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are there any reasons I

  • Thread starter adnedarn
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adnedarn

adnedarn

I'm growing CPs in the Desert of Tucson, Az
Admin
Hello, I generally don't visit this topic
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but I was wondering if there would be any benifits to start a new tank (125 gal) only using RO water. I have a RO system so the water would cost me nothing... But it would take a little longer to fill the tank. Not that I am in any hurry at all. So, are there other reasons I should or shouldn't do this?
Thanks so much,
Andrew
 
Well, Reverse Osmosis water will just be clean water. There wouldn't be any minerals or Chlorine that will cause stress to your fish.

But you'll still have to go through either the fishless cycle or the fish cycle to help balance your tank. But if you have already a cycle tank, u can remove some of the gravel or filters to the new tank so it will become balance.

Personally, I think it really doesn't matter what you use, I let the tap water age for a day, and then add some stress coat to get rid of the harmful substance, but I guess Reverse Osmosis you wouldn't need to do any of that stuff.will be the best.
 
Yeah, that's about what i was thinking thanks. Those additives make things "not harmfull" but are still there... That's where my leaving all that stuff out idea came from...
 I do have an operational tank that I can take some gravel, water and a bio wheel from to start the tank.  This tank also houses 2 surviving gold fish from when I first started this tank and used them to start the cycle.  So, I guess those little guys will be going back to work.  
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Andrew
 
RO water is really 'soft', meaning it has low GH and KH. It will tend to have large pH swings because there is no buffer capacity. There are actually some fish that do better or need these kind of conditions. Discus come to mind, but there are others.
 
At what hardness does the water not have these swings?  
So, Discuss is of the Cichlidae family...   Does that mean all Cichlidaes like this?  Angelfish, Zebra Cichlid, Butterfly Dwarf Cichlid etc etc?
Thanks, Andrew

Edit: I found the answer to question one. "A KH value of 1-2 degrees DH is reequired to act as a buffer..."
 
Yeah, GH doesn't affect buffer capacity. KH does. A KH less than 3 makes it hard to keep pH normal. KH refers to "Carbonate hardness".

There are different groups of cichlids with different hardness needs. Some live in "liquid rock" (very hard) conditions, others in the opposite extreme.
 
Hi,

Pure RO water is not good for most fish. It is too low in minerals and electrolytes. And, yes, it can cause pH swings. Also some plants (Vallisneria) hate it. If you plan to keep soft acid water fish (killies, tetras, discus, rams, apistos, rasboras, gouramis, etc..) then neutral to slightly acid (pH) water of KH 3-5 and GH 3-5 would be great. I get this by mixing 90% RO water with 10% tap water. My tap water is 7.8 pH and has a GH of 17 and a KH of 12-17. So RO is good when mixed with some hard alkaline tap or with a product called RO Right by Kent. Good luck.

Bobby
 
I would reccomend mixing RO with tap, or using a product like RO right... in my experience, tap just has to much crap in it... like free floating algae... but if your not making a planted tank, I think you should pretty much just use tap. Algae can be scraped, washed, and otherwise removed from glass, fake plants and everything else, but removing it from a delicate crypticorn is tough! especially the black hairy kind.
 
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