Spencer Heaton

Thanks Gannon - yes have both GH and KH drop test kits so we are good to go there. For sure will need to practice in 5 gallon buckets to get the formula just right!!!

Thanks Andy's Fish Den - are there any specific parameters (besides PH) I should be measuring for or aiming for??

Hi Everyone, So the tap water at my new home is terrible in so many ways. The parameters change it seems almost daily which has caused huge issues for my fish and weekly water changes on 13 tanks. So I decided to go the RO/DI route and remineralize to be able to stabilize my parameters. All my tanks currently are planted so I plan to use Seachem equilibrium, Seachem Alkaline Buffer and Acid Buffer with Seachem Trace products to get the right mix for those tanks. I am also looking to setup a 110gal & a 40Gal Breeder tank for African Cichlids (Mbuna and Peacocks) and I am wonder what I will need to add to RO/DI water to get it to the right PH/KH/mineral mix for these fish. For example, will I be able to use Seachem Cichlid Lake Salt, Malawi Buffer and Cichlid Trace or will I still need to use equilibrium first? I might also try to use some hardy, native plants like Bolbitus, Anubius, etc (depending on their tolerance to the water parameters I will end up with) to help with Nitrates and reduce the need for larger water changes. Anyway, just looking for some advice and to find out if anyone has done this before and what they did to provide the best water parameters for these fish using RO/DI. thanks, Spencer

thanks flyingcow - I will order some and play around until I get repeatable results!!!

Thanks flyingcow - so really RO/DI is closer to pure H2O then RO but assume no real difference - do you use both buffers to balance off each other for PH ?

Thanks jwcarlson - mine right out of the tap is 8 but have not let it sit and retested a day or so later - will try that and advise if different

Thanks flyingcow, so do you both Alkaline Buffer, and Acid Buffer because you use RO/Di versus just RO or is this for other reasons? I have read in a lot of posts you only need to use Seachem Equilibrium with straight RO water as it still has some buffering ability. I can cut off from the DI unit if needed for my freshwater tanks if I need to but if not (i.e. they both needs the same pre-treatment before using them with fish/plants) then I wont.

So I have been doing some research on RO and RO/DI units. I wanted to try a saltwater tank anyway so may invest in an RO/DI unit but I have some questions. It looks like RO water is fine for Freshwater tanks so long as you re-mineralize it. However, some people say you can also use RO/DI water the same way while others say RO/DI is missing the buffers that RO water still has? Does anyone know more about the differences and which one is better for Freshwater tanks?

Thanks Wrencher_Scott, yes I always add Prime anyway as I am sure the mix with city water has some Chlorine or Chloramines in it

Thanks Flumpweesel, given I have 12 tanks that is a lot of water to just let stands or a lot of kettle runs. May need to look at getting some large bins and a few heaters maybe to just use the city water Thanks TOtrees, yes Bin option with heaters is workable and a very good idea!!!! Thanks flyingcow, I have not had to consider this before given my tap water was very good in comparison to here. Maybe it is time to look at an RO or RO/DI unit for my planted tanks and SA Cichlids Thanks left o, if that is the case - might be time to consider RO or RO/Di unit then

Hi Everyone, I was forced to move a month or so ago and the new house has a water softener and filtration system that includes a dechlorinater and a membrane filter similar to an RO system. I had a plumber install a new sink for me with the cold source taken from before the softener/filter system and the hot water from the hotwater tank which unfortunately gets its source from the softener before it is heated. I have been mixing hot and cold water and doing my water changes as normal and for the last few weeks and I have lost some fish (mostly my apistos) and a few chain loaches. (I have 12 tanks) Most of the fish including the Rams seem to be doing ok but a couple of other apisto have turned dark over the last few weeks (different species than the ones that died). Also not a lot of my plants seem to be doing well and I had a huge jungle of Val which has slowing just died off. So, I just did some water test and here are my results: Mix of hot and cold: 0ppm Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite PH of approx 7.6 to 7.8 GH of 17 drops so ~200-400ppm KH of 17 drops so ~200-400ppm TDS of ~480ppm Just HOT water (softened): 0ppm Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite PH of approx 7.2 to 7.4 GH of 1 drop so ~0-50ppm KH of 17 drops so ~200-400ppm TDS of ~680ppm Just COLD water (city): 0ppm Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite PH of approx 7.8 to 8.0 GH of 22 drops so ~200-400ppm KH of 17 drops so ~200-400ppm TDS of ~300ppm I know that the majority of the TDS is the the sodium from the softener. I also believe this may be the source of the issue with a lot of my live plant issues. However, I am also wondering if I should be adding minerals back to the water (using one of those trace products) since it looks like some or most of the TDS is KH related so I am thinking there is not enough trace elements left in the water after it has been filtered through the system even though I am mixing with the city water. Also l am thinking I may need add an RODI unit to the mix but it would need to be connected to the city water (cold) I assume so that will not help remove all the sodium from the mix either. Any advise anyone can give me would be great!!!! I will attach some pics to help illustrate what I am referring to. Thanks, Spencer

I know - I had really hoped I could leave them both together but I was worried he would eat the fry as it looks like he is ready to spawn again

So I pulled the male this morning and just put him in a large breeder box (temp) till I figure out what to do - hang on the tank one with water flow from the tank. He was starting to get really aggressive with the female and although she was fighting back it seemed most of her time was fighting him back versus tending to the fry. She seems much calmer now that he is gone and I will watch her to see if removing him helps. How long should I let her tend to the fry? Was thinking I could pull the fry into the breeder box and put the male back in the tank in a few days if that works? I have the Fluval 17' fry feeder (turkey baster) device that I think I could suck them up with - thoughts? Thanks, Spencer

Thanks tolstoy21 So far so good - no major beatings and 4+ days of alive fry!!!

Thanks Fish Folk & MN-AQUARIST, Seems like we are split down the middle still!!! I guess the best move currently is to do nothing and see what happens. He seems to be chasing the corys and pencil fish anytime they get near the fry or the female as she seems to not let him too close to the Fry but he does not seem to be trying to get closer either so maybe we have a good Dad here!!!! Here are some picks of them just for some fun!!! As you can see Dad was not happy I got that close to the tank!!! Thanks again to both of you... Spencer