Help 90g, Dutch style, first try

[riioKen]

I have a 30 gallon reservoir that I fill from the RO/DI unit. It takes around 6 hours to fill from empty. I have a bulk head fitting at the bottom of the reservoir that I attach a pump a pump to, to get the water from my basement up to my aquarium.

Ok now I got it, it's the same setup that I've made.

 

[FrankZ]

@riioKen since you are trying for a Dutch scape here is some great info you can read while you practice your patience with the RO switch. I am starting another read through on this. You might have seen this before but it’s worth sharing.

Tips And Tricks For Dutch Style Aquascaping

 

[riioKen]

@riioKen since you are trying for a Dutch scape here is some great info you can read while you practice your patience with the RO switch. I am starting another read through on this. You might have seen this before but it’s worth sharing.

Tips And Tricks For Dutch Style Aquascaping

Yep, I've read and reread many times but "sharing is caring" so it's always welcomed.

I love red plants, that's why "dutch style inspired", I'm breaking 1 or 2 (probably way more hahaha) rules with my 90g lol

 

[riioKen]

Yep, I've read and reread many times but "sharing is caring" so it's always welcomed.

I love red plants, that's why "dutch style inspired", I'm breaking 1 or 2 (probably way more hahaha) rules with my 90g lol

Another question about Ro salts.

I've bought my salts from shop selling brewers' supplies.

1kg each for around 10€, it seems a steal.
Calcium is: CaSO4, calcium sulfate dihydrate (E516)
Magnesium: MgSO4, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate.
Are these correct right? I'm not a chemist (sadly).

Edit, both container has a disclaimer "could contain traces of spelt, wheat, barley, oats and rye"
Could this hurts the effectiveness?

 

[HardeeParty]

Hahahahaha epic scene, is the director Steven "Jhardee85" Spielberg?



Luckily (or not?) I'm still single, works from home and as 24 years old, I find this hobby so attractive that even doing maintenance relaxes me.

The scene is more like something from national lampoons. And I get it. My peace comes at 9:30-10:00pm after everyone is asleep.

 

[Unexpected]

I feel like we need to have a heart to heart talk. Imma need you to go true Dutch. Sounds good?

 

[riioKen]

I feel like we need to have a heart to heart talk. Imma need you to go true Dutch. Sounds good?

Me? True Dutch? Idk, I'm more inclined to have plants that I like in the tank (still with some sort of "rule", not throwing everything in it). I definitely, when I switch 100% to ro, and when I'm able to maintain a clean tank, I'll buy hygrophila chai, I love that plant. It's the last one that I miss

 

[Unexpected]

Me? True Dutch? Idk, I'm more inclined to have plants that I like in the tank (still with some sort of "rule", not throwing everything in it). I definitely, when I switch 100% to ro, and when I'm able to maintain a clean tank, I'll buy hygrophila chai, I love that plant. It's the last one that I miss

You can make Chai work in “true Dutch”.

 

[riioKen]

You can make Chai work in “true Dutch”

Yeah, sure. But right now half of the tank is red and purple (or supposed to be lol) hahaha

 

[FrankZ]

Another question about Ro salts.

I've bought my salts from shop selling brewers' supplies.

1kg each for around 10€, it seems a steal.
Calcium is: CaSO4, calcium sulfate dihydrate (E516)
Magnesium: MgSO4, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate.
Are these correct right? I'm not a chemist (sadly).

Edit, both container has a disclaimer "could contain traces of spelt, wheat, barley, oats and rye"
Could this hurts the effectiveness?

I am not familiar with those salts. I use food grade gypsum (calcium sulfate) and Epsom salt (mag sulfate).

 

[FrankZ]

Yeah, sure. But right now half of the tank is red and purple (or supposed to be lol) hahaha

Go Danish style the. All red and follow the Dutch rules.

 

[riioKen]

I am not familiar with those salts. I use food grade gypsum (calcium sulfate) and Epsom salt (mag sulfate).

Yep, gypsum and Epsom. Those are used in beer production too.

Go Danish style the. All red and follow the Dutch rules.

Not a bad idea honestly

 

[riioKen]

I've just remineralized the ro. 20tds -> 200
CaSO4 is a bit a pain to dissolve, it took 10 minutes to completely dissolve, while MgSO4 dissolved instantly.
Isn't a bit high 20tds without "Di" unit?

 

[FrankZ]

I've just remineralized the ro. 20tds -> 200
CaSO4 is a bit a pain to dissolve, it took 10 minutes to completely dissolve, while MgSO4 dissolved instantly.
Isn't a bit high 20tds without "Di" unit?

Yeah the calcium sulfate taker a while to dissolve.

20 TDS isn’t terrible but not ideal. It is going to be effected by a few things. If your inlet pressure is low the RO won’t reject as many water soluble salts. It will also increase the amount of permeate (clean water) and decrease the amount of brine (reject dirty water). A perfectly operating RO unit should make 80% permeate and 20% reject but for out use perfect operation is NOT needed.

You could add a booster pump to increase the inlet pressure to make better quality and more permeate. Your RO unit should give you a spec on minimum inlet working pressure to produce a TDS spec of water.

On the flip side, as your water temperature gets colder (winter time) the tighter the membrane in the RO becomes so less water will be able to push through so quality goes up but quantity goes down. With my RO/DI I make water faster in the summer time but plow through DI resin. Winter time the throughput drops off but I don’t use as much DI resin. My inlet pressure is fairly stable around 80 PSI.

 

[riioKen]

First WC done with Ro water. Around 110L changed.
Describe it in one word: NIGHTMARE.

I need a bit more organization, this is the first time so it was expected.

But the TDS is way off.

Firstly, for now I have 65L reservoir, I've used IFC calculator.
65L RO water is around 20ppm tds (calibrated with a 50ppm solution).

Now on IFC, as accident i've put on the excel that the WC is 72L (in reality is 65L):

IFC says that for a container of 72L i need to add 5,56g of MgSO4 + 7,19g CaSO4, as result, 3:1 Ca:Mg 23ppm calcium and 7,69ppm magnesium for 116ppm TDS.

BUT, after adding this amount to my 65L container (take note, the grams stated above, with that TDS is for a 72L container, so its okay a bit more TDS in my 65L container BUT) the TDS raised to 250-270ppm. How is this possible?

 

[riioKen]

Probably I have found the cause, idk if it's ok posting links of other forums if no I'll remove it, but here the "explanation"
Link

 

[Unexpected]

Is your meter a 500 or 700 scale?

 

[riioKen]

Is your meter a 500 or 700 scale?

I don't know, it's this one Link. I checked with another TDS meter (a cheap one bought on Amazon months ago), I tested it with a 50ppm solution (this tds can't be calibrated) and the result is 38ppm, while the tank water gives 166ppm. The Arka ones, gives correctly measurement with the 50ppm solution, but with tank water the pen swing between 327ppm

 

[riioKen]

Is your meter a 500 or 700 scale?

I could be wrong, but probably 700, I read that in USA is used the scale 500, while in UK and Europe 700. But I don't what I'm talking about so...

 

[Unexpected]

Yeah, they don’t make it so clear honestly. Just trust the dosing. I do check the tank every so often and if the meter is close to what the running average is, I feel like I’m good.