Tap water variation

[mustangmike]

I am putting things together to get back into keepomg Discus after a number of years away from keeping them and have found a problem I have never seen before. I got a pH meter and a conductivity meter and checked my tap water. The conductivity was about 650 ppm tds and the pH after aging was about 8.6. A few days later after I got an API KH and GH test kit and tested the water. I got about 125 ppm KH and 125 ppm GH. Thinking there was something wrong with my conductivity meter I check this water and got a reading of around 250 ppm tds. Aged ph was 8.2. Thinking I had a bad initial reading I checked again a couple of days later and I was back to 650 ppm TDS and the API kit was off the scale (16 drops)for KH and about 80 ppm GH. I live a little out of town and get my water through a rural water district with uses well water. They have recently started buying water from the city due to a large industrial user moving into our district. It looks like I am getting water from two vastly different souces whenever the mood strikes them. I don't think this kind of variation would be acceptable. The only option I see is to remembrane my old RO system and use mixed RO and RO waste to try to create some type of stable conditions.Any opinions or options would be appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

[Eddie]

I'm not an RO user but if your source water fluctuates that much, you probably won't be able to make a consistent mix of RO waste/RO water. I'd probably go for straight RO water and then fortify it with essential/trace minerals.

[mustangmike]

Thanks for your reply. I was thinking of mixing waste in until I got the conductivity I wanted to save cost of both water and RO reconstituting chemicals. Reconstituting it to the level for growing out in a 55 gal tank will probably take a lot of RO Right or whatever I use. Looking at the logistics you may be right though. It definitely would allow for more consistant results easier.

Mike

[mirador]

HI
By the way,reconstituting water is almost free..so don't worry about that.: good ice melter, epsom salt and baking soda does it fine.It's the planted tank guys recipe and it's perfectly fine for discus
Al

[Eddie]

HI
By the way,reconstituting water is almost free..so don't worry about that.: good ice melter, epsom salt and baking soda does it fine.It's the planted tank guys recipe and it's perfectly fine for discus
Al

Sssshhh, don't tell everybody. LOL

[mustangmike]

Further testing indicates the really hard alkiline water is the standard most of the time. I'm not worried as much about the hardness especially for growing out but I don't like the 8.6 ph and the days I do get the softer less alkiline water could be a problem. I think going with artifically reconstituted RO my be the best answer. Part of the fun of keeping Discus before was working with the water parameters. What can I say. I have a degree in Chemical Engineering so I'm probably a little strange that way. I've seen home made reconstituting chemicals mentioned. I know it is super secret but if anyone one willing to break to code of silence and give me an idea of what proportions to use. Ice melt CaCl may be a little hard to find down here it Texas.

Thanks
Mike

Thanks
Mike

[Eddie]

Hey there Mike, there really isn't any code of silence. As mentioned, the typical mixture is Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate and some may or may not use baking soda. Some people use fully complete mineral/trace supplements that are out on the market as well. You kind of have to mess with different amounts to get your desired numbers. Everyone has there own methods when it comes to reconstituting water.

[jimg]

Hey there Mike, there really isn't any code of silence. As mentioned, the typical mixture is Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate and some may or may not use baking soda. Some people use fully complete mineral/trace supplements that are out on the market as well. You kind of have to mess with different amounts to get your desired numbers. Everyone has there own methods when it comes to reconstituting water. +1
I have to monitor mine and change mixes sometimes. the county will switch from our reservoir system to catskill aqueduct water a few times a year. our water has tds about 350 and catskill has tds of about 80. I have to check the tap often to maintain stable water.