Planted aquariums - RO water - Which minerals additive?

[Deleted]

Greetings All,

I am just writing here for your opinion/advice on which mineral additive to use for planted aquariums. As you already know, I have been taking GOOD RO water down to northern Kentucky to do my son's water changes (stores near him were selling mineral water as RO!!). I had been using my own RO Right (powered) but am now using his liquid RO Right just to use it up. I will be buying my son fish care products for his birthday.

Please help me out here: Benefit of Seachem Replenish over Seachem Equilibrium?

After reading everything on Seachem's site, it is obvious they don't like Kent RO Right (although don't mention it by name). I use Kent RO Right because I don't have a planted aquarium (and the online site from which I buy most supplies no longer carries Replenish. Their expert recommended RO Right - and I have used it ever since September 2011). Seachem "bashes" the kind of salts in RO Right and touts their Equilibrium as better/superior.

Here is just one thread in their forum:

www.seachem.com/support/forums/showthread.php?t=3794

I don't want any product that will mess with KH or pH as those readings are ideal (both of his planted aquariums have a CO2 tank)-- and I don't want a product that will send the GH off the charts as I have gotten the GH down to a level that is safer for all of his fish (now around 8 to 9 degrees -- I have added some of the RO Right to each bucket so as to maintain proper mineral balance. I felt adding buckets without any trace minerals would be more harmful).

Devon has already suggested using Seachem Replenish with Wonder Shells (via online question submission)....I know I can't "sell" Wonder Shells to my son -- yet. You folks need to "sell" me on buying Replenish for him over Equilibrium (My son uses Seachem products for his plants). I did read a review on one site that stated Equilibrium made pH too high (from 6.8 to over 8.0) - and GH skyrocketed. I read another review that stated Equilibrium was good for his/her plants. I want a product best for FISH. All of my son's plants are doing very well. All fish in his planted tanks prefer softer water (3 degrees hardness to 6 degrees hardness)

No rush for an answer.... My son's birthday is mid November so I will take his fish care package to him at Thanksgiving. I have already given him three or four fish care packages since August (smile). I have several items on the list from AAP. Any product I regularly buy from another source, but is also carried by AAP, will be purchased from AAP. I want some of the Aqua Master food for my fish, but don't "need" it right now (I have plenty of back-up supply of fish food, but this one appealed to me). The Aqua Master food will be added to the order for my son. 

Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

Judy D.

P.S. Just a funny for you.. Maybe I should get into plants?.. The nitrate reading in both of his planted tanks is near zero - barely pink on the dippy stick (yes, I know, some nitrates are needed for the plants). For a quick nitrates check, I prefer the dippy stick. API liquid test takes too long.

I am going to try a fish that prefers plants....Peacock Gudgeons (my son has some and I love them!). If I can't keep them alive, then my next move will be to convert one of the 20 gallon tanks to a planted aquarium. I would have to wait until I get my stock down, though, so I can move fish into one of the other tanks while the planted tank is being set up. I plan to buy three Peacock Gudgeons to see how they do...Those will be the last fish I buy for the upstairs tanks for a while.

[Deleted]

Greetings All,

I am updating my question now with the following link:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2006/12/how-do-fish-drink.html#correct_ro

I found that link in a post made by Steven elsewhere in the forum. So, basically, the difference is that Replenish also has buffers, while RO Right does not (which I knew already). I use Seachem Acid Buffer combined with Alkaline Buffer - ratio one part acid buffer to two parts alkaline buffer (both are needed to help maintain a pH of 7.0 - or close to that. My son keeps his pH at 6.8).

If anyone else has additional information to share, please do. I know many of you have not had success with Equilibrium (as per advice given through an online question to AAP) - or do not like it... and I will do more research online to determine why.

Judy D.

[Carl]

As a correction, it is not correct that we do not like SeaChem Equilibrium, in fact it is an excellent product that I used many times and I feel is most definitely superior to Kent's product.
As per the Aquarium Answers article, I simply feel my method is better, but this does not mean that those (including SeaChem) are wrong.

As per Kent's product, part of my problem is they are bad about not publishing ingredients for many of their products.

It is noteworthy that attempting to bring many different methods for fishkeeping, all of which separately very workable but different methods is a common set up for failure

I don't want a product that will send the GH off the charts as I have gotten the GH down to a level that is safer for all of his fish

As a generalization, I simply do not agree with this statement for reasons I have stated before based on my experiments and research

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html#gh

Carl

[Deleted]

>> I don't want a product that will send the GH off the charts as I have gotten the GH down to a level that is safer for all of his fish

Thanks Carl,

I couldn't find any mention of Equilibrium on your site.....so I made a "bad" assumption (smile).

That comment (above) was based on a review on an online retail site. Yes, I know those are often not accurate. I have more time to decide which product to buy for him (my son) for his planted aquariums. I won't be switching any time soon (for my own use) as I bought another container of Kent RO Right a few days before I joined this forum. The powdered product lasts a lot longer than the liquid (the liquid bottles would leak out in my supply bin if/when it tipped over).

I haven't tried Replenish yet....I do plan to give that product a try.

Adding to this post:

I think the reason I went with Kent RO Right was the ease of the instructions. Here are the instructions for Replenish:
DIRECTIONS: Add 5 mL (1 capful) Replenish™ to 40 L (10 US Gallons) to raise GH by 1 meq/L (2.8 dGH). Recommended restoration level into DI or RO water is 1-2 meq/L which is 5 mL per each 20-40 L (5-10 US gallons).

I wanted a GH around 6 degrees for my 75 gallon...and a little less than that for my smaller aquariums. Kent RO Right instructions were just easier to follow. I needed to add minerals to 5 gallon buckets of RO water. MY son wants a GH of 3 to 6 degrees (right now his is much higher -- but fish are all doing fine now).

Now that I have more experience treating RO water (been doing this now since September 2011 - My fish were "poisoned" the tenth anniversary of 9/11 - that was the weekend), I might be able to figure out the Replenish instructions.

Again, I appreciate the help.

Cheers,

Judy

[Deleted]

>> As per Kent's product, part of my problem is they are bad about not publishing ingredients for many of their products.

Yes, you are right - but they did explain a bit to me on the phone a while back.......
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Greetings Carl and All,

As I wrote before, I doubt I will be able to get my son to use Wonder Shells. I have decided to get him Equilibrium for his planted tanks (for conditioning the RO water). From what I know already, Kent RO Right has salts that don't measure using standard GH test kits and dippy strips (sodium salts). I did call Kent myself a while back as I was concerned my GH was too low (based on the dippy strips and liquid test kit). The associate assured me I was putting in the right amount.

I may eventually switch over to Replenish for my own aquariums. I have extra RO Right on hand that I can give my son for his 90 gallon (no plants there). I am going to call Seachem Tech support - for help in figuring the measure of Replenish. They have helped me in the past.

I heard back from my other Expert and have asked permission to share his advice here.... When I get permission, I will simply edit this post.

With my son's 90 gallon... The high GH was part of the problem (pH was also too low - KH very low - nitrates way too high)....There wasn't the proper balance/ions (you know what I mean). Water changes with the right mineral balance did help his fish (as did raising the KH and maintaining a safer pH. We are still working on lowing the nitrates). Now that the fish are on the mend, I am going to try to talk him into using some pieces of Wonder Shells - to insure a proper balance.

Cheers,

Judy D.

[Carl]

I couldn't find any mention of I couldn't find any mention of Equilibrium on your site.

I used the search box on "Aquarium Answers" and found Equilibrium immediately.

Do not forget that "Aquarium/Pond Answers" is also our site, as well noted all over our main website (such as the "Aquarium Information" page).

Each has a separate search box as per previous customer requests.

The purpose of this website is very unique content versus often more broad content on our main website.
Quote from "Aquarium/Pond Answers" (about the mission of the website)
"This is a great resource for answers, help, & advice to aquarium and pond questions not found elsewhere"

Resource:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/

Carl

[Deleted]

Thanks Carl,

You are right - I only did the search on AAP.... I am going to order Equilibrium (simply because it is powdered - won't leak out like liquids can/do - Plus from all I read (on Seachem's site), it is better for planted aquariums. I keep my RO/water change supplies in a plastic tub.

Thanks again for all of your help/advice with this topic. It certainly can get confusing sometimes which product is best......

Now, if others get confused, there will be a thread here to help (smile).

Cheers,

Judy D

[Carl]

Plus from all I read, it is better for planted aquariums.

While I know of many experts in the hobby that do think this, I have to respectfully disagree and I do not want future readers of this thread to think there is a consensus of science as per the use of this product.

While I did use Equilibrium and find it to be an excellent product, the method I recommended in the Aquarium Answers article using Replenish worked better as per my tests.
Why? Simple, the method I chose to use kept pH swings to a minimum during peak time of photosynthesis. This is a testable fact of GH maintenance and photosynthesis, not just my opinion

www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2006/12/how-do-fish-drink.html

Also Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumPlants.html

Carl

[Deleted]

Thanks Carl,

I corrected my post... I really need to reread before I click reply. It should have read from what I read on SEACHEM's site....Sorry. Glad I checked in tonight so I could fix my mistake.

I have been busy and haven't had a chance to read the second link you posted. Will do that soon. I have already read the how-do-fish-drink page. I will review all before I make my purchase....the product isn't needed until mid November, so I have time to decide.

The good news, there are no pH swings for my son's 2 planted aquariums - those remain around 6.8.

I will be sure to send my son your links as well. I only service his aquariums once or twice a month. He tends to the plants, CO2 and filters for the planted aquariums.

Judy D.