tx_mermaid
Member
I know what RO stands for but what is DI ??
Can someone please tell me what DI is
- Thread starter tx_mermaid
- Start date
tx_mermaid
Member
I am getting ready to get a RO system and what to make sure I get the right one
N
nereef
Guest
DeIonization. it should remove any leftover disolved solids in the water. RO + DI = very pure water.
tx_mermaid
Member
~Splashes and Big thanks!
farslayer
Active Member
DI is not distilled water 
DeIonization is a process using ion exchange where free ions are removed from water (all except for H3O+ and OH-). Usually these are cations such as sodium, copper, iron, things like that. DI will NOT remove organic compounds because these are not ions, which is why the DI comes after the RO process.
DeIonization is a process using ion exchange where free ions are removed from water (all except for H3O+ and OH-). Usually these are cations such as sodium, copper, iron, things like that. DI will NOT remove organic compounds because these are not ions, which is why the DI comes after the RO process.
mandarin w
Member
To fill your tank, get a few new (clean) trash cans, or rubbermaid totes.
You are going to start filling these up a few days before you want to fill your tank.
Fill the cans/totes with your RO/DI water, have a heater and a power head in there, After the totes are filled, add salt carefully untill the Salinity is 1.25. Let the water aerate for at least a day to make sure all salt is disolved. After a day check the Salinity again, just to make sure it is the same. (sometimes the salt sinks to the bottom and takes a little longer to mix up) If it is the same your good, If not add salt or water till it is right.
This is how to mix up salt for water changes also. Just not so much. Just enough for a good water change and maybe a little extra incase of an emergency. Saltwater will stay good to use for a couple weeks as long as you keep a power head going in there.
The way I alway fill my tank, so people are different, but this has worked for me on all ten tanks I have filled up.
I get my sand, If I am used a new bag of sand, I rinse it off well, and put it in the bottom of the tank.
Then I start to put my water in, I only fill it about a third of the way at this time.
Then I add my rock, That is why I only fill the tank a third of the way, easier to handle the rock and see what I am doing.
After I have my rock in how I want it, I slowly add the rest of my water. I let everything settle down for about 20 minutes. Then I start my filters, power heads and skimmer.
I know some people say that you don't need a skimmer while cycleing a tank. But everytime I've cycled one of my tanks, I empty that skimmer cup at least every other day. There is junk and some die off in the rocks. But I guess it is a matter of prefrence.
The reason I wait for about 20minutes is to let the sand and stuff settle. If you turn on your stuff right after you are done, you may risk sand getting lodged in your powerheads and pumps, and clogging them up.
I run my lights while cycleing also. But only a couple of hours here and there.
After the tank has cycled, amonia spike, then nitrite spike then nitrate spike, then all are at zero, then it is time to do your first water change. Then you can add your clean up crew and let them have at it for a few weeks. I don't usally add any fish until at least three weeks after my cycle is done. Need to wait until enough good bacteria has build up to handle the poo of a fish. Then add only one at a time. One every two to three weeks. That way you don't shock your system.
You are going to start filling these up a few days before you want to fill your tank.
Fill the cans/totes with your RO/DI water, have a heater and a power head in there, After the totes are filled, add salt carefully untill the Salinity is 1.25. Let the water aerate for at least a day to make sure all salt is disolved. After a day check the Salinity again, just to make sure it is the same. (sometimes the salt sinks to the bottom and takes a little longer to mix up) If it is the same your good, If not add salt or water till it is right.
This is how to mix up salt for water changes also. Just not so much. Just enough for a good water change and maybe a little extra incase of an emergency. Saltwater will stay good to use for a couple weeks as long as you keep a power head going in there.
The way I alway fill my tank, so people are different, but this has worked for me on all ten tanks I have filled up.
I get my sand, If I am used a new bag of sand, I rinse it off well, and put it in the bottom of the tank.
Then I start to put my water in, I only fill it about a third of the way at this time.
Then I add my rock, That is why I only fill the tank a third of the way, easier to handle the rock and see what I am doing.
After I have my rock in how I want it, I slowly add the rest of my water. I let everything settle down for about 20 minutes. Then I start my filters, power heads and skimmer.
I know some people say that you don't need a skimmer while cycleing a tank. But everytime I've cycled one of my tanks, I empty that skimmer cup at least every other day. There is junk and some die off in the rocks. But I guess it is a matter of prefrence.
The reason I wait for about 20minutes is to let the sand and stuff settle. If you turn on your stuff right after you are done, you may risk sand getting lodged in your powerheads and pumps, and clogging them up.
I run my lights while cycleing also. But only a couple of hours here and there.
After the tank has cycled, amonia spike, then nitrite spike then nitrate spike, then all are at zero, then it is time to do your first water change. Then you can add your clean up crew and let them have at it for a few weeks. I don't usally add any fish until at least three weeks after my cycle is done. Need to wait until enough good bacteria has build up to handle the poo of a fish. Then add only one at a time. One every two to three weeks. That way you don't shock your system.
farslayer
Active Member
Quick question: why would you put the water into tubs and mix it there instead of in the tank? I mean, if his tank is empty, why not just dump the water into the tank, mix the salt and fix the temperature, then use the tubs to top it off and what have you after he's added rock and stuff? I did this with my 125G, of course it took almost four days to fill Just curious.
Just curious.
mandarin w
Member
Do you know how much water the sand and rock will displace.
You would be suprised. If you fill your tank up all the way or even most of the way and start putting sand and rock in, you may have to find something to take water out and hold it in until you get the rest of the rock in.
You would be suprised. If you fill your tank up all the way or even most of the way and start putting sand and rock in, you may have to find something to take water out and hold it in until you get the rest of the rock in.
mandarin w
Member
Just never mix your salt in the tank with the sand, You will have a huge mess!!!
farslayer
Active Member
Anyone mixing salt in their tank has other problems I mix mine up in 5 gallon buckets in my garage where my RO unit is mounted. I'll fill up five buckets and do my water change after my salt is mixed. I don't worry too much about aeration because the oxygen levels in the 125 are high, but I do use an airstone in the buckets while I'm working on the tank, cleaning it up in preparation for the water change.
I mix mine up in 5 gallon buckets in my garage where my RO unit is mounted. I'll fill up five buckets and do my water change after my salt is mixed. I don't worry too much about aeration because the oxygen levels in the 125 are high, but I do use an airstone in the buckets while I'm working on the tank, cleaning it up in preparation for the water change.
mandarin w
Member
I hope you didn't think I thought you mixed salt in your tank. I didn't.
I just wanted to make sure no one did it.
Can we say CONCRETE
I just wanted to make sure no one did it.
Can we say CONCRETE
tx_mermaid
Member
Originally Posted by mandarin w
To fill your tank, get a few new (clean) trash cans, or rubbermaid totes.
You are going to start filling these up a few days before you want to fill your tank.
Fill the cans/totes with your RO/DI water, have a heater and a power head in there, After the totes are filled, add salt carefully untill the Salinity is 1.25. Let the water aerate for at least a day to make sure all salt is disolved. After a day check the Salinity again, just to make sure it is the same. (sometimes the salt sinks to the bottom and takes a little longer to mix up) If it is the same your good, If not add salt or water till it is right.
This is how to mix up salt for water changes also. Just not so much. Just enough for a good water change and maybe a little extra incase of an emergency. Saltwater will stay good to use for a couple weeks as long as you keep a power head going in there.
The way I alway fill my tank, so people are different, but this has worked for me on all ten tanks I have filled up.
I get my sand, If I am used a new bag of sand, I rinse it off well, and put it in the bottom of the tank.
Then I start to put my water in, I only fill it about a third of the way at this time.
Then I add my rock, That is why I only fill the tank a third of the way, easier to handle the rock and see what I am doing.
After I have my rock in how I want it, I slowly add the rest of my water. I let everything settle down for about 20 minutes. Then I start my filters, power heads and skimmer.
I know some people say that you don't need a skimmer while cycleing a tank. But everytime I've cycled one of my tanks, I empty that skimmer cup at least every other day. There is junk and some die off in the rocks. But I guess it is a matter of prefrence.
The reason I wait for about 20minutes is to let the sand and stuff settle. If you turn on your stuff right after you are done, you may risk sand getting lodged in your powerheads and pumps, and clogging them up.
I run my lights while cycleing also. But only a couple of hours here and there.
After the tank has cycled, amonia spike, then nitrite spike then nitrate spike, then all are at zero, then it is time to do your first water change. Then you can add your clean up crew and let them have at it for a few weeks. I don't usally add any fish until at least three weeks after my cycle is done. Need to wait until enough good bacteria has build up to handle the poo of a fish. Then add only one at a time. One every two to three weeks. That way you don't shock your system.
Now this is a great reply
Thank you!
I bet your tanks are lovely
To fill your tank, get a few new (clean) trash cans, or rubbermaid totes.
You are going to start filling these up a few days before you want to fill your tank.
Fill the cans/totes with your RO/DI water, have a heater and a power head in there, After the totes are filled, add salt carefully untill the Salinity is 1.25. Let the water aerate for at least a day to make sure all salt is disolved. After a day check the Salinity again, just to make sure it is the same. (sometimes the salt sinks to the bottom and takes a little longer to mix up) If it is the same your good, If not add salt or water till it is right.
This is how to mix up salt for water changes also. Just not so much. Just enough for a good water change and maybe a little extra incase of an emergency. Saltwater will stay good to use for a couple weeks as long as you keep a power head going in there.
The way I alway fill my tank, so people are different, but this has worked for me on all ten tanks I have filled up.
I get my sand, If I am used a new bag of sand, I rinse it off well, and put it in the bottom of the tank.
Then I start to put my water in, I only fill it about a third of the way at this time.
Then I add my rock, That is why I only fill the tank a third of the way, easier to handle the rock and see what I am doing.
After I have my rock in how I want it, I slowly add the rest of my water. I let everything settle down for about 20 minutes. Then I start my filters, power heads and skimmer.
I know some people say that you don't need a skimmer while cycleing a tank. But everytime I've cycled one of my tanks, I empty that skimmer cup at least every other day. There is junk and some die off in the rocks. But I guess it is a matter of prefrence.
The reason I wait for about 20minutes is to let the sand and stuff settle. If you turn on your stuff right after you are done, you may risk sand getting lodged in your powerheads and pumps, and clogging them up.
I run my lights while cycleing also. But only a couple of hours here and there.
After the tank has cycled, amonia spike, then nitrite spike then nitrate spike, then all are at zero, then it is time to do your first water change. Then you can add your clean up crew and let them have at it for a few weeks. I don't usally add any fish until at least three weeks after my cycle is done. Need to wait until enough good bacteria has build up to handle the poo of a fish. Then add only one at a time. One every two to three weeks. That way you don't shock your system.
Now this is a great reply
I bet your tanks are lovely
farslayer
Active Member
Yeah, mine rocks It actually needs more rock and more fish, but the corals are great. All readings are 0 save for the pH and stuff like that. I'll post a pic at some point, it just looks so empty right now. I upgraded from a 46G and just haven't adjusted my bioload upwards accordingly
It actually needs more rock and more fish, but the corals are great. All readings are 0 save for the pH and stuff like that. I'll post a pic at some point, it just looks so empty right now. I upgraded from a 46G and just haven't adjusted my bioload upwards accordingly