Ro Water and Testing

[jersysman]

Is it possible to use the master test kit by AP to measure RO water? Or do I have to get a conductivity meter that I have been hearing about. I'm about ready to set up my tank with RO water and want to know how I will be able to test the pH and KH of the water.

 

[greenmaji]

you shouldnt be using just strait RO water in the tank.. there would not be enough buffer to keep the PH stable.. the AP master kit doesnt come with a KH test kit anymore by the way. getting a conductivity meter tests how well the RO is working.. or tests conductivity of tankwater that your using to breed softwater fish.. how are you going to buffer the RO water for your tank, are you just going to mix it with your tap water? if so you should be able to test the tap water and mix appropriately.. you need a dKH of 3+ to keep your PH stable..

 

[jersysman]

I am aware of all that you are saying. I will be mixing my water with RO Right which re-constitutes much of the minerals and such that RO water removes. All I was wanting to know if the AP tests will be accurate after doing this because I have read where the tests become unreliable with RO water.

Anybody here anything about this?

 

[hashbaz]

You have nothing to worry about. They say that measuring the PH of PURE RO water is unreliable because it has no buffers - this means it is very easy for wild PH swings. If you measure after adding RO Right the water will have buffers in it.

I occasionally use one of the hardness tests to make sure that the ro system is still putting out "pure" water. This is what people use the conductivity tests for.

 

[jersysman]

Thanks for the reply! That makes me feel better. I have a TDS meter to test the solids in the water and to determine if the membrane is still doing the job. Thanks for the response.