GH dosing for RO water

[Biollante]

Hi Shawn,

Yes your Calcium and magnesium levels would have been very low, even at the high end of your dosing. Something like, 6 or 7-ppm Ca and .25-ppm Mg. Not to mention the general hardness is just too low, less than .5-dGH.

Mikrogeophagus ramirezi are among the critters I use de-ionized water (Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says, 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes I am positive').

Biollante

[ShadowMac]

I will look into adding a DI filter unit to my RO setup.

I had a chemistry professor who would have loved that joke. He had a "carbon dating" joke that ended with him trying to date the woman in the nuclear physics lab. I think I heard it 3 times in a single semester.

[Biollante]

Hi Shawn,

DI water is nice though not entirely necessary.

One thing I would consider if you get serious about DI or RO for that matter is putting some filtration ahead of the system. I like whole house sediment filters and carbon block; it is nice to get the big pieces and the corrosive stuff before they hit tour serious filters.

Around here where it gets real hot and we have a frost line of about 2 centimeters so the water pipes are buried about 4 centimeters so we end up mixing hot water to cool the cold water. Well the problem is that many filters and in particular, DI/RO filters do not like even warm water. Now I assume that is not a problem in the great frozen wastes, darn near Canada, eh? Where your frost line, is like 15 meters that should not be a problem.

The next issue is water pressure and consistency of said pressure, a pressure pump can actually pay.

What kind of TDS meter do you have? Tell me about it if you would?

Do you have access to an analytical scale?

Can you or someone you know boil water?

Are married yet? Does she know you are nuts? Can she haul water boil it for that matter? Are you registered at Marine Depot? Does she know you correspond with a potted plant? A little known fact is that EvilPlantMonsters are incredibly nosy creatures.

What kind of reading (TDS) to you get from your tap? From your RO? Do you measure the TDS in your tank? If so could you tell me how you go about it and the results?

Biollante

[Left C]

Hi Shawn,

Aerate the RO thoroughly, mix, stir, or shake, whatever, ideally a small air pump and air stone during storage.

A teaspoon of Barr’s GH booster will give you about 2-dGH and about 10-ppm Potassium.

I would add another ¼ teaspoon of CaCl2.6H2O for another .6-dGH and I like the Chloride. If no Calcium chloride, ¼ teaspoon plaster of Paris.

• If you wish a greater general hardness add more plaster of Paris or Calcium chloride, about .6-dGH per quarter teaspoon.

I would add a light 1/5 teaspoon Baking soda, this will leave about 2-dKH.

I also like dash of lemon juice, a dash of crushed vitamin C tab works.

Raising sensitive plants or critters I like to match the water as closely as possible.

Biollante

Hi Biollante

May I ask, what it the Vitamin C and/or acetic acid is for?

(Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says, 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes I am positive').

I'm going to send this joke to the head of the chemistry dept at the local college. I'm sure that he will like it! I like it too!!


Thanks a bunch,
Left C

[Biollante]

Hi Left C,


Meant to answer this a while back…


A little citrus juice (I prefer lemon juice), Vitamin C, what have you, “brightens” the water, whether the RO/DI water is for human, pet or plant consumption.


The citrus juice/Vitamin C provides electrolytes and mixing action and being an anti-oxidant counters some of the other additions or impurities.


I am coming to see vitamin C or lemon juice as good choices for dechlorination of small tanks and/or tanks with sensitive critters.

Given the outrageous price of commercial aquarium dechlorinators, that vitamin C doesn’t scavenge dissolved oxygen^* and probably some health benefit to the critters I think vitamin C is a reasonable alternative. Dose rate for Vitamin C is somewhat higher^** at 2.3-ppm for every 1-ppm of chlorine or chloramine^***



I am still not sure about adding vitamin C prophylactically as some do, but


Biollante
^*At least the literature I have seen. I can measure the DO decrease with Sodium Bisulfite (NaHSO₃), Sodium Sulfite (Na₂SO₃) and a smaller dip with Sodium Thiosulfate (Na₂S₂O₃) (Though this may be do to the slower apparent reaction time.)
^**As compared to

• Calcium Thiosulfate (CaS₂O₃) approximately 1 part to neutralize 1 part chlorine (at pH 7.3) The96-hourLC₅₀ for fathead minnows is greater than 750 mg/L.

• Sodium Metabisulfite (Na₂S₂O₅) approximately 1.4 parts of sodium metabisulfite to neutralize 1 part of free chlorine.

• Sodium Bisulfite (NaHSO₃) 1.45 parts are required to neutralize 1 part of chlorine.

• Sodium Sulfite (Na₂SO₃) 1.775 parts to neutralize 1 part of chlorine.

• Sodium Thiosulfate (Na₂S₂O₃) about 2 parts to neutralize 1 part of chlorine (at aquarium pH).

• Sodium Ascorbate about 2.8 parts to neutralize 1 part of chlorine to neutralize 1 part of chlorine
  

^***Based on 4 or 5 parts chlorine to each part ammonia.

[ShadowMac]

I have been crushing a vitamin C tab and adding it. I think the fish appreciate the changes made to how i prepare the RO water. I am seeing great color and active behavior.

Wish I could have registered at marine depot!!! I'm going to use the lack of "male gift options" at such stores as Macy's and bed bath and beyond as a way to guilt my way into using some wedding money for aquarium stuff ssshhhh don't tell her it has been premeditated...



The big day is friday, wish me luck!

Thanks to you my tank is looking very nice and has been recovering from some of the issues, just in time for people to visit and see what I do with aquariums. Most have never seen a nicely planted tank. I can pretend that it is easy and has always looked good I have some ferns coming and some mosses which I think will really kick the look up a bit. Should be here before the wedding so I will have time to get them in, if not...they will float for a few days in a grow out tank.

[Biollante]

Hi Shawn,

I know folks that absolutely swear that a little Vitamin C once or twice a week does wonders, especially with color. Though I remain unconvinced, while Ascorbic acid is a vitamin, properly I suppose a vitamer for human beings it is not for many other animals.

In the aquaculture community Ascorbic acid is gaining wider acceptance as a nutritional prophylaxis, I think principally with salmonoids, so perhaps as a food additive…

I have been using the lemon juice trick for quite a while, maybe a year or so ago started evaluating various citrus juices (we have a lot of citrus around here!), Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), I even used cabbage!

It has been suggested that some of the positive results with citrus juices may well be the “bioflavonoids,” I don’t know anything about “bioflavonoids,” so I’ll leave that for now.

I wish you all the best on your marriage!

If you are going to play the guilt card, play it soon, before the girlfriend/wife transition…

Be happy!
Biollante

[ShadowMac]

i've switched to the lemon juice, the vitamin C tabs leave some sort of residue. Maybe some additive to constitute the tab.

the guilt trip failed horribly. she had to go and counter my reasoning with more practical matters. not as much fun, but probably a better idea.

[Biollante]

Hi Shawn,

Congratulations on your marriage, obviously you have her fooled so far…

The Vitamin C tablets are held together with starch filler, if you carefully weigh the tablets, the weight should be greater than the total vitamin content; a 500 mg tablet should weigh more than half a gram.

In the olden days, corn starch was the most popular binder, I do not know what is used these days.

Biollante