawolcott]

I was using bottled water and was tired of making the runs to the store for water. The tap water isn't that bad but a couple years ago lost some fish for no real apparent reason (basic params were all inline) so I moved to bottled water (some filtering better than none). Was battling some algae issues, also wanted to switch the SW over anyway. So after some research (obviously not enough) I decided to use it for the FW too. After reading all the comments about the ro/di being such a benefit I made the ill timed move.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f60/ro-di-101004.html

"If" i decide to move back, I assume gradual is the key

 

[rich311k]

Yes, gradual is the the key when changing water parameters. Fish adjust well but not quickly.

 

[Purrbox]

While RO water has definate benefits in SW and some very rare FW situations, most of the time your tap water is perfectly fine for FW. If you drink your tap water then it's fine for your FW fish.