Using R/0 water for the first time

[Bigmo]

Hi all-
Alright I have my r/o unit up and running for the first time. Here are my parameters.


Well water after being run through a residental non r/o water softner-

ph-8.6
gh-0
kh-17
tds-1600(about)
chlorine/chlorimine-0

Water after it has been run through a 5 stage r/o unit-

ph-6.0
gh-0
kh-0
tds-16
chlorine/chlorimine-0
Now seeing as how there is a major change in the parameters I was thinking of doing an aged water change mix of about 25% water softened water, and a 75% r/o mix. Will this be too drastic of a change in conditions for my fish? I figure I will substitute 25% of the current water in the tank with this 25%, 75% mix. Will this be too much of a change?, and should I add some sort of after r/o additive? What do all you r/o users out there who have similar parameters to me recommend?

[Ardan]

You have some good ideas. Experiment in a bucket first to get the right mix.
The only problem is getting the right amount of minerals minus the salt from the water softener. Mixing RO plus water softener water will give you salt and not calcium or magnesium.
Can you get water before the water softener and use that?

hth

[Bigmo]

Ok, what if I use 100% r/o water, and add back in the minerals I need, then I wouldn't have any salt through the well water that I would have mixed in. Can anyone recommend a product that would increase both my gh, and kh levels. I would do an aged water change to get the proper temperature up to the main tank, then I could do 25% changes daily. Any suggestions?

[Bigmo]

Alright for anyone who cares, here's an update. Using a 25% well water ran through a residental water softner, and 75% r/o water I managed to get the following readings.

ph-7.2
gh-0
kh-6
tds-160
Now I keep this mix of tap, and r/o in a seperate tank that is airated, and heated. Given my parameters what would you all recommend I do to increase my gh level, without increasing my kh level. All my readings seem great except that damn gh. What do you all think?

[Don_Lee]

I believe that most of the RO water conditioners add mainly if not all GH rather than KH, ie Seachem Equilibrium and Kents RO Right.

Don ;D

[espitzer]

Hi.

I have the same issue, using well water with a water softener. I've been using sodium chloride to do the softening. I'm wondering if I'd be better off with Potassium Chloride?

I'm also wondering if anyone has experience with RO Vital with RO water? Is it basically the same as RO Right?

Finally, I'm wondering if there's any way to measure the amount of Sodium or Potassium in the water in case I want to add back water from my tap (softened water) to the RO water?

[Bigmo]

I have a bit of a dilemma. I'm adding my mixture of 75% r/o to 25% tap. I get very high tds readings of over 1000, which is actually lower then my original reading of 1600. Here's the problem. I have been reading that I shouldn't be as concerned with my gh levels as much as my tds levels, since tds measure all minerals in the water. As it stands my gh reads 0 in my tank, however as I stated my tds is around 1100. If I try to raise the gh levels I raise the tds levels as well. My main reason I started using a r/o unit was because my discus were diagnosed with hole in the head which eventually killed them. From my understanding hith is usually because of the lack of bone support(minerals) So, I guess my question is, should I be concerned with my gh reading of zero even though my tds level reads so high? I was planning on lowering the tds level to under 500, but when I do I fear my gh levels as well, so I add in r/o right. A never ending circle. Any thoughts?

[Don_Lee]

The high TDS numbers are probably due to the sodium from the water after it goes through your water softener. I would try to use tap water before it goes through the water softener. The water softener replaces calcium and magnesium with sodium.

Don ;D

[Bigmo]

Just wanted to give an update. I'm currently using 100% r/o water that has instant ocean for minerals added back in, which is then airated and heated for 24 hours, and the discus seem to love it. All the parameters check out fine. Doing this every day seems to have a positive effect on the fish. They are all even more active then before. For anyone out there that wouldn't recommend using straight r/o water, i'm here to say differently. It can be done with the proper additives added back to the water, and the fish love it.

[espitzer]

Hi. Was wondering what made you think of using Instant Ocean and how much you used.


Eric

[Mick M]

Bigmo,
Just to clarify the situation;
straight RO is NOT GOOD ENOUGH ON ITS OWN is should be re-mineralised with tap water or an added supplement (as you have done). ???