New Tank With ADA Amazonia Aquasoil

[Jimmy Dale]

I am planning a 'high tech' 50l planted tank for dwarf puffers Carinotetraodon travancoricus and otocinclus. I will be using ADA Aquasoil Amazonia substrate. I want the pH close to 6.5. To achieve this I will be using RO water with RO right and waterlife 6.5 buffer. According to the article I have read on this site, once I have filled the tank for the first time I need to perform a daily 50% water change for the first few days and then every other day for about a fortnight, finally levelling out to weekly 50% changes.

I do not have an RO unit and can only carry 25l at a time from my local aquarium store so a daily water change with RO will prove quite difficult. Would it therefore be OK to use tap water (comes out the tap at pH8) to start with for the first fortnight and then switch to RO with buffers when I am ready for the fish?

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Tom]

I would just use tapwater, it's so much cheaper and you don't need to aim for pH6.5. Amazonia will bring the pH down anyway, but your chosen fish won't really care

Tom

 

[Jimmy Dale]

I'd much rather use tap water as it will save me a lot of money and trips to the aquarium store with a big vat of water. should I still use a 6.5 buffer with the tap water? or just tap water? I've heard that Amazonia will buffer water to around 6.8 but I wasn't sure if that would still be the case with my exceptionally high pH tap water, also won't the big water changes with tap water cause big fluctuations in pH if the tank water is 6.8 and tap water going in is pH8?

 

[Tom]

No, don't worry about any buffers. Just a dechlorinator if you use one. It might cause some fluctuation but I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Jimmy Dale]

Cool cheers tom.

 

[Radik]

Yeah as above unless you are not going to keep some acid lover tetras or plants do not bother with RO. I am personally using it for green neons, pencilfish and shrimps but I can make my own.