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Tommy Vercetti

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Posts posted by Tommy Vercetti

    GH KH Remineralize RO / DI questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Tommy Vercetti

    Update:

    Good news, the water change went well. The Ph is, as expected, at 6.8 after the WC. The German Blue Rams seem unaffected by the water change. I will update again after observing their behavior more.

     

    Thank you, everyone, for all the help.

     

    P.S. I had forgotten how much I hate doing water changes with buckets.

    • Like 1

    GH KH Remineralize RO / DI questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 3/25/2023 at 10:11 AM, egruttum said:

    One quick note on this.  I see a ton of people talk about using RODI water.  For 99% of people using the DI at the very end is a waste.  RO water, if the membranes are functioning properly, is incredibly low in any ions.  Using the deionization resin at the end is just wasting money.  If you are mixing RODI water with tap water in any ratio then your DI is totally wasted and it's just an extra expense for you.  Remineralizing your water after DI is basically wasting DI resin as well.  I'm sure there are some extreme cases where the deionization step is needed but for most people it's a total waste of money.  

    Thanks. I am currently having RO/DI delivered to my house, but will keep this in mind when I order my RO unit.

    GH KH Remineralize RO / DI questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Tommy Vercetti

    I have conducted a Ph sample this morning. The results indicate that the the aquarium is at 6.7 and the water change will make it about 6.8. I mixed 125ml aquarium water with 125ml of RO/DI water that was dosed and then mixed for 14 hours (with a small powerhead).

    Or put another way @Mmiller2001 is 100% correct. Thanks for your help.20230325_083932.jpg.118330c6b73108d50ca8b88a8e54010a.jpg

    • Like 1

    GH KH Remineralize RO / DI questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Tommy Vercetti

    Here are the results of my recipe with 5 gallons of reverse osmosis water. I will conduct the water change on Sunday morning. 

    Tested, after 4 hours mixing:
    dGh 7
    dKh 2
    Ph 8.4
    TDS 142ppm
    Ca 80ppm

    I am not sure that I trust the Ca test because the chart on the API test kit is quite course. One drop of solution #2 equals 20ppm Ca.

    GH KH Remineralize RO / DI questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 3/24/2023 at 5:06 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

    No, that's normal. There's no acids to bring it down. It will immediately be as expected when added to the tank.

    Thanks.

    It is ironic that I began this endeavor as a way to prevent the water change from causing a Ph swing in the aquarium.

    This water change is going to be quite the leap of faith for me. 

    • Like 1

    GH KH Remineralize RO / DI questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I have treated with general cure. 3 weeks with a week of rest in the middle. Then with API Erythromycin, API Fin & Body Cure, along with Melafix and Pima fix for 1 week. I have noticed they are happy for the most part, but do not like my weekly water change of 50%. I am testing tds at 650 with tap water changes. I want to try the RO/DI water change to observe their behavior in that water.

    I feel at this point that I can rule out parasites and infections.

    • Like 1

    GH KH Remineralize RO / DI questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 2/27/2023 at 5:34 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

    I can help here.

    Easiest and cheapest way is to get CaSO4, Potassium Carbonate and plain old Epson Salt. You will use the CaSO4 and Epson for GH and potassium carbonate for KH. Then reduce your potassium dose some to account for the potassium carbonate. Then use rotalabutterfly to make the calculations and the mix will never change.

    I use Brute grey trash cans to store RO and then fill additional cans for mixing and water changes. I try to use my mixed up cans completely so the mixed water doesn't sit. The RO can is good to last as it's pure H2O.

    @Mmiller2001What ratio of CaSO4 and Epson for GH should I use in RO/DI water. I am going to try to mix 5 gallon buckets as a proof of concept. Is 50% (CaSO4.2h2o) to 50%(MgSO4) okay? My target will be 5dGH. 

     

    Thanks for helping.

    Problems in my aquarium

    in Diseases

    Posted · Edited by Tommy Vercetti

    If you have nitrites, your tank is not cycled. That may take a couple of weeks for the beneficial bacteria to catch up to the nitrite load that has been introduced to the aquarium. Keep those water changes daily because 5ppm is really high. To high for seachem prime to neutralize.

    • Like 1

    Is this safe?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I have no experience with this scenario but I do know that type of aquarium is specifically designed to be supported on the outside edges i.e. the plastic rim. I would probably take the time to correctly support the aquarium but maybe someone else has actually kept their aquarium supported like that for long term and had no issues with it. 

    • Like 1

    Low pH in new planted tank

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Tommy Vercetti

    For future tanks, be aware that your cycle time can be significantly reduced with higher temperatures too. Bacteria grows faster with warmer temperatures (to a point). Congratulations the hard part is over. Great work!

    • Love 1

    Reducing snails becoming annoying

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    It took me over a year to become "snail free" in my planted tank. I put "snail-free" in quotations because yesterday, I found another one in there after not seeing any for over 3 months. 

    Not a big deal to have snails. They are harmless. I just don't like the look of having dozens of them. 

    I just remove them when I see them. Then put them in my fountain outside. It can get frustrating at times but I have come to accept that "snail-free" for me only means that I can't see them right now. 

    Share Your Tank

    in General Discussion

    Posted

     20230208_141652.jpg.dd8c378f56fbad6dcca7ec586d165c80.jpg20230125_134751.jpg.c42d15f293768d5a21214d1b7aa9404b.jpgThis is my 7th tank.  16 gallon UNS cube. 

    Stocking: 100's of red Rili Shrimp, 6 panda corydoras, 6 pigmy Corydoras Habrosis, 7 cardinal tetras, 1 males German Blue Ram, 1 otocinclus, 2 chili rasboras, 2 male guppies, 4 Amano Shrimp.

    I was inspired by high tech planted aquariums I saw on YouTube. 

    I am most proud of the home made stand and light hanger.

    Funny stories? Well often . While the corydoras are enjoying their xtreme aquatic foods bottom wafer, in a swarm, one of the Amano shrimp will just walk through the swarm of corydoras and pick up the wafer. Then walk away like a little bandit. It makes me laugh every time.

     

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1
    • Love 5

    Low pH in new planted tank

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Tommy Vercetti

    On 3/5/2023 at 7:29 AM, Shadow said:

    Well....this week has been a blur of wake up, water change, work. Numbers this morning 1 hour post water change...

     

    pH: 6.8(been holding around that for the week)

    Nitrite: 0.5(later in the day water test showing spikes to 1.0-2.0 range)

    Nitrate: 5.0(holding there for a week now)

    Ammonia: 0.00

    GH: 300ish

    KH: Minimal

    Chlorine: 0.00

    TDS: 258

    Temp: 75.9

     

    Have had a very slight cloudiness to the water this week as I believe there has been a bacteria bloom, I read this often happens as it cycles. Algae has started to grow on rocks. Cleaned the glass, but on there a bit as well. Plants seem to be thriving, they are growing new and bigger sprouts through the tops. 

     

    Question for @Tommy Vercetti or any of you all? Have you all used Seachem products before? One, Alkaline Buffer...is it a must to use it in tandem with Acid Buffer if you are targeting a pH or can it raise it on its own without? Also, I got De*Nitrate biomedia for filter...has anyone had any success with it or Pristine for helping with algae? 

     

    Once again, thanks everyone for the help! 

    Sorry, I have not used seachem alkaline Buffer. But I think you are doing fine without it. Your PH is fine where you are at. Really all you are looking for is a stable ph in a safe range. In my opinion you'll are already there. So good job. Sorry your nitrites are still there but I promise you that they will go away soon. I think that the bacteria that eat nitrites can double in population in about 24 hours.

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