Seachem Buffering Powders, Equilibrium

[Keybler]

Hello again.

I'm using Equilibrium to buffer my rodi water. I have a 29 gallon tank just for buffering, but it only 25 true gallons. The 29 gallon tank has 2 powerheads, marineland 30gallon fillter, and 30 gallon heater.

If I put it 25 gallons, and following the directions. It says 1 tablespoon for 20 gallons, so i'm using 4 teaspoons to catch the last 5 gallons.

Not sure if my api ph test is wrong, but it always reads 7.6+ for ph. Am I useing to much buffer or am I reading the ph of the actuall test kit??? I've been told to try to buffer between 6 and 9 drops of api gh test. I'm currently getting 6ish.

I also bought some seachem neutral regulator, says it adjust water to ph of 7.0, Havn't used it yet, should I??

I've been having a real hard time getting any useful info on this rodi water buffering. Seems like alot of people don't use it for freshwater

 

[Keybler]

Does anyone here use rodi water for freshwater planted tank?

 

[eco23]

I'm not overly familiar with RO/DI water for freshwater aquarium use...but can I ask why you're using it?

 

[Keybler]

my well water is way up in gh kh and ph around 8.2. On top of that I can run my well dry if to much water is used at one time. Which happened alot, kinda makes my rooommate mad. So I had to start buying it. Now i'm waiting to buy my own rodi system so I can reuse the water i'm buying.

 

[eco23]

my well water is way up in gh kh and ph around 8.2. On top of that I can run my well dry if to much water is used at one time. Which happened alot, kinda makes my rooommate mad. So I had to start buying it. Now i'm waiting to buy my own rodi system so I can reuse the water i'm buying.

Ah, okay. I don't think your natural GH or pH would be anything to worry about as long as theyre not super sensitive species and you acclimated your fish nice and slowly...but I can understand the well running dry.

Most of us FW guys here don't use RO/DI...but hopefully someone will chime in with some info shortly. Sorry I can't be of help, I was just curious of why you chose to use it

*I think I've seen some lfs's sell bottled Freshwater for aquariums instead of just reverse osmosis. Perhaps that's an option?

 

[Keybler]

Maybe this will help answer part of my question.

Eco23 What is recommended levels for a fw planted tank in terms of gh and kh? Ammonia, no2, no3 should be 0 right? and the ph of 7.4 to 7.6 is ok as long as I can maintain the ph without swings?

 

[eco23]

Maybe this will help answer part of my question.

Eco23 What is recommended levels for a fw planted tank in terms of gh and kh? Ammonia, no2, no3 should be 0 right? and the ph of 7.4 to 7.6 is ok as long as I can maintain the ph without swings?

The only thing I know about plants is that they're green, they like water, they enjoy light and that I have some, haha. Plants are on the bottom of my specialties list.

As for your actual aquarium...an established tank should always have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrIte and below 20 parts of nitrAte. That pH is perfectly fine. As you said, the key to pH is stability.

 

[jpchin]

i use ro water that i buy from a machine located outside of the grocery store. i use that water because it has a ph of about 6.3. i need the low ph for my south american blue rams. they like a low ph with soft water. i started to add seachem's minerals to the water to replace what's takem out in the ro process. i also have all live plants in my aquarium. i use seachem excel to supplement them. they are all doing great. i don't use any buffering products. when i mix my water i use 1/4 tap water (treated with seachem prime) and 3/4 ro water. i test my ph as i'm mixing the water to make sure i have a reading of 6-6.6. i have 2 rams and 7 dwarf gourami's, that like low ph and pristine water conditions. the rest of the fish in the tank benefit from those parameters.

 

[Crepe]

I use RO for plants...you're aiming for anywhere between 0-7 KH and then 4-9GH lol. Plants aren't too picky as long as they have enough. As for what's wrong with your pH? It could be anything. My $$$ is on the fact that your pH kit is wrong.

Here's how you can know if your pH kit is wrong.

Get some distilled water and microwave it for awhile (boiling temperature). The heat will dissipate the gasses that change pH. Let it come to room temperature and take the pH. It should read 7. If it doesn't your ph kit is wrong.

 

[Keybler]

I use RO for plants...you're aiming for anywhere between 0-7 KH and then 4-9GH lol. Plants aren't too picky as long as they have enough. As for what's wrong with your pH? It could be anything. My $$$ is on the fact that your pH kit is wrong.

Nice to hear from someone that has plants.

I just did a test on my ro buffering water. I'm testing with the api master kit so. My KH is 3 drops and my GH is 7 drops. My php is 7.6 or on the high end ph test its 7.4 (that could also be my eyes lying) So does KH of 3 and GH of 7 sound good?

I know exactly how much powerd I used, I would just like to buffer my water the same everytime and it be close to right.

 

[Keybler]

Get some distilled water and microwave it for awhile (boiling temperature). The heat will dissipate the gasses that change pH. Let it come to room temperature and take the pH. It should read 7. If it doesn't your ph kit is wrong.

I'll try that asap. I bought the api master kit + a single api ph test. I'll test that water and my water with all 3 diffrent test bottles.

 

[Crepe]

Sounds good enough. I'm running slightly higher KH and almost the same GH but my KH is high because of CO2 conditions which not only lowers pH but increases KH

 

[Keybler]

Crepe, how do you buffer your water?

I have a 29 gallon tank, which comes out to 25 actual gallons of water. I buy it on sundays, buffer it and let it sit all week. I have a 30 gallon marineland carbon filter with biowheel, 2 powerheads, 30 gallon heater, and a big bubbler. Is this process of mine good/bad/waste of time.

Comes out to about 23 gallons of water for my weekly water change.

 

[Crepe]

Good enough. I have my own RO unit and just dump it into a trashcan. I have a 200gph power head running in there moving the water. I don't buffer it directly. I used to incorporate my buffer (Barr's GH booster) with my fertilizing. But now I use tap again since I don't have the $$$ to replace my RO membrane atm... and I was getting some deficiencies.

You can reconstitute as you are doing right now. That's equally as effective and a lot more accurate than the way I was doing it.

I also just realized you're buying your RO water. Are you sure your LFS has changed their RO membrane recently? They might be giving you bad water from the start.

 

[Keybler]

I've been buying it for alittle more than a month. I tested it the first couple trips there, and everything came out great. this last go around with the high ph is making me think its my testing or there water. Its a nice store, and there tanks are 5ft high and they say there changed once a month, but no way to verify.

My filter has a slot of the carbon filter and a spare slot. Could I use that slot for something to help the plants, or help grow bb? to be honest I care more about the plants than the fish, I saw you commented on my substrate post.

 

[Crepe]

Carbon isn't necessary...IMO you won't have to worry about a pH of 7.4 I'd let it slide. Unless you're keeping very sensitive acidophilic plants you have nothing to worry about.

I would use the extra slot for bio filtration but that's just me...

 

[Keybler]

I've hear carbon isn't important from alot of people. But still remains I have the ability to filter threw 2 media slots. Is there anything you would use in the media slots? or is this filter just a waste of space?

thanks Keith

 

[Crepe]

I'd just fill all the slots with a filtersponge/floss or ceramic. If you really want really really clear water try some seachem purigen (also kinda a luxury that I only use when I wanna take nice photos of stuff in my tank).

What kind of filter do you have? If you can you can fill the filter pouches with bio ceramic and just leave it at that.

 

[Keybler]

I'll have to try that. The seachem powder does make the water cloudy so clearing some of that up could be worth the filter. I have nova 48in 2 bar t5, makes the colors pop.

thanks for your help tonight.
Keith

 

[Keybler]

What kind of filter do you have? If you can you can fill the filter pouches with bio ceramic and just leave it at that.

Marineland 400 i think. 2 slots for filters + bio wheel. it takes the ritesize c filter