R.O. Water for an African Cichlid Tank

[DSenn]

I am thinking of doing another African Cichlid tank with Frontosas. I've never used R.O. water for a cichlid tank, but since I now have an R.O. unit, I was considering it.

I guess my question is does anyone on this forum do cichlids with R.O. water? If so, what products do you use to reconstitute your water?

In terms of adding back the essential buffers and minerals, I was wondering if I used straight R.O. water and added Seachem's Cichlid Lake Salt (for GH) and Seachem's Tanganyika Buffer (for KH) if these two products would give me what I need.

Thanks for the help

 

[DSenn]

Did I piss everyone on this forum off or something? I am confused as to why I can't get a response. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

DSeen, relax. Sometimes some of my post don't get responded to 1 or 2 weeks later. Just give it sometime. Maybe no one knows and that's why no one is responding.

I'm sure the right person will come along and see your post.


Cichlids won't really be able to tell much difference between the ro water and normal water. You just got to make sure your pH is around 8.0. They like harder water. If you use the ro unit, it would prob. be best to use those buffers for gh and kh. If you use normal water just make sure you have water condintioner added to it. You may also add the buffers to normal water what it is not required.

 

[asudavew]

If what you are doing now works, then I wouldn't change it.

R/O filters are expensive, and you will have to replace your filters more often due to more usage.

You will be removing stuff that doesn't hurt the fish, just to add supplements to the R/O water. The supplements will also cost money.

IMHO If you fish are happy, leave well enough alone.
The old saying,
"If it ain't broke, don't don't fix it."
May apply here.

Just my my 2 cents.

I have Cichlids too, so if you do decide on using R/O it would be interesting to find out how it goes.

Good luck!
Dave

 

[DSenn]

DSeen, relax. Sometimes some of my post don't get responded to 1 or 2 weeks later. Just give it sometime. Maybe no one knows and that's why no one is responding.

I'm sure the right person will come along and see your post.


Cichlids won't really be able to tell much difference between the ro water and normal water. You just got to make sure your pH is around 8.0. They like harder water. If you use the ro unit, it would prob. be best to use those buffers for gh and kh. If you use normal water just make sure you have water condintioner added to it. You may also add the buffers to normal water what it is not required.

I wasn't sure if something had changed on the forum where my posts weren't being seen.

The reason for using R.O. with cichlids is because my nitrate level is high coming out of the tap. I am aware that they like hard water and a high pH. I am just wondering if those two buffers specifically would give me KH and GH, and if I have to use anything besides a KH and GH buffer.

 

[DSenn]

If what you are doing now works, then I wouldn't change it.

R/O filters are expensive, and you will have to replace your filters more often due to more usage.

You will be removing stuff that doesn't hurt the fish, just to add supplements to the R/O water. The supplements will also cost money.

IMHO If you fish are happy, leave well enough alone.
The old saying,
"If it ain't broke, don't don't fix it."
May apply here.

Just my my 2 cents.

I have Cichlids too, so if you do decide on using R/O it would be interesting to find out how it goes.

Good luck!
Dave

I said I was thinking of doing a cichlid tank. I don't currently have any Africans, but I have done plenty of cichlids before, just with tap water. I would like to use the R.O. water but I am not sure if I would have to use anything else besides those two Seachem products mentioned above to get the desired GH and KH.

 

[DSenn]

I guess my question is, Does anyone else on this forum do Africans with straight R.O. water, and if so, what do you use to buffer the R.O. water?