How many people use RO water in freshwater?

[BigMike75]

I am thinking about making a journey into saltwater later this year, and am wondering if my 4 freshwater tanks could benefit from RO water. I do 20% water changes every 2 weeks. I don't have any excessive algae in my tanks.

If you use RO water what additives to you use and do use still use a dechlorinator?

Thanks

 

[CaptainAhab]

Prime (just to be sure) and RO-Rite

 

[GhostKnife]

I do not use a dechlorinator. I have RO/DI. Spectrapure. I never have in 4 mo or so.

 

[mgamer20o0]

never used it for years i bought one to keep some shrimp that just die off in my higher ph and hard water.

 

[severum mama]

Tap water only for our FW tanks. We got the Coralife RO/DI 50 GPD and if we really wanted to do our water changes with RO it would be like a 3 day process.

 

[WhiskeyTrouble]

I always have a bucket of RO water around. My dad uses it for his african ciclids (he adds a specifically made ciclid mineral and trace element suppliment) and I use half RO water and half tap water for my brackish and goldfish tanks. My tap water is nearly chlorine free (it doesnt even read on test strips) but i still add a small amount of dechlor just incase. My tap water also has a pretty high concentration of phosphates at most times (you can get a read out online through your city) The RO water just helps keep anything that may spike in the tap water down. The tap water insures that there are minerals and trace elements in the water. I have a few plants in each aquarium and they are all doing great. (no co2 injection just using a fluval for little surface disturbance) I add Iron to my brackish tank because I grow mangroves. I think using half RO water is a safe insurance policy just incase tap water goes screwy.

 

[happygirl65]

Lots of people use it for discus but mostly people mix part tap part RO because tap water does contain vital nutrients minerals etc that fish actually need. If you mix the two then you don't have to add some back in with trace mixes.