Do I need an RO unit?

[Liz_Streithorst]

Got my new conductivity meter the other day. (Thanks Randall) My old one which was a piece of $h!t said that my conductivity was low. Since my gH is 0 and kH is 5 I had no reason to question that. Still, my pH is 7.5 and I have never gotten wigglers. I was disgusted to find out that for the past year I have been working with water that has a conductivity of 260. I guess I need an RO unit but I'd like to explore other possiblities. Might I be able to get away with using peat? Any other options?

Liz

[Ardan]

Hi Liz,
Personally I think RO is the way to go. SOme have success with peat, but with an RO you can control the hardness better IMO
hth

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi Liz:
Your GH is 0? Is that a typo? If your GH is zero you do not need an RO. TDS measure all disolved solids, even solids that do not raise hardness - like salt.

Did you mean to type GH 10? That sounds more likely with a tds reading of 260. Then yes, RO is the way to go.

[Liz_Streithorst]

No Carol, it's not a typo. My gH is 0! That's why I didn't doubt my defective conductivity meter for so long. I always wondered though why with a gH of 0 I still had a pH of 7.5. I've used 2 different brands of test kit and had the LFS test it for me once. Strange water, huh? Sike it's soft but not soft (?). I have no mineral build up on the tanks, don't get a bath tub ring, water using appliances never have to be de-mineralized. I wish I knew what WAS in it to give me the 260 mS and 7.5 pH.

Liz

[Carol_Roberts]

The tds reading could be salt or even fish waste - remember it measures all disolved solids. An RO strips minerals from the water. If you have no minerals there is nothing to strip. You should be able to lower pH with peat.

[Ardan]

Hi Liz,
Do you have a water softener?

[Liz_Streithorst]

Nope, no water softener. Carol, I just tested it straight from the tap rather than in the tank and it reads 238.

Liz

[Carol_Roberts]

. . . .and what are you using to test your GH? If a kit where you add drops could you add some epsom salt to a cup of water and test GH?

[Liz_Streithorst]

Carol, I've found both my test kits but will have to rummage around a little more before I come up with a test tube. (I haven't used these in a while. I have a tank where I'm growing out some juvies. I add little calcium and magnesium to it so it will be good to test. Back when I used to test at every wc I kept the juvies at around 10 gH. These days I just add the same measure of calcium/magnesium to the same amount of water and don't bother with the test. (ashamed)

Liz

[Liz_Streithorst]

Carol, GH 8 in juvie tank. This is w 1 coffee measure of 2 to 1 calcium to magnesium in a bath tub full of water. Scientific, huh?

Liz