JMorgan
Member
I will be slowly converting my existing tanks to a dirt substrate (aquatic soil/peat/red clay) as I am very pleased with how the plants are thriving in the one I have. I'm not remotely "purist" re Natural/Walstad method fish-keeping and perfectly happy to dose the water column if it helps my plants thrive. But I'm not interested in the spectacular growth rates and heavy maintenance associated with Hi-Tech and can't afford the CO2 kit anyway. I provide 24/7 care for my disabled partner and so need to minimise those aspects of the hobby that need larger chunks of time to see through and can't be stopped once started: large volume water changes for example.
I would really appreciate some guidance and advice on how to best approach remineralising RO water to add to soil substrate tanks? Having read James Planted Tank resource on RO water I'm sorry to say I'm still confused, not least because the formula assumes 50% weekly water changes and a hi-tech approach with CO2. Re substrates I assume there's not a big difference between soil/clay substrates and manufacturer nutrient enriched aquasoils like ADA: It's just that HiTech lighting and CO2 will cause plant growth to burn through vastly more nutrients than low tech?
Can I therefore also assume that James' formula is applicable to low tech, but that slower growth means that one might either a) not need to dose the water column or b) dose it relatively very infrequently and perhaps only to top up trace minerals?
What and how much to add to my 100 litre barrel of RO water to get soft and slightly acid water that will be good for shrimp and soft water / blackwater type fish?
James' formula:
0.4g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
2.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate
2.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
0.7g Potassium Carbonate
per 25 litres Water
So x4 =
1.6g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
8.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate
8.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
2.8g Potassium Carbonate
per 100 litres of RO water
So this gives a GH of 5 and a KH of 1 about which James states "The KH is very low as I find some plants seem to thrive with these low levels. As long as your weekly water changes are maintained there shouldn't be any problems with having a very low KH even when injecting CO2."
So I'm not injecting CO2 and would struggle to do weekly water changes even if it weren't contrary to the principles of the Walstad method to do such large % changes . . . or is James assuming weekly water changes because he's assuming EI dosing regime (or similar) in conjunction with CO2?
Is there a better formula to work with for a soil substrate tank? Why is it better?
What do these numbers (the amounts of each substance per 25 or 100 litres) mean in terms of TDS as this is often the guideline given for keeping shrimp?
Assuming folks here will help me arrive at a working formula, can I mix everything up in a tub in the right proportions and just dose by the teaspoon? What I mean is, as in EI dosing, how much do the exact amounts really matter? I've read many posts where the point is hammered home that being anal about exact amounts is missing the point of supplying an abundance of nutrients . . . but is it more important to be exact when remineralising and when you don't intend to do regular large water changes?
For example if I did:
2.0g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
8.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate
8.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
3.0g Potassium Carbonate
And then bunged approx. 20g (or 4 teaspoons) of my mixed together formula into 100 litres how much of a difference would changing those tenths of a gram actually make?
Lastly what would I most easily and safely reduce or increase in order to change the water parameters? Lets say I wanted to keep fish or shrimp that needed slightly harder/ higher pH water or alternatively very very soft/acid water?
Out of interest can anyone comment on what point does providing the optimal water for the animals conflict with providing adequate nutrition for slower growing plants? I ask because a number of the species I'm interested in keeping in future are often (shown on youtube) being bred in quite barren looking tanks with some leaf litter and a few bits of driftwood to mimic the nutrient poor water the species are found in in nature: Does it follow that these species can't be bred/thrive in water that will support healthy (if slow-growing) plants?
Sorry this is so long - I do hope my questions make sense! If you got this far thanks for reading!
Julian
PS Was unsure whether to post this in this sub-forum or the Water Chemistry forum so mods please move if you think appropriate?
I would really appreciate some guidance and advice on how to best approach remineralising RO water to add to soil substrate tanks? Having read James Planted Tank resource on RO water I'm sorry to say I'm still confused, not least because the formula assumes 50% weekly water changes and a hi-tech approach with CO2. Re substrates I assume there's not a big difference between soil/clay substrates and manufacturer nutrient enriched aquasoils like ADA: It's just that HiTech lighting and CO2 will cause plant growth to burn through vastly more nutrients than low tech?
Can I therefore also assume that James' formula is applicable to low tech, but that slower growth means that one might either a) not need to dose the water column or b) dose it relatively very infrequently and perhaps only to top up trace minerals?
What and how much to add to my 100 litre barrel of RO water to get soft and slightly acid water that will be good for shrimp and soft water / blackwater type fish?
James' formula:
0.4g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
2.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate
2.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
0.7g Potassium Carbonate
per 25 litres Water
So x4 =
1.6g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
8.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate
8.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
2.8g Potassium Carbonate
per 100 litres of RO water
So this gives a GH of 5 and a KH of 1 about which James states "The KH is very low as I find some plants seem to thrive with these low levels. As long as your weekly water changes are maintained there shouldn't be any problems with having a very low KH even when injecting CO2."
So I'm not injecting CO2 and would struggle to do weekly water changes even if it weren't contrary to the principles of the Walstad method to do such large % changes . . . or is James assuming weekly water changes because he's assuming EI dosing regime (or similar) in conjunction with CO2?
Is there a better formula to work with for a soil substrate tank? Why is it better?
What do these numbers (the amounts of each substance per 25 or 100 litres) mean in terms of TDS as this is often the guideline given for keeping shrimp?
Assuming folks here will help me arrive at a working formula, can I mix everything up in a tub in the right proportions and just dose by the teaspoon? What I mean is, as in EI dosing, how much do the exact amounts really matter? I've read many posts where the point is hammered home that being anal about exact amounts is missing the point of supplying an abundance of nutrients . . . but is it more important to be exact when remineralising and when you don't intend to do regular large water changes?
For example if I did:
2.0g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate
8.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate
8.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate
3.0g Potassium Carbonate
And then bunged approx. 20g (or 4 teaspoons) of my mixed together formula into 100 litres how much of a difference would changing those tenths of a gram actually make?
Lastly what would I most easily and safely reduce or increase in order to change the water parameters? Lets say I wanted to keep fish or shrimp that needed slightly harder/ higher pH water or alternatively very very soft/acid water?
Out of interest can anyone comment on what point does providing the optimal water for the animals conflict with providing adequate nutrition for slower growing plants? I ask because a number of the species I'm interested in keeping in future are often (shown on youtube) being bred in quite barren looking tanks with some leaf litter and a few bits of driftwood to mimic the nutrient poor water the species are found in in nature: Does it follow that these species can't be bred/thrive in water that will support healthy (if slow-growing) plants?
Sorry this is so long - I do hope my questions make sense! If you got this far thanks for reading!
Julian
PS Was unsure whether to post this in this sub-forum or the Water Chemistry forum so mods please move if you think appropriate?
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