Starting to use RO water

[Rangermatt]

Hello.

I'm going to start using ro water for my 60l planted tank. I know I need to get equilibrium to add minerials back into the ro water and also acid and alkaline buffers but I need some help with the ratios I need to add to the water.

I get a 25l drum of RO from my local fish shop once a week to do water changes. So how much would I need to add into the water?

I'm looking for a KH of 4 PH of 7.5 and a GH of 6.

Thank you for your help.

[Tech Support AN]

Thanks for the post!

For 25L you will add the following for a KH of 4 and pH of 7.5:

Alkaline Buffer = 1.3 teaspoons or 9.1 grams
Acid Buffer = 0.5 teaspoons or 3.6 grams

For GH, add the following amount of Equilibrium:

1.9 tablespoons or 31.2 grams

These are based on using them in RO water with zero of all levels to start....

I hope this helps!

[Rangermatt]

Thank that helps a lot.

Can I add them into the container all at once?

I'm going to be adding the water gradually over a couple of weeks so the fish will be ok.

[Tech Support AN]

No problem! It is best to add the buffers to the water just before you put it in the tank. This avoids any pH fluctuations while in the bucket. As the water sits and is exposed to atmospheric CO2, the levels can change, so getting into the aquarium as soon as it is set is best.

I hope this helps!

[Easyfishkeeping]

No problem! It is best to add the buffers to the water just before you put it in the tank. This avoids any pH fluctuations while in the bucket. As the water sits and is exposed to atmospheric CO2, the levels can change, so getting into the aquarium as soon as it is set is best.

I hope this helps!

Hey so I've been struggling with rising pH levels after letting the water stay in my buckets for different amounts of time.. how long do you consider time wise is appropriate for the chemicals of equilibrium acid buffer and alkaline buffer to "set" if r.o water if it is aleady pre heated with and with power head in the tote to stir the chemicals around how long before would that be to be considered "set"
Also could you clarify for me why my pH rises after different lengths of time in the stirring tote I noticed you said atmospheric CO2... My question is would the atmospheric CO2 not be the same in my aquarium? Meaning as I'm slowly adding 20gallons at a time every few days or so, "suggestion? - I haven't started yet via can't find sustainable ratio between buffers to begin the switch of tap water to treated RO water in my 125 gallon aquarium" But again question being I don't wanna add 20 gallons of of water with pH 6.8 GH 4° and KH "still working on" but hoping close to 4° to the tank witch has parameters of pH 7.4 GH 7-8° KH 4° and have the pH drop slightly to only rise back up to what usually goes after buffers from pH 6.6 to 7.6 and pH 6.8 to 7.7 and 7.0 to 7.8 after a few hours "as quick as 45mins sometimes to as long as 24hrs later" could you possibly reply back or email me answers of your best two I guess either here or my message box but preferred my email I would greatly appreciate that! Email: [email protected]

[Tech Support AH]

It is likely you are struggling as you introduce atmospheric oxygen into your buckets. Higher oxygen content will cause pH to rise and more CO2 will cause pH to fall.

Buffers like Alkaline Buffer and Acid Buffer are designed to be used in the tank and are designed to work with the organic load of the ecosystem. They do not function quite the same in a bucket of water that is void of fish, plants and other organics.

You can achieve the proper pH using Acid and Alkaline Buffer and the key factors will be tank originating pH, tank originating KH, pure RO water (which is 100% unbuffered). If you provide tank pH and KH as starting points as well as what your desired KH and pH is and we can help with some additional recommendations.

We will look forward to your reply!

[Easyfishkeeping]

My tanks pH is 7.6 and the KH is at 3° ...yes please recommend what doses to mix to my r.o and suggested gallons of treated r.o water I should change per day or whatever length of time in order to get my tank from it's current pH of 7.6 to 6.6-6.8 and current KH of 3° to hopefully 4°..thanks!

[Easyfishkeeping]

It is likely you are struggling as you introduce atmospheric oxygen into your buckets. Higher oxygen content will cause pH to rise and more CO2 will cause pH to fall.

Buffers like Alkaline Buffer and Acid Buffer are designed to be used in the tank and are designed to work with the organic load of the ecosystem. They do not function quite the same in a bucket of water that is void of fish, plants and other organics.

You can achieve the proper pH using Acid and Alkaline Buffer and the key factors will be tank originating pH, tank originating KH, pure RO water (which is 100% unbuffered). If you provide tank pH and KH as starting points as well as what your desired KH and pH is and we can help with some additional recommendations.

We will look forward to your reply!

Hey sorry to message you again just hoping you maybe got lost with regards to getting back to me .. again I have and r.o system so I can make as much unbuffered water as I need now from the last time I posted to this morning the perameters of my tank are different as I have been experimenting with different things trying to achieve my goals of an slightly acidic aquairum with pH of 6.8 along with a dKH of the highest reasonable degree assuming 4° currently I have a pH of 7.6 and my dKH is 5° and dGH being 4° witch I'm happy with it being low but if I need to raise it in order to achieve my overall goals of a STABLE acidic Aquarium I have no issue... now the water in my tank before I got the RO system came out of my tab which at the time was a pH 7.8 and a dKH of 6° GH from tap is pretty stable about 9°dGH

[Tech Support AN]

Sorry for the delay! Can you please let us know what your current pH and KH is in the tank and your desired levels of both?