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riverrat · 04-01-2008, 12:13 AM

I often wonder how many people use RO to create a stable water chemistry that allows them a rock solid platform to concentrate more on aquascapes. Who all uses RO/DI?

I could fit this in many threads that have been started but thought it deserved its own seeing how I have not seen it discussed here. Stability seems to be one of my challenges. Things will go great for several weeks and all is well only to seem to crash just enough to throw me backward a bit. I often wonder if I have done to big of a water change and parameters have fallen off just enough to throw one or two species of plants in my tank into a moody discontent. I seem to be able to run a tank and rid it of algae no problem. I have what seems to be a fairly steady local water supply. My KH is usually close to 2 and my GH comes in around 8 to 11. Sometimes Gh may creep up a bit more or down just a tad. I am not one to test much. I gave that up long ago. I like to watch my plants. I know when they are not happy. My dosing and co2 are stable within reason. Tap seems to be the only variable left.

I have been chasing a stability problem for months thinking it was GH. Calcium or Mg problems. It might be. I am now thinking it is more Kno3 based or lack there of.

But I all to often think that if I brewed my own water that the control would be that much better. Does a GH of 5 make that much difference to plants compared to a GH of 11 or 12. Do fluctuations of several degrees of hardness after a water change affect plants in a detrimental way?

Is this one of the keys people use in having a tanks that always seem to be solid performers or do they just not take snapshots when their local water department has thrown a slider their way?

I have a small 30 gallon and have had it for 2 years now. I have had great success and disaster in the last couple years. I am in the planning stages of moving up to a 18inch wide tank sometime this year. Before I do I want to just once pull everything together at once in this tank. Eight out of ten species being vibrant and healthy will not cut it. I want a ten for ten before I upgrade.

Does the stability of RO/DI make you more successful?

Dave

04-01-2008, 12:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
riverrat Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 12	RO = Stability? I often wonder how many people use RO to create a stable water chemistry that allows them a rock solid platform to concentrate more on aquascapes. Who all uses RO/DI? I could fit this in many threads that have been started but thought it deserved its own seeing how I have not seen it discussed here. Stability seems to be one of my challenges. Things will go great for several weeks and all is well only to seem to crash just enough to throw me backward a bit. I often wonder if I have done to big of a water change and parameters have fallen off just enough to throw one or two species of plants in my tank into a moody discontent. I seem to be able to run a tank and rid it of algae no problem. I have what seems to be a fairly steady local water supply. My KH is usually close to 2 and my GH comes in around 8 to 11. Sometimes Gh may creep up a bit more or down just a tad. I am not one to test much. I gave that up long ago. I like to watch my plants. I know when they are not happy. My dosing and co2 are stable within reason. Tap seems to be the only variable left. I have been chasing a stability problem for months thinking it was GH. Calcium or Mg problems. It might be. I am now thinking it is more Kno3 based or lack there of. But I all to often think that if I brewed my own water that the control would be that much better. Does a GH of 5 make that much difference to plants compared to a GH of 11 or 12. Do fluctuations of several degrees of hardness after a water change affect plants in a detrimental way? Is this one of the keys people use in having a tanks that always seem to be solid performers or do they just not take snapshots when their local water department has thrown a slider their way? I have a small 30 gallon and have had it for 2 years now. I have had great success and disaster in the last couple years. I am in the planning stages of moving up to a 18inch wide tank sometime this year. Before I do I want to just once pull everything together at once in this tank. Eight out of ten species being vibrant and healthy will not cut it. I want a ten for ten before I upgrade. Does the stability of RO/DI make you more successful? Dave