# Equilibrium ?



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

I'm using RO water now and realized that I need to be putting something back in the water.

Is equilibrium a good idea? 

thanks!

If I check my gH - the first couple drops are a super pale orange - does this mean my gH is 0?


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

RO water has none of the minerals the fish and plants need.

Generally we measure these as GH (General Hardness) and KH (Carbonate Hardness). 
GH measures the calcium and magnesium. These are important for both fish and plants. 
Fish thrive when the GH is most similar to the waters they evolved in. Low levels for soft water fish, high levels for hard water fish. 
Plants are not very picky- any level of GH is fine for most, as long as it is not zero. There is a small group of plants that do require very soft water, but they are not common in aquariums. 
KH is important because it stabilizes the pH. Generally soft water in nature has a neutral to acidic pH and hard water has a more alkaline pH. This is because the natural minerals that make the water hard or soft are most often some sort of limestone, which is mostly calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. So, both enter the water at the same time. This is not always the case, so some research about your fish can help you to make the water right for the fish. 

To raise the GH of the water you need to add calcium and magnesium in the right ratios. Plants use the calcium and magnesium in a ratio of about 4 parts Ca: 1 part Mg. The balance does not have to be exactly this. However, do not simply add Epsom salt. This provides magnesium, and will read on the GH test. But it has no calcium. 
Seachem Equilibrium is good for GH in a planted tank. It has both Ca and Mg. 
It is a bit tricky to dissolve. I put the full amount in a canning jar with a secure lid and shake. A lot. Pour off the water with the dissolved minerals into the tank or prep bucket, add more water to the undissolved material in the jar and keep shaking. 

To raise the KH you can add baking soda or potassium bicarbonate. It dissolves rather quickly. If you use baking soda: 1 teaspoon added to 30 gallons of water will raise the KH 2 German degrees of hardness. It takes less potassium bicarbonate to do the same. 

GH and KH are measured in the same units. 
The reagent style test kits like API often use German degrees of hardness. 
The dip-stick style tests usually use ppm or mg/l (same thing)
There are 17.9 ppm in one German degree of hardness. 

The other minerals that plants and fish need can come from fish food and fertilizers. 
Seachem Equilibrium also contains potassium. Depending on how much Equilibrium you need, this can be a good source of potassium for the plants. They use quite a bit, and fish food does not supply very much.


----------



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

I am starting with my ei dosing today when I change water. I think it would be easier to maintain proper levels that way vs adding tap water. Correct?


----------



## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

I mix RO with tap water personally, 1 gallon tap to 4 gallons RO give me 3KH and 4GH... But you can use equilibirum/baking soda. I didn't really like using equilibrium because it took forever to dissolve and looked cloudy.


----------



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

Ya, I don't want cloudy water. I got purigen and it's super clear.

I suppose if I figure out my ratio, it would be easier to use tap mixed with RO and cheaper too!


----------



## kep (Feb 3, 2015)

I use all RO water and use equilibrium to raise the GH. It is cloudy when you first put it in the water but it dissipates quickly. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

I don't understand what the difference is between that & the Seachem Replenish? anyone know?


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Equilibrium.html

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Replenish.html

Read the labels yourself: They have different ingredients. Including water. Why pay for shipping water? Just get the dry ingredients (Equilibrium) and add your own water. Ya' got a tank of it right there!

Tap + RO can be cheaper than using 100% RO and buying the right minerals. 
If the tap water is good (no toxins) just too high GH and KH, then you can work up a recipe that will make the GH and KH right for the livestock you want to keep. 

In natural water the GH and KH are often about the same level. But not always. In tap water the levels might be anywhere. One too high, the other too low. Or you might be getting your water out of a well with some different levels of GH and KH. I prefer to set up an aquarium with the GH and KH sort of about the same. A degree or two apart maximum. 

No matter what the source... 
If the GH & KH are not similar in your tap water, here is what I would do:
Lets say the KH was too high, and the GH a lot lower. 
I would mix the recipe to make the KH right, then add minerals (Equilibrium) to bring the GH up to where I want it. 
The opposite is just as easy. It if is the GH that is too high, then mix the recipe 'til the GH is right and then add potassium bicarbonate to raise the KH. 

If you are using 100% RO water, then there is a certain amount of waste involved in making that water. 
If you can start with less, that is less waste. So there is a saving right there. Less RO generated each time means the membrane lasts for more water changes. 
Then you need to buy all the minerals. 

If tap water is a reasonable source of at least some of those minerals then you are using less RO, and having to buy less minerals.


----------



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

I guess looking at ingredients would have been a good idea, duh! I will research my fish and figure a combo that works. Right now I'm running on all RO I think, as I've gradually taken out my tap water. I guess I'm lucky all my plants haven't suffered too much. Probably my eco complete and floramax substrate are helping. thanks!


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Yes, substrates with cationic exchange capacity will hold on to many of the fertilizers and will release them to the plant roots under certain circumstances. It is a great way to even out the supply of fertilizers for the plants. 
Does not do much for the water, though. The fish that get their minerals from the water have a hard time, too, when there are no minerals. 
The GH test would turn orange with the first drop. That means 1 degree or less. Even the fish that tend to accumulate calcium in their system can use a bit more than that.


----------



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

I am going to do 1/5 tap/RO - this gives me gH of 5 vs 0 now. My rams should be ok with that. I feel so stupid forgetting that I need to remineralize my water. I've had a couple crypt leaves melt, perhaps this has something to do with it.


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

That sounds like a good recipe. What does that do to the KH and pH? 

Crypts melting could be related, though they are pretty good at getting ferts from the substrate.


----------



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

kh is 7 and my pH is 8. I can't get that down, not sure why! I checked the RO and it looked 7 or 7.2


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

The KH is stabilizing the pH, but that is rather high.
If the water company is adding something to keep the pH up it does not show in the usual aquarium tests. It gets removed by the RO filtration, but when you add back some tap water you are adding a small amount of whatever it is. 
Happens at my place, too. When I was using RO water and blending back some tap the pH would be a bit high, even though I was using enough RO to keep the GH and KH about 2-3 degrees. 

If the fish you are keeping are black water fish, then I would use a greater % of RO so the KH is closer to about 2-3 degrees, then filter that through peat moss.


----------



## aubtruck2 (Feb 18, 2015)

latchdan said:


> I mix RO with tap water personally, 1 gallon tap to 4 gallons RO give me 3KH and 4GH... But you can use equilibirum/baking soda. I didn't really like using equilibrium because it took forever to dissolve and looked cloudy.


So your saying if you blend RO and Tap water to get dh+gh around 4, that you don't have to add anything like equilibrium or buffers? The calcium and mag come from the Tap water part of the mix? What about the iron you would get from the equilibrium? also enough in the Tap water part?


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Well, what fish do you want to keep? 

Soft water fish generally prefer a GH under 5 degrees. 

Hard water fish generally prefer a GH over 10 degrees. 

Most of the community fish that have been raised in captivity will handle a wide range of conditions, but keeping them in water at least somewhat like they evolved in usually works best.

Most aquarium plants do not care what the levels are, as long as it is not zero. There are a few specialty plants that do demand very soft water, but not very many. 

Next: It depends on what the GH and KH of your tap water are. 
VERY ROUGHLY in nature the GH and KH are often similar. Not always. But often enough that I can generalize and say that soft water fish (low GH) also prefer low KH because that keeps the pH lower. Hard water (high GH) fish prefer higher KH because that keeps the pH higher. 

Usually tap water with a GH of at least 3 degrees has both Ca and Mg. If the GH is higher, and you are diluting it by blending with RO it still has the Ca and Mg, and usually is somewhere near enough the right ratio that it is a low priority problem. Get set up and running. If a problem develops and it is traced to Ca or Mg, do something about it then. Usually there are so many other things going on it is better to focus on other things. 
Tap water may or may not have iron; I dose iron separately, and do not depend on Equilibrium or tap water for iron. I use Equilibrium for Ca and Mg. I use chelated iron for iron. Different elements, different dosing, different reasons for using each. 

latchdan's result of 3 dKH and 4 dGH is a good blend for soft water fish, and most community fish that originated in soft water.


----------



## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

I'm most concerned about my bolivian rams. Which was why I was trying to lower the pH initially. 

My other fish are tetras and corys so I think they will do ok. I'm going to look each one up and write them down.

My tap water when I started was kH 15, gH 12 (no RO). 

Do you think I need Equilibrium then? Thinking maybe not. I'm guessing my Ca & Mg are ok based on my tap water gH. 

I didn't buy iron, maybe I should. I'm aggravated with my pH! 

I don't like the color of the water when I put the almond leaves in. Maybe I should try it again with purigen - will that filter out the color?


----------



## tacks (Jun 19, 2006)

*equilibrium*

I have to RO because my tap water has nitrite. So does equilibrium, kn03, kh. raise TDS? Thanks Ed


----------

