RO filtration

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

KerryK

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jan 15, 2008
Messages
8
Location
I live in rural central Texas (Lockhart, the barbe
Hi,

It's been a while since I have been here. Lost one of my shubunkins recently (Probably due to a bacterial infection). It was sad for me. He was 2 years old. :(

I have a 56 gal FW tank using a Rena Filstar XP2 canister filter (which I love). I also use the Rena bio stars filtration in one of the baskets in the filter. Two shubunkins and one large mystery snail are the residents.

I have a question about RO systems, water, etc. I do PWC's (10-15%) weekly or q 10 days. I test my water and always have high nitrates. My critter shop guy said it's probably naturally occurring in the water and the only way of controlling is to use RO water. I don't know much about these systems. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which one to use (not too expensive, hopefully) or another way to help keep my nitrates down?

Thanks,

Kerry
 
I don't think RO water will pull out nitrAtes (at least not all of it), it will pull out trace elements and nutrients that your fish need (so you will need to use additives to supplement the fish).
Have you tested your tap for nitrAtes?
 
Last edited:
Remember for FW you have to add the trace elements back in. I use (actually used; I quit using RO Ro/DI water on my FW and went back to bottled/filtered) Electro-Right. Unlike saltwater where the salt mix adds everything back in, for FW you need to add it.

If you don't you'll have very unhappy fish (maybe floaters too.. speaking from experience).
 
Back
Top Bottom