flyingcow

So first off, if you're measured hardness and the water report vary that drastically, I'd try a different test kit to make sure it isn't that hard. GH and KH are two tests where I think the API liquid test kits are worth it over a strip. The small amount of sodium remaining after a softener and RO may or may not have an impact on the aquarium (especially plants, I believe, but people can feel free to correct me on that one). If you reduce hardness by mixing water from before the softener/RO and water from after, you'll get softer water, and any remaining sodium from the softener will be diluted and less likely to give an issue.

A DI cartridge after the RO should do the trick to get out the remaining sodium.

Gotcha, I thought you were doing batch water changes. Nevermind!

Something that just popped into my mind. Consider ways to drain the system or pack it with tap water in between uses. This will prevent stagnant RODI water sitting in the lines leaching. This could be as simple as pushing out the last water with tap water until a tds meter shows the increase, then running to drain when you start again until a TDS meter shows the decrease.

yeah the spec has to do with rigidity. And yes, the ANSI cert is important.

I think that's the right path. Also helps that it's commonly used in residential walls, so code won't be a problem. If you can figure out ways to route the piping that you have places where you can inspect it, that would be a big benefit, especially at the 90's. I think PEX B is the less leaching material, but confirm that.

That thought has been on my mind. I'm even considering low dose CO2 for a Monte Carlo or Dwarf Baby tears carpet to give them more hiding space. I have a huge chunk of Java moss downstairs, I'm sure I could split it.

So the 36 Gallon tank is doing pretty well downstairs, save for the loss of one of my Rams, and my mother gave me her 10 gallon tank when she upgraded to a 20 high, so... Pygmy Corys? PIGMY CORYS! I set this tank up with mesh bags of Fluval Stratum capped with ADA Colorado sand. It was stupid expensive, but dang is it purdy. After cycling and planting, 6 tiny guys came home! All 6 are settling in well. I had one that was acting very lethargic, but he seems to be coming around and is eating well. I think I'll just call him Snoozer. As usual, the stem plant I have added is already dying. I am now 1 for 5 on stem plants. The crypts seem to be settling in well, the anubias are doing their anubias thing, and this Tiger Lotus is looking AMAZING! Hopefully, as my Pink Flamingo continues to recover (fingers crossed), it will also come up to this tank. I also have some scarlet temple floating in my quarantine tank, so if this one dies, hopefully that one will develop some new roots and can go in. Stem plants hate me except for my H. compacta. I also may have gone a little overboard on filtration: I'll let you know how it looks in 2032 when I first need to clean it. 🤣 After it settles in for a while, either Chili Rasboras or Cherry shrimp will likely join the Pygmy Party.

bingo. But the uptake of ammonium is going to be concentration dependent, so you'll need to be a higher ammonia concentration to get enough ammonium for uptake (that's bad). I don't. I decided it was too complex for my simple brain, and I was too likely to screw it up, so I actively try to avoid anaerobic conditions. But with 6" of sand, I bet there's some anaerobic stuff going on down in the deeper parts of it.

Yeah, I have been using it. Basically, I choose either easy green or leaf zone depending on what my nitrates are at. I moved all the stems to my 5 gal quarantine tank, and I've been giving that tank a healthy dose of easy green.

Not necessarily more knowledgeable, and certainly not an expert, but a few things: - Plants take up Ammonium, not Ammonia. These exist in a certain equilibrium based on pH and temperature. This means at a higher pH, plants might not be able to take up ammonium fast enough for it to not become a toxic environment - Also, she notes in the book that plants take up ammonium preferentially to nitrate, but that doesn't mean they necessarily grow better with ammonium. - for Nitrate respiration to occur, you need an anaerobic environment. These usually only happen in very deep substrates, and it's very possible for an anaerobic environment to become an anoxic environment and the same heterotrophs that can respite no3 in the anaerobic environment now start making h2s, which is bad news bears. So striking a balance where you have nitrifying bacteria and plants both doing their jobs, you get a resilient and stable tank.

Definitely meatballs... very small meatballs.

I'm smitten!

So I'm getting a fascinating mixed bag of results from my plants. Epiphytes are doing fine, the Java Ferns are reproducing like crazy since they were Petco plants in a tube and therefore in rough shape to begin with. Stem plants, however have been a real challenge. When I started this tank, I did an Ammonium Chloride fishless cycle, so all the plants hung out in a 5 gallon quarantine tank while that was happening. The only stem I had at that point was a hygrophilia compacta. I let it float since I didn't have a way to tie it down, and 95% of it died in three weeks. I had a few half inch long segments that had 2 leaves and some roots. I planted them, and they are doing fantastic. Later, I got some water wisteria, and now some scarlet temple. Both of these started immediately rotting from the bottom up after planting. I also have a bacopa that started rotting from the bottom up while still in its mineral wool pot. I noes have the one remaining stem floating in my quarantine tank. What am I screwing up? I'm dealing with some algae and am turning the light down today. On a good note, I am setting up a 10 gallon with Fluval Stratum capped with sand, so I got some crypts to plant in there including a Pink Flamingo! The Wendtii and the Lucens have been very happy hanging out in their pots in my big tank as the little one cycled, but the Pink Flamingo started melting almost immediately. I decided to intervene by repotting the Flamingo into a small pot with Stratum.... and look! NEW GROWTH!!! I DID A THING!!!!!! Stoked for this plant. I'm gonna keep it in the quarantine tank for now, but I'll transfer it to the 10 gallon soon! Current state of the 10 gallon. Pygmy Corys going in later today, I think:

Oh you should be able to ask for the results. I get a full detailed report with my well test. They probably store the data, so you could call them.

if you're seeing that disparate of a result, you should try a third test. Don't assume the api kit is correct just because it's liquid. In my case, I can make 2 of 3 agree consistently.

yeah, it's one of the things that's tough in fishkeeping. None of the test kits are that great. For GH/KH, I prefer the API stuff since it's a pretty simple titration, so it's likely to work reasonably well, but their nitrite test is a bear.

I can tell you in my tank, it's an error with the strips. I have 7 degrees GH (~100 ppm), that I make up by remineralizing RO. Tetra strips, and API GH test kit both agree across multiple tests. The ACO strips always turn pink.

PE can be rigid tubing or flexible. So can PP. I'd discuss this with a plumber at this point since you're looking at these options to go in wall. As someone who builds factories and therefore puts this stuff in pipe rack, I wouldn't know what can or can't go in wall.

Polyethylene

Yeah, Little Buddy just would not eat. He'd grab at food, them swim away. He claimed some territory in the past few days and was pushing back. That might have been enough stress to do him in without food.

You can't get 316l pre-passivated since you need to welbut. And transportationand handling will damage the chromium oxide layer. It needs to be done in place. It's not reasonable to do in a residential application. PP might be fine, but I think PE might be a better choice. I'll look into it a bit.

Well, sadly it wasn't enough, and Little Buddy passed away last night. I think I'll not add another Ram while I have Big Buddy. He seems just fine being a lone wolf.

Gotcha, I'd be looking at rigid, or maybe flex tubing. 3/4" is easy to find. Not cheap, but not horrific. 1" will get spendy and quick. I'd avoid SS since it would need to be welded and passivated, neither of which is something you can easily do. I'll double check on material specs. 10 GPM is quite a lot. Will that beat up on substrate, or are the tanks that big?

Is this for tank filling? If you remineralize the water, you don't have to worry about materials at all. PTFE is basically teflon.