Reverse Osmosis water - Remineralize questions.

[OsirisII]

Good day.
I have Seriu stones in my aqua cca 25kg in 110l. I use RO water for water changes (10ppm TDS). Till now I used a Seachem Equilibrium but my KH is really high around 7 midweek and climbs to almost 10 in weekend when I do waterchange, TDS also around 250 midweek around 300 before water change.I don't have GH kit, PH is 7.5.
So last time I didn't used any product to remineralize.
What product to use or how to get this all together? Should I continue use of equlibrium (still has a lot of it)
I am lost
Thank you for reading and helping

 

[_Maq_]

Seachem Equilibrium is not only a huge waste of money, but it provides a poorly balanced mineralization.

I have Seriu stones in my aqua cca 25kg in 110l.

With that, you'll hardly ever get soft and moderately acidic water which most plants prefer.

So last time I didn't used any product to remineralize.

That's not ideal, either, because your plants may lack potassium or/and magnesium.

 

[OsirisII]

So what is the solution? How do aquascapers keep so much stone in tank with RO water?
I now know that Equlibrium is not the best but I ordered Salty shrimp GH+ (not the GH/KH+). I hope it will be better

 

[_Maq_]

How do aquascapers keep so much stone in tank with RO water?

I'd like to know myself. I assume that it has something to do with the fact that professional scapers do not create their scapes to last for long. Maybe. I don't know.
You can still have a nice tank with Seiryu Stone but your choice of plants will likely remain limited to those more resilient to hard/alkaline water.

 

[John q]

So what is the solution?

Just add some Magnesium sulphate (mgso4) to the ro water, far cheaper than Equilibrium or salty shrimp. Assuming you add fertilizer that should add some potassium.

I've never had seriu stones but believe @Tim Harrison and @Wookii have managed to grow fairly nice plants in the presence of these stones.

 

[Happi]

How do aquascapers keep so much stone in tank with RO water?

they either perform multiple water changes to keep the raising GH/KH down or their choice of plant is more tolerable toward the raising GH/KH from these kinds of stones, or both.

So what is the solution

better to use your own salt such as Cacl, CaSo4, MgSo4 Combination.

 

[OsirisII]

According to some calculator I should add 7.2g and 5.58g of products to get to some kind of index. Idk what all this means and it will be very hard to learn. There are multiple options on this calculator what should I choose?
I mainly want avoid too hard water and high KH


And yes I am using fertilizer Tropica Specialized 1ml daily.

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

I am lost
Thank you for reading and helping

What are you trying to achieve @OsirisII ?

Is there a particular plant species you are struggling with? Or are your targets for a certain fish species?

 

[Happi]

Seriu stones

I mainly want avoid too hard water and high KH

unfortunately, this makes it harder to achieve your goal.

 

[OsirisII]

Is there a particular species you are struggling with?

My plants don't exactly grow I got crypts buces some rotalas s repens, glossostigma, hairgrass died, AR(red plant witch isn't red at all) ,I use CO2, I use ferts good light, got a nice scape but its going nowwhere so struggling after 2 months with this thank.
Very frustrating and I look where I make errors.
I am trying very hard to achieve growth but nothing moves only algae
multiple carpeting plant refuse to pick up tried monte carlo, cuba glosso and one more, i dont remember anymore all died or not growing at all.
so lot of € in this hobby and just frustrating.

 

[OsirisII]

I read forums, blogs, watch videos and the plants there are so nice and healthy...
I know its not easy and thats why I am asking.

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

I read forums, blogs, watch videos and the plants there are so nice and healthy...
I know its not easy and thats why I am asking.

That is disappointing to hear, we’ve all been here. Hopefully we can get more concise by being precise so you can enjoy some success.

My plants don't exactly grow I got crypts buces some rotalas s repens, glossostigma, hairgrass died, AR(red plant witch isn't red at all) ,I use CO2, I use ferts good light, got a nice scape but its going nowwhere so struggling after 2 months with this thank.

With the exception of some Rotala species and Alternanthera Reineckii your plants can grow in harder water, let alone struggling.

Can you offer some information regarding your setup so myself and others can help point you in a useful direction?

I use CO2, I use ferts good light, got a nice scape but its going nowwhere so struggling after 2 months

What size tank? How are you implementing Co2? Flow and distribution around the tank, surface agitation from spray bar or lily pipe or other? What fertiliser are you using, how much and how frequently?

 

[hypnogogia]

According to some calculator I should add 7.2g and 5.58g of products to get to some kind of index. Idk what all this means and it will be very hard to learn. There are multiple options on this calculator what should I choose?
I mainly want avoid too hard water and high KH


And yes I am using fertilizer Tropica Specialized 1ml daily.

What calculator, what products, what values did you enter into calculator?

 

[OsirisII]

That is disappointing to hear, we’ve all been here. Hopefully we can get more concise by being precise so you can enjoy some success.



With the exception of some Rotala species and Alternanthera Reineckii your plants can grow in harder water, let alone struggling.

Can you offer some information regarding your setup so myself and others can help point you in a useful direction?



What size tank? How are you implementing Co2? Flow and distribution around the tank, surface agitation from spray bar or lily pipe or other? What fertiliser are you using, how much and how frequently?

Tank is 60x45x45 so around 110l. For co2 i use reactor of some Italian manufacturer. I need to put into tank copious amount of co2 to get dropchecker going green. I made a thread in co2 few days ago, i had then inline diffuser but that was a shitshow.
Flow and distribution is I think good when I feed fish I can see the flakes circling in front of the tank and all around. Surface agitation is done by lily pipe and eheim skimmer.
For fertilizer I use Tropica specialized nutrition. Dayili dosing 1ml with autodoser. In substrate there are none of the amazonia sticks, i used tropica root tabs 10pcs. Furthermore the stones are on lava slit, around 20-25l. I used 5 or 6 media bags for the lava slit. Oh and ofc in the bottom some ADA powersand.
Water changes religiously never missed one, I have a good system for it. I use RO water got a 150l system and storage for 180l.
Lightning is twinstar 600 III E. Timer 7hrs dayili from 9:30 till 16:30. Co2 is on 3hrs before lights till the end.
Filtration is done by Eheim 600 4+ full of seachem matrix and bag of purigen
Lastly temperature of tank is set to 21 degrees Celsius.

The calculator is linked right here some rotala butterfly idk I don’t know how to use it thats why I prefer ready products. Maybe salts are cheaper but I rather get ease a usage than price.

Current setup

 

[Kalum]

It sounds like you've went all in with getting great equipment and done your research so it can be even more disheartening when it's not working out as expected but stick with it. It's a process and learning curve and as hard as it can be try and enjoy the journey and not just the end product.

It's quite a deep tank so personally I would be looking to get a lily pipe which points downwards a bit more to make sure there's more water movement in the lower parts, I'd also move your skimmer to the back left corner to help with maintain the circular flow instead of possibly fighting against your lily pipe outlet as it is now

With regards to the Seiryu stone, I've had the same issue in the past and got caught up in trying to achieve the golden TDS numbers (around 150 that the likes of green aqua etc. state) instead of letting the plants and fish do the talking. Focus on plant health, it may mean moving plants around that work better or worse in certain areas, but again this is just the learning curve. If you need softer water for specific fish or shrimps, then unfortunately it's probably a case of don't use Seiryu or you will be constantly chasing numbers and it'll be a fluctuating environment for them. BUT a lot won't mind a TDS of 250.

My last tank with Seiryu was a great success (IMO) and i was similar in that TDS would be around 150 after water change and 250 at next water change. Link to it is in my signature if you want to take a look and there's loads of others with successful tanks using that stone.

 

[OsirisII]

Thank you for answering.
Yes I enjoy cleaning the tank getting the pipes clean every week and changing filter floss monthly.
About that TDS. I know it can get higher but right after waterchange its 150 so if I use Equlibrium it will jump up significantly. I already ordered Salty shrimp GH+ but to what level should I remineralize? Like how much should I add?
Thank you

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

changing filter floss monthly

If you are going to use filter floss (and <"I don't personally recommend it">) you need to <"change it more frequently">.

I already ordered Salty shrimp GH+ but to what level should I remineralize? Like how much should I add?

Can you send it back? The only reason being that it is mainly calcium (Ca++) (from CaCl2.2H2O) <"SALTYSHRIMP - Bee Shrimp Mineral GH+"> and you already have plenty of calcium (and carbonate (HCO3-)) from the dissolution of your Seiryu (limestone) rock.

I use a <"small dash of hard tap water"> (~ 17 dGH & ~17 dKH) to "remineralise" the rainwater that I use in the tanks.

You will need to add magnesium (Mg++) but then as a fertiliser, rather than to add dGH (although it will do both) <"Some handy facts about water">. You can buy <"Epsom Salts"> (magnesium sulphate heptahydrate (MgSO4.7H2O)) cheaply and <"they are ~10% Mg">.

cheers Darrel

 

[OsirisII]

Hi all,

If you are going to use filter floss (and <"I don't personally recommend it">) you need to <"change it more frequently">.

Can you send it back? The only reason being that it is mainly calcium (Ca++) (from CaCl2.2H2O) <"SALTYSHRIMP - Bee Shrimp Mineral GH+"> and you already have plenty of calcium (and carbonate (HCO3-)) from the dissolution of your Seiryu (limestone) rock.

I use a <"small dash of hard tap water"> (~ 17 dGH & ~17 dKH) to "remineralise" the rainwater that I use in the tanks.

You will need to add magnesium (Mg++) but then as a fertiliser, rather than to add dGH (although it will do both) <"Some handy facts about water">. You can buy <"Epsom Salts"> (magnesium sulphate heptahydrate (MgSO4.7H2O)) cheaply and <"they are ~10% Mg">.

cheers Darrel

Thank you for advice on filter floss. I can get some prefilter for gross or medium sponges, witch one should I use then?
My reactor is choking flow more than filter floss…
Yes I can return the Salty shrimp.
I can buy the chemical compound, it will arrive in few days. How much should I use?
I don’t understand half of things some people are discussing here and for me its on basic knowlege and level.
You guys talking to me like some chemistry proffesors😵‍💫. I understand you have knowledge but I can’t comprehend some things even after a long read.

 

[John q]

I can buy the chemical compound, it will arrive in few days. How much should I use?
I don’t understand half of things some people are discussing here and for me its on basic knowlege and level.
You guys talking to me like some chemistry proffesors😵‍💫

Lol, let's see if we can simplify things.
How much water do you change each week?

 

[OsirisII]

50% as recommended
So thats why I have 150TDS after change. Its around 300 before.