Freshwater guestion PPLLEEase

sundance

sundance

Member
I know this is a saltwater forum, but I also know many of you have freshwater and saltwater aquariums, so one quick question please. I have saltwater and freshwater and just started using RO/DI water. Do I have to do anything or add anything to RO/DI water before I use it in my freshwater tank?
Thanks
 
murray bmf

murray bmf

Member
No, the biggest problem with fresh water is people use it straight from the tap, which contains chemicals like flouride and chlorine. RO/DI should not have any of these and should be ready to go. Granted there is no biologcal filter or slime coat yet and a new tank should be allowed to mature for a few days before putting fish in it. You can buy some chemicals to help your slime coat get going at Pet Smart or even wal mart.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
Sorry to disasgree but a major water change in a FW tank using RO/DI will endanger your fish!!!!!!
RO/DI strips everything out of the water including the electrolites and other menerals and elements that FW need to survive.
Kent makes a product called RO right made especially for this reason.
TRUST ME I Kill my FW tank by the same thinking that it wouldnt hurt and everything was dead the next morning....
Mike
 
cindyski

cindyski

Active Member
i am another tap water user for fresh water, never aged it in the 15+ years that i have been in the f/w hobby.
 
dreeves

dreeves

Active Member
Cyanobacteria is present in all walks and forms of life...it is one of the oldest living organism on Earth...it is present everywhere..water and land alike...the moss on trees, the slime in the oceans...everywhere...
So it could very well be.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
yep FW tanks gets cyno too.
Have you ever seen a tank with a dark black ring around the bottom by the gravel. thats a type of bacteria in the same family. I have seen it black, green, and brown.
when I get it I do a water change and stire up the gravel really good before I do it and change 50 to 75 % of the water useing aged water of course. It wont really mess with the bacteria as much in FW as it does in SW you might have a little ammonia spike but nothing to get overly worried about.
I dont think it came in on the plants though ( it might have but) my betta tanks if left along and just toped offed will form this bacteria in the gravel and sides I think its more of a lack of water movment in the tank and sitting than it is anything else.
I change my betta tank water at least 2 times a month and they seem happyier than when I forget to do them.
What types of Bettas do you have?
Mike
 
javatech

javatech

Member
if you have a ro/di unit you can use the waste water from it if you have a fis that likes hard water i use it in my African Cichlid tank it just what they like and you don't have to add any thing to it affter all it's been cleaned by your frist stages in your ro/di unit the flouride and chlorine have been striped out by your carbon filter
 
cathbad

cathbad

Member
The biggest problem is freshwater, as with keeping saltwater, is that people don't know what they're doing and don't want to take the time to research, read and learn what is going on in those glass boxes.
 
cathbad

cathbad

Member
True, we are and this is a good source of information, but unfortunately too many of those who keep fish never read a book, article, or any other source of information and just keep buying fish to replace those which die far short of their normal life expectancy.
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
I use RO/DI for my marine tanks.
I use tapwater that has been dechlorinated with Sodium Thiosulfate and has sat in an open container for 24 hours for my freshwater tank. I do aerate this freshwater for large water changes. Top offs - no.
I would not add RO/DI water to my freshwater tank without conditioning it first - as mentioned above.
 
dacia

dacia

Active Member
I have great success with my freshwater tanks. I use tap water treated with AquaSafe which removes/neutralizes the chlorine in your water without adding anything like phosphates.
I have never used RO/DI water in freshwater tanks. I agree that it does not contain necessary nutrients for freshwater fish.
Also be sure to add small amounts of freshwater salt to enhance the fishes' slime coats and boosts their immunity. I don't use this in goldfish tanks...there are opposing viewpoints that both look valid on salt use for goldies, but mine thrive without it. Here's a closeup of my panda bear oranda named Hershey:
 
I

iluvfish

Guest

The ph is also too low for FW using an RODI

Unless you are raising Discus (also a new hobby of mine) They like a very low pH of 6.5 or so. And also very soft water.
I also have a ? - My tap water comes from a well that I have to run a water softner through so everything isn't totally rusted. We don't even drink our tap water! I have no choice but to use RO water which I haul from town.) Now I still haven't been able to get ahold of the water company to see if this is RODI or just RO. - SHould I be adding a conditioner or is there something else I should do?
 
dacia

dacia

Active Member
My water is also well water connected to a water softener. All my fish do beautifully with this water treated with AquaSafe and a little FW salt. ;)
BTW, why don't you drink that water? IMHO, it tastes much better than yucky city water and I haven't died yet. :D
 
j21kickster

j21kickster

Active Member

Originally posted by Cathbad
True, we are and this is a good source of information, but unfortunately too many of those who keep fish never read a book, article, or any other source of information and just keep buying fish to replace those which die far short of their normal life expectancy.
I dont see what you are getting at- we all know this and that is why we are anwsering questions. No one quetioned that statment to be false:confused: -
I have used treated tap for a loooong time with no ill effects- Its cheaper too
 
I

iluvfish

Guest
DvS - Where can I get the RO RITE?
Dacia - I do cook with it but I don't much care for the taste myself:D Anyway - I guess I'll have to check the softness of the water through my water softner - I had NO IDEA you could use water softner salt water in a fish tank. I LOVE THIS SITE!!!:D :D
 
cindyski

cindyski

Active Member
well, JMO, but i think people tend to "overtreat" their tanks. i have had freshwater forever and i never used any additives of any kind except for stress coat & carbon on occasion and i never had a problem. i am wondering if saltwater is going to be the same way "add this, add that"
my friend has freshwater and is always adding crap and complaining her tank is cloudy, lost a fish yada yada yada. i told her to quit putting that crap in her tank, she dont listen though. she saw my tanks healthy and thriving with no additives and honestly in my FW tanks i dont even remember ever using a test kit. unless i saw a problem then i would take a sample to the lfs, and that was in the beginning, after that if something looked off i just did a simple water change and everyone was happy
someone once told me, and i may have mentioned this here before, but if you have the money to buy a fish, make sure you have money to throw away, cuz fish WILL die. though we all do our best to keep them alive. but sometimes, your number is just up.
i guess everyone just has their own way. i think i will be more finicky with SW than FW.
 
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