Aquarium Reverse Osmosis
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Fresh Water Aquarium and Reverse Osmosis Water?
I am new to aquariums for fresh water and have one big question. I have found out through trial and error that adding straight RO water to my aquarium might not be a hot idea. When I first started, I used hard water from my garage. Trying to be a reponsible newcommer, I stuck to water changes weekly. After about three 15% water changes, I noticed my alkalinity dropped and my ph started to drop. I have since used just treated tap water, but would like to use RO water. My question is...If i want to use RO water, would I have to use and RO buffer or can I achieve the same results using aquarium salts?
The first question I have to ask is why do you want to use RO water?
The vast majority of fish in the US will do fine in your tap water. However if your tap water is high in nitrates or phosphates then I can understand the desire to use RO water IN ADDITION to the tap water.
When I do use RO or distilled water in a tank I typically use a 50% ratio with tap water. This puts back the minerals needed to maintain a proper pH in the tank, but lowers the nitrates in tap water.
Please disregard everything that JR said. Water changes are necessary for the vast majority of tanks, and are a good thing. The beneficial bacteria in a tank will not be negatively affected by your water changes.
Algae Control In A Home Aquarium
Algae for many new aquarium hobbiest seems like a never ending battle. But it dosen’t have to be if you use the following methods I will list in this article. RO/DI water, GFO/phosphate reactors and less feeding are just a few things you need to watch out for when caring for an algae free aquarium.
Reverse Osmosis
On the top of my personal list for controlling algae and water quality is the use of RO water, or preferably RO/DI water. City drinking water is full of nutrients, some which include chlorine, phosphates and even nitrates. ALL of which we do not want in our home aquarium. These will only feed the cyno bacteria and green hair algae or diatom blooms. Invest in a RO/DI unit they will save you many headaches and trips to you LFS in the long run.
Filter and Media Reactors
Second is the good ole phosban reactor. There are many of these on the market which are very affordable. My personal favorite is the Next Reef MR1 Media reactor, they are very affordable compared to lower quality reactors and come in at only $69.99. Reactors are very easy to set up and keep running, simply run something like rowaphos and change it monthly to keep your phosphates at nearly undetectable levels.
Don’t Overfeed
We all love to feed our fish, yes it’s a past time..but don’t make it a habit to feed to often unless you are using a heavy duty protein skimmer such as a bubble king. Phosphates and nitrates will rise quickly due to excess uneaten food and detritus. Another great way to reduce nutrient build up when feeding is to only feed the fish what they eat, remove any uneaten foods.
These 3 things will help you significantly in the long run of controlling nasty algae outbreaks. Saltwater aquariums are very rewarding when done right, don’t get frustrated to easy as everyone makes mistakes and learns from them. Talk to other hobbiest’s and join clubs as they are some of the most valuable FREE resources out there.
About the Author
The author of this article knows all about aquarium maintenance. When it comes to buying protein skimmers, he recommends Vertex Protein Skimmers as they are of very High Quality. He has also helped many people to find the best Corals for decorating the aquarium. He also has a wide knowledge about all the Aquarium Supplies available in the market
Part 1/3: Watergeneral RD-102 RO+DI reverse osmosis water system for Aquarium reef