RO Water

[discuslover87]

I recently got a RO system, and checked the water's parameters. pH was 6.8, GH was 20ppm and KH was 20ppm. Do I need to make any adjustments? This is straight RO water, is it abnormal? Should I add any minerals or buffers? Thanks!

[Ivan]

Hi, in my opinion you have to build the water back up before you get a true test. There is nothing in the water that will react with the agent to give you a proper reading.
I presume you are using liquid dropper tests. How many times did you do the same test? Test the ph of pure ro water about 5 times. Are all the readings the same?
Just a thought. Ivan

[discuslover87]

Hmm.. I checked the water 6 times total it was 6.8 once, 6.5 twice, and 6.3 three times. What does this mean? I had 2 buckets, one of new RO one of old (24 horus old) - 2 of the 6.3 readings cam from the new bucket, one 6.3 from the old, and the rest from the old. Does this mean anything? The last 3 tests I did it was 6.3. Is this the final pH? What do you mean by "build up the water"?

[Carol_Roberts]

Most of us mix a percentage of tap water with the RO. Why don't you mix a cup of RO and a cup of tap (50/50). Measure your GH, KH and pH and see what the numbers are, then decide what percentage mix to use for your breeders .

Carol :heart1:

[discuslover87]

Okay, but what conditions (pH, GH, KH) do people keep their water at? Is the parameters of my RO not acceptable.. because I thought that about 6.3 pH, 20 ppm GH and KH were good levels for discus, or should I just check a 50/50 glass just in case?

[dm]

Straight RO water is not good to use. You have to put some minerals back into it before you use it. That is why it is suggested that you mix with some tap water. Since everyones tap water is different it is tough to judge what will happen. Try doing what Carol suggests and post the results from that. Then we can give you a better answer.

[discuslover87]

Ok, sorry I forgot to post this before. This is 1/2 tap, 1/2 RO (my tap is well water)

pH: 7.0
GH: 20 ppm
KH: 80 ppm

Any ideas? Should I use RO Right or something similar instead? Anyone have luck with that? Becuase we use a home water softener, and I heard that sodium is worse for fish and plants than calcium and magnesium. Opinions?

Thanks for all your help!

[korbi_doc]

:bounce2: Discuslover, yes sodium I think is detrimental to your fish. Check the info on the 2 threads "water softner" & "water softener locked" just below this one. This is discussed rather fully there. lol, Dottie ;D ;D

[discuslover87]

Okay, thanks for this information. But, what should I do? I don't think running the water first through the RO, before it reaches the home softener. Should I cancel the tap water and just use RO water with a additive such as RO Right, that adds necessary minerals?

[korbi_doc]

;D ;D My answer to this quandry is yes! use 100% r/o & add the appropriate salts. I use the recipe with Calcium sulfate found on this forum cuz had to use so much the OTC products such as RO Right are then expensive. I use a TDS meter to adjust it. Do not use the tap water before the softener cuz the softened water (after the softener) is easier on the r/o membrane & extends its life. So, in conclusion, the water from my well goes thru the softener (TDS=over 850ppm) then thru the R/O to give you water with a very low TDS value which then needs to have salts added to whatever value you need for the different growth periods, ie. breeders have avery low TDS, youngsters much higher.
Now remember, there are many who do this differently than I, as I explained in the other thread, my well water after the softener, which I would love to use caused me some losses, I thought because of the high sodium. Most ppl find they can use their tap water to mix with r/o successfully, lucky them. I have not tried to use my well water before it goes thru the softener as yet (need a plumber), but it's pretty nasty, & I'm not willing to test any of my discus with it, so r/o it is for me, lol, Dottie ;D ;D

[discuslover87]

Okay, thanks for all the information! I think I'll stick with RO and additives.