Reverse Osmosis water system

[jweis]

Soooo, back to RO water for use in a planted aquarium. Should I just cut it 50% with tap water? Or is it better to use RO Right, or a similar product. My goal is to have happy shrimp, guppies and plants.

[Aaron]

It depends on your starting point. My understanding is you want a KH of 1-2 for those CRS shrimp right?

[jweis]

It depends on your starting point. My understanding is you want a KH of 1-2 for those CRS shrimp right?

I have 5 tanks:
1. 37g with guppies, amanos, tetras, and some RCS
2. 11g with chili rasboras, RCS and CRS
3. 5.2g with Tangerine Tigers and Blue Pearls
4. 5.2g with OEBTs and Pumpkins
5. 5.2g with Green Baulbaltis and Snowballs

Maybe it is too much for me to hope to use the same water for all of the tanks.

[150EH]

Julie you will need a booster pump for your RO system and the auto shut off if you are going to use any type of holding tank. That is a nice system and BRS has only the best equipment, however take a look at the 6 stage deluxe because it has all the little extras you will need and the only piece on my unit that I find a bit useless in the water monitor. If you need some help with the setup let me know, those C. nurii's are paying off now.

My system has a 3 to 1 rejection rate but the waste water keeps the front lawn green and moist.

I also have an extra 55 gallon drum if you are going to use a holding tank and it's really the only way to to it but you will need to consider how to get the water from tank to tank, at 3.13 gph it could take a while with out a holding tank.

[jweis]

Julie you will need a booster pump for your RO system and the auto shut off if you are going to use any type of holding tank. That is a nice system and BRS has only the best equipment, however take a look at the 6 stage deluxe because it has all the little extras you will need and the only piece on my unit that I find a bit useless in the water monitor. If you need some help with the setup let me know, those C. nurii's are paying off now.

My system has a 3 to 1 rejection rate but the waste water keeps the front lawn green and moist.

Thanks Tim. Yes, I went ahead and got the 6 stage deluxe from BRS for exactly the reason you mentioned above. I also ordered a booster pump although BRS was out of stock so I got the pump from another company.

My problem is I have always had trouble getting accurate readings from the GH/KH test kits and I am worried I will mess up the adding back in the minerals. So, should I jsut cut the RO water with tap (i.e. well water), or should I use something like RO Right....?

[150EH]

I was going to try the same method but my water has so much sediment and silicates I decieded to keep any untreated tap water out of the tank. I add 2 tablespoons of Equilibrium for a gh of 3 in 50 gallons of water so it very inexpensive and only a single teaspoon of baking soda for a kH of 1 or 1.5, but it's so easy to adjust and once you know how much to add there is no more testing other than to check every once in a while. You can also add another RO membrane to the system for $59 to deliver twice the volume of RO and cut the rejection rate in half. I also did have to make some adjustments to the booster pump and auto shut off valve but it was very simple.

[jweis]

I was going to try the same method but my water has so much sediment and silicates I decieded to keep any untreated tap water out of the tank. I add 2 tablespoons of Equilibrium for a gh of 3 in 50 gallons of water so it very inexpensive and only a single teaspoon of baking soda for a kH of 1 or 1.5, but it's so easy to adjust and once you know how much to add there is no more testing other than to check every once in a while. You can also add another RO membrane to the system for $59 to deliver twice the volume of RO and cut the rejection rate in half. I also did have to make some adjustments to the booster pump and auto shut off valve but it was very simple.

You way certainly sounds more stable than winging it with a 50% cut in of tap water.

How did your critters handle getting the new R/O water? Did you gradually phase it in?

[150EH]

No, I just hit them with a 40% water change which is less than normal but the water stays so much cleaner I don't need 50% anymore, but I'll keep the kH low and I might raise the gH a bit to 100 ppm or 5.5 to keep the Crypts happy. Dispite what anybody tells you, it will make a huge difference and I should have done this years ago.

BTW you can add a small holding tank for drinking water, the whole kit is about $110 and it's super simple to install.

[jweis]

No, I just hit them with a 40% water change which is less than normal but the water stays so much cleaner I don't need 50% anymore, but I'll keep the kH low and I might raise the gH a bit to 100 ppm or 5.5 to keep the Crypts happy. Dispite what anybody tells you, it will make a huge difference and I should have done this years ago.

BTW you can add a small holding tank for drinking water, the whole kit is about $110 and it's super simple to install.

I am putting the RO system in my mud room, which is where my holding tank is so it wouldn't be a good spot for drinking water.

How do you test your water parameters?

[150EH]

I just use the API gH/kH kit after I add minerals because the water goes into the holding tank at 0 tds.

Are you comming to the metting?