Re: RO Water Additives?

["B Z" <kasseen10@hotmail.com>]

Everyone - Thank you very much for this info!  I guess I never thought to 
ask - silly me.  Kevin - I'm from Waukesha, WI and I use RO/DIO water in all 
of my tanks - it's nice to see someone from this area.

I don't mix with Tap because of the hardness and PH.  I have been struggling 
a little with a combination of additives in order to keep my water soft and 
PH low.  The recomendation below may save me from some of this headache!  
Again, thanks!
Bonny


>From: "David A. Youngker" <nestor10@mindspring.com>
>Reply-To: apisto@listbox.com
>To: "Apistogramma Mailing List" <apisto@majordomo.pobox.com>
>Subject: Re: RO Water Additives?
>Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 00:10:34 -0500
>
>From: Scheele Juergen
>Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 11:18 PM
>
> > If your GH/KH is 0 and your PH is way in the yellow,
> > meaning below 5
> > you can adjust the GH by adding Epson Salt and
> > Calcium Chloride (Kent Marin-Concentrated
> > liquid Calcium) to the desired level !
> > You then go ahead and adjust the KH
> > with Potassium Bicarbonate without effecting the GH
> >
> > Make sure the KH is  70% to 80% of the GH
> > Definitely avoid GH = KH
> > or                        KH bigger then GH
> >
> > or you just go to your LFS and buy Seachems "Equilibrium"
>
>This is actually some pretty good advice, right down to the mention of
>Equilibrium. Calcium chloride is a lot less expensive in powdered form than
>any liquid, even concentrate, could ever hope, though.
>
>There are times when it's not advisable to use the normally- sound practice
>of partial mixing with tap or "saline" bypass - particularly if there's a
>specific component of the tap that you'd like to remove completely.
>Reconstitution allows you to control the parameters a lot more tightly if
>you choose it (or find it necessary). This is _our_ version of "artificial"
>water.
>
>And I like the suggestion of potassium bicarbonate over the oft- mentioned
>baking soda. Potassium normally works much better than sodium, especially 
>if
>you're partial to planted tanks. And some plants find conditions a touch
>"harsh" already with the rather "sterile", almost hot water a lot of us
>maintain for Apistos and Dwarfs.
>
>Nor do I usually recommend specific brand- name products, but Equilibrium
>may prove an exception. I first became interested in it because of _its_
>potassium content, so I've tried it in some of my planted tanks with 
>growing
>respect. Playing around with it in low TDS situations, I'm also finding
>satisfaction with its particular ionic balance.
>
>Greg and the folks at SeaChem have actually done a good job of producing 
>one
>of the best salt mixes on the market. Now if only someone, somewhere, would
>get the brilliant idea that such mixes shouldn't have to cost so much,
>they'd have no trouble trading margin for volume. Retailers, that is - I
>can't comment on its actual wholesale cost or involved markups...
>
>-Y-
>
>David A. Youngker
>nestor10@mindspring.com
>
>
>
>
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