Re-mineralizing RO water

[flitabout]

I asked this question earlier in the general board and I didn't get a usable response so I am asking here. What is the best way to mineralize RO? I am currently using Equilibrium. Is this wrong? Do I need to add something else? I don't want to kill my plants or my fish.

 

[Rivercats]

In a planted tank Equilibrium is good and there is one that I can't think of the name but Brian_Nano12g uses. You want to use only the ones made for planted tanks. You don't need anything else.

 

[flitabout]

Thank you! I started seeing that people where using other things and I thought I was doing something wrong and that maybe I had bought the wrong product. I saw that seachem has another product and I have been getting so confused.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f60/ro-water-tds-level-285731.html

Read this.

Freshwater systems only.

 

[Rivercats]

Thank you! I started seeing that people where using other things and I thought I was doing something wrong and that maybe I had bought the wrong product. I saw that seachem has another product and I have been getting so confused.

Seachem has Replenish which is for non-planted tanks and then the Equilibrium for planted tanks.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

I've always used tap water to re mineralise RO.

You can adjust from 0 to Tap TDS.

For planted tanks the best thing by my experience is good substrate designed for planted tanks, good lighting to suit desired plants and additional ferts. I have not experienced any problems in 6 or so years.

 

[flitabout]

If my tap wasn't so horrid I would just use it. After struggling for months to get my parameters stable I chose to go with RO water. My water is not only bad but unstable. I would rather do the same thing every week for my big change instead of having to track weather conditions fertilizers farmers are using. I live in farm country and do have city water. But these are the varying conditions of my tap water I also don't drink my water anymore either.
Ammo 0-2ppm
Nitrite 0-1ppm
Nitrate 0-40ppm
PH - 7.2-8.8
Phosphate .5-2ppm
I don't have tuns of records on gh and kh
GH 25-35 447-572ppm
KH 13-15 232- 268ppm

 

[Rivercats]

Your doing the best by using RO and not drinking that stuff yourself!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

If my tap wasn't so horrid I would just use it. After struggling for months to get my parameters stable I chose to go with RO water. My water is not only bad but unstable. I would rather do the same thing every week for my big change instead of having to track weather conditions fertilizers farmers are using. I live in farm country and do have city water. But these are the varying conditions of my tap water I also don't drink my water anymore either.
Ammo 0-2ppm
Nitrite 0-1ppm
Nitrate 0-40ppm
PH - 7.2-8.8
Phosphate .5-2ppm
I don't have tuns of records on gh and kh
GH 25-35 447-572ppm
KH 13-15 232- 268ppm

That's bad! Mine is nowhere near as rough! pH fluctuates inline with hardness according to rainfall, I must be lucky.
Uk water companies are not allowed to release water above gH 550ppm as it is considered unsuitable for human consumption. 280/330 approx. annual fluctuation. No other poisons! (Excl. chlorine)

With the hardness so high, to achieve neutral water the RO cut would be so great it would probably reduce those levels to zero.
3:1/5:1 approx.

 

[flitabout]

That's why I just went with RO. I can consistently control my parameters. According to EPA standards our water isn't fit to drink. To be honest I would have never know how bad it was if I hadn't gotten back into the hobby.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Before I was a fish keeper water was wet!
You had two types, hot and cold!

 

[flitabout]

I know right????