Additives for RO/DI top-off water

dx7fd2 · 01-10-2005, 07:57 PM

Are most of you reefers adding anything to the water that you use for evaporation compensation?

I am using RO/DI water and have been reading that it is a good idea to add some electrolytes, and alk/calcium type additives to the RO water because the filter depletes everything from the water. So far I have been using bi-carbonate and have recently switched to adding Warner Marines "Reef Safe" ph buffer.

Any thoughts out there in 3reef land?

Drew

JohnO · 01-10-2005, 08:14 PM

Drew,

Well it may be different for me but I use the top off water to balance my Alk and Calc. I don't add anything else.

John

dx7fd2 · 01-10-2005, 08:38 PM

Right now I'm using an autotopoff bucket with a pump in it and a small float switch so I am not sure how I would control the amount of alk/calc with that method. I use B-ionic daily. I was more wondering if the fact that the RO/DI is so pure that it might leach out some of the trace elements in the water in the tank, or I should say dilute it more than if I have some of the trace stuff in the top-off water.

Drew

shawnz28 · 01-10-2005, 08:41 PM

I persoanlly added some buffer to my top off water to get it up to tank levels to help keep my alk levels from dropping.

JohnO · 01-10-2005, 08:49 PM

Drew,

Which particular 'trace elements' are you concerned about? I have a view that all this talk about trace elements and the necessity for hobbiest to try to add and/or control them in rubbish :-)

All the elements you need are contained in the substrate, rocks and food that you introduce into the tank, no real need to worry or concern yourself with their concentrations or dilutions. :-)

I don't quote people often and particularly this man, but Dr Shimek wrote some wise words here

http://www.reefs.org/library/members...ek_042799.html

and in particular

" Normal coral reef processes are mediated by the reef organisms NOT by water chemistry, consequently the stability of coral reefs with regard to physical and biological properties is a myth."

and

" Micromanagement of my system is unnecessary, if the system is adequately diverse, it will largely take care of itself.
The only physical parameters necessary to control are temperature, and light.
The only chemical parameter necessary to control is calcium. "

John

amcarrig · 01-11-2005, 08:57 AM

[quote author=dx7fd2 link=board=General;num=1105415854;start=0#0 date=01/10/05 at 22:57:34]Are most of you reefers adding anything to the water that you use for evaporation compensation?[/quote]
The only thing that I add to my top off water is Aragamight.

dx7fd2 · 01-11-2005, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Which particular 'trace elements' are you concerned about?

John, I was mostly curious as to what other people do or don't do..the elements I am most concerned with are as you said calcium, and also alkalinity and the ph factor which if I am not mistaken is being taken care of by my addition of a little buffer in the top-off water.

Believe you me, I am not a proponent of chemical additions and supplementation with the exception of those elements that are used by coral growth, (calcium and possibly magnesium), and the natural fading of elements over time.

I have been struggling a little bit with maintaining the calcium/alk levels, but I think that was because I am being so careful with the B-Ionic that I expected it to raise these levels and didn't up the amount of the B-Ionic I was using.

At the present I am dosing daily with twice the recommended amount of B-Ionic and the levels are rising slowly.

Calc is around 380
Alk around 3 meq/L

These are averages...I think I would like to be up a little on both numbers and wondered if adding something to the top-off would help. I have not, as yet, tried the Kalkwasser method as I do not want to change horses in mid-stream...

Thanks again everyone for your input...I'm just a newbie trying to get it right!!!

Drew

Birdlady · 01-11-2005, 09:36 AM

Hi Drew!

I am having the same problems. I do use Kalk and B-Ionic together. Altho, I must say, my problems is most likely the lack of dilligence on my part. Esp. with the holidays.

You can use the kalk along with the b-ionic safely.

I like the B-ionic as it also has some of the trace elements included.

dx7fd2 · 01-11-2005, 11:40 AM

Hello Birdlady...

I have been using a little bit of Warner Marine Calcium supplement to try and raise the calc a little at a time. It's working slowly but I am adding it slowly so I guess that is OK.

I forgot to tell you that I did change the salt I'm using from Oceanic to Marine Environment, with the little bottle of supplements, and everything seems fine. It was a little strange 'cause I got the 50gal size (cheaper) and had to divide the bottle up. I think it works out to about 4ml per 10 gal of water. This did help my alk levels which with Oceanic were sticking at 2.0 to 2.5 and now at least I can get that up to 3 without dosing with bicarb.

I have been checking the Mag level and it seems to be maintaining around 1390-1400, but I have some supplement if I need it.

After reading the latest article in advanced aquarist about calc/alk I am opting for slowly raising using the B-ionic which I am now getting in the gallon jugs (half the price).

I guess I should have known that the calc was going to get used up by the amount of coralline that is growing in the tank. The majority of the rock in the tank, I made, so there is a lot of growth on those rocks because they had nothing on them to begin with.

Slowly but surely I am figuring these things out. Does it sound like I'm getting the fundamentals down? Sometimes I just don't know...

!!

Thanks for your help and input BL!

[smiley=sunny.gif] [smiley=sunny.gif] [smiley=sunny.gif]

Drew

JohnO · 01-11-2005, 11:44 AM

[quote author=dx7fd2 link=board=General;num=1105415854;start=0#6 date=01/11/05 at 12:12:33]

I have been struggling a little bit with maintaining the calcium/alk levels, but I think that was because I am being so careful with the B-Ionic that I expected it to raise these levels and didn't up the amount of the B-Ionic I was using.

At the present I am dosing daily with twice the recommended amount of B-Ionic and the levels are rising slowly.

Calc is around 380
Alk around 3 meq/L

These are averages...I think I would like to be up a little on both numbers and wondered if adding something to the top-off would help. I have not, as yet, tried the Kalkwasser method as I do not want to change horses in mid-stream...

Thanks again everyone for your input...I'm just a newbie trying to get it right!!!

Drew[/quote]

Drew,

Check your Magnessium level, if it's low it may be inhibiting your ability to raise Alk/Calc :-)

John