pjp

Thanks for the help.



PJ

Tommy Gun

Jay,

I wanted to ask some questions both for myself and to help out pjp as he now knows more about the type of water he might want to change to...

When you say 'filtered bottle water', is there a particuar type you would recommend (e.g. spring water, artisian spring, distilled, etc...)? I ask because I recently saw a show on the types of water (I think I brought this up a long time ago, it was a cooking show) and know that there are some differences between them all and in fact, anyone could purchase water out of someone else's tap if the labels are not understood.

Finally, pjp, I wanted to let you in on some of my RO water experiences as it pertains to buying an RO unit.... I did a lot of research into pricing and quality of RO units and I found that my LFS was actually the cheapest place to purchase the unit from! I went to all the 'big box' hardware stores (i.e. Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards, a midwestern big box store very similar to Home Depot) and noticed that they wanted a much higher price for RO units that made a lot less filtered water than the one I finally bought. My unit makes 25 gallons per day* and cost just over 100 dollars at a LFS that was specialty store with only fish (not just a pet store is what I am getting at).

I think I it would also be fair to let you know that a 25 gallon per day RO unit is not actually going to make 25 gallons per day usually. They do need a 'break in period' in which you may only get 7 to 10 gallons per day, as was the case with mine. If you have it fed by a method that uses some decent pressure (a sink open to the fullest works for me), the RO unit will slowly improve its output. I still do not make a full 25 gallons per day (but then again, I am not measuring exactly either) but I am pretty close and can fill a 35 gallon garbage can full of water in a day and a half or so.

Jay

Good question!

I don't think the source of the water is as important as the pH KH and GH relationship. PJP's goal, as I understand it, is to get his pH stable and keep it
in the 7.2 - 7.4 range. He needs water with a KH of about 6 and a GH of about 6-8. RO or "Filtered" water, because the filtering process, has a lot of minerals and trace elements removed. It is however much easier to adjust and manipulate than his present water.

He can use any water source that will help him out. He could experiment with using peat in his filter, but would still need to correct his GH. IMO, that still leaves the high sodium input from his water softener..hence..bottled water.

RO or Bottled water are still going to need adjustment, but that can be done using GH boosters like Seachem Equilibrium and KH boosters like a baggie of crushed coral, or baking soda at water changes. That makes life a lot easier than chasing your tail with pH adjusters.

Jay