JUST DID A 35% R/O Change
- Thread starter caomt
- Start date
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by caomt
when i first setted up my tank i just used tap water.. now i did some more reading and changed to R/O water about 35% of my tank.. 40 cents a gallon.. is this better?
I wouldn't do so much water change all at once, I would do like around 20-25% every other day instead of 35% in one day. Your disrupting your tank's system. Best to leave it alone for a few days. What's done is already done, but for future reference, you can just do it weekly cause tap is already in, it just takes awhile to convert everything. I did it myself too, but it's all good now after many months. Where are you getting your RO water? I've been getting mine at wal-mart, I have heard some places gone up to 66 cents a gallon, it's 33 cents a gallon here, it used to be a quarter. Best to get a RO unit if it goes up any higher....
when i first setted up my tank i just used tap water.. now i did some more reading and changed to R/O water about 35% of my tank.. 40 cents a gallon.. is this better?
I wouldn't do so much water change all at once, I would do like around 20-25% every other day instead of 35% in one day. Your disrupting your tank's system. Best to leave it alone for a few days. What's done is already done, but for future reference, you can just do it weekly cause tap is already in, it just takes awhile to convert everything. I did it myself too, but it's all good now after many months. Where are you getting your RO water? I've been getting mine at wal-mart, I have heard some places gone up to 66 cents a gallon, it's 33 cents a gallon here, it used to be a quarter. Best to get a RO unit if it goes up any higher....
caomt
Member
i got my R/O water at this local shop for 40 cents walmart is about 10 more mins farther...and with gas prices ill probably just save a bit more time..hehe i got some pictures of my tank with alot of rocks and with less rocks waters a bit cloudy though just got done with it a few mins ago...also got rid of a scopas tang
www.tmcao.com/images/Tank.jpg
www.tmcao.com/images/Tank11.jpg
www.tmcao.com/images/Tank.jpg
www.tmcao.com/images/Tank11.jpg
mudplayerx
Active Member
Starting your tank off with tapwater is fine. The only thing that it is going to really do is give you a larger diatom bloom during your cycle...which is going to happen anyways. Theres no need to be doing large water changes now....especially if you are cycling. If you are doing these changes in your 1st month of setting up your tank then you are making it take longer and longer before you can put any critters in.
After the tank is cycled, then you need to do water changes with RO or distilled water. I recommend no more than 5% per week or up to 20% per month.
After the tank is cycled, then you need to do water changes with RO or distilled water. I recommend no more than 5% per week or up to 20% per month.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Diatom blooms are very distinct. It is a brown "dust" that coats everything. It grows on the glas, sand, rocks, corals....and I'm sure if the fish stood still it would grow on them as well lol.
It is easily identified by touching it. It has a very slighty gritty feel to it and it rubs off easily.
I've never researched this, but I always thought it would be a bad idea to try to rub the stuff off of the "glass" if you have an acrylic tank. Diatoms, although microscopic, have very jagged edges and could possibly cause hazing on your acrylic if you rub them off.
It is easily identified by touching it. It has a very slighty gritty feel to it and it rubs off easily.
I've never researched this, but I always thought it would be a bad idea to try to rub the stuff off of the "glass" if you have an acrylic tank. Diatoms, although microscopic, have very jagged edges and could possibly cause hazing on your acrylic if you rub them off.