RODI for small FW bad?

Started a FW 5g for my son awhile ago and all was well for a long time. It has just basic fish, some tetras, danios, and a few other small fish and a decent amount of plants. All was great until plants started dying off, and then the tetras, and now a frog. I changed using conditioned tapwater to my RODI water. It seems from reading that this doesn't have the elements needed for fish and plants, and I read to just use the wastwater from the RODI as it would be better.

Any thoughts?
TIA

 

anyone, dont want my son to wake up to more dead fish if I can prevent it!

 

Hopefully someone will chime in. I don't know much about Freshwater. I bet they would like some good ole rainwater though.

 

Not sure about the ro/di,you may have to add something to correct the ph and add necessary elements.I suspect the dieing plants may have been real start of your problem.They could be releasing a large amount of nutrients as they begin to decompose making the water quality take a nose dive.It would probably be good to do a couple 50% water changes while siphoning out as much debris as you can.

 

RODI water is too clean for your plants and fish. Use just RO water, that should work alot better

 

Our freshwater customers use rodi and add whatever is needed to reach their specific water quality needs, or some use RO water mixed with dechlorinated tap water.

Russ

 

For FW tanks, I use tap water (private well), and have never had any issues. The rivers and streams where the fish come from have minerals. Well water has minerals. RO/DI is needed for SW so we can control the minerals by stripping what's there, then adding back what's needed to make it similar to sea water.

As for the waste water from your RO/DI filter, I wouldn't recommend that, but since you stated all was well with conditioned tap water, I'd suggest going back to using it.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

I would take the water from the RODI right before it goes into membrane. basically only have the water go through the sediment and carbon block and that's it.

 

Tap water with Chlorine remover (if you're on city) is all thats needed. Your tap water is drinkable, the water most of those fish come from, is not.