Anyone use Spotless Water?

[Little]

hi all. I too have been using Spotless water instead of RO. Having learned a bit from this forum and this thread in particular I'm a bit confused.
The TDS reading is 0 as you'd expect but the ph is 8.1, should it be 7?. I've tested my meters and are ok.
Has anyone got an explanation fir this please

I use spotless water.

My understanding is that spotless water is so low in TDS (They say the measure in parts per billion instead of just parts per million) that is has practically zero buffering. So the PH will swing dramatically due to any minor influence.
I’m not very learned in the subject but I believe things like the co2 concentration will push the ph reading up or down much more before its remineralised.

I’m not 100% sure my understanding is correct, but I have good experience that the water ends up about 7 when it’s remineralised and in the tank.

 

[phillipson]

well yes it is a cheap one, I've checked it with my better one but now I'm doubting them both. I'll get a test kit I think or take a sample to the shop to be tested. Water with o TDS should be ph7 right ?

Hi Little, good thought, I'll re mineralise and re check

 

[Nuno da Silva]

I believe you will struggle to read pH from water with very low TDS. And even if you can, the reading will have very little use as it will swing dramatically due to zero buffering capacity.

Ive used spotless water before and it is excellent quality and a good price.

 

[Bradders]

I believe you will struggle to read pH from water with very low TDS. And even if you can, the reading will have very little use as it will swing dramatically due to zero buffering capacity.

Ive used spotless water before and it is excellent quality and a good price.

Agree with this - including Spotless Water as a supplier if you go down the pure water route.

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Water with o TDS should be ph7 right ?

Yes. However the water 0TDS is relatively reactive and will react with gases in the atmosphere easily which will change the pH. If you wanted to be truly accurate you would need put the water into a sealed container where it cannot react with anything and then test it (which is pretty much impossible for hobbyists like us).

Measuring the pH of the pure water isn’t worth bothering with. Check it once you’ve added whatever re-mineraliser to the water and it’s no longer reacting to the air.

 

[phillipson]

ok great thanks all for taking time to reply, Happy New Year 🙂

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

The TDS reading is 0 as you'd expect but the ph is 8.1, should it be 7?. I've tested my meters and are ok.
Has anyone got an explanation fir this please

That is fine. You can't really measure the pH in pure H2O.

Theoretically the pH should be pH 5.5, purely because of the small amount of CO2, that has dissolved from the atmosphere and converted to carbonic acid (H2CO3).

Cheers Darrel

 

[phillipson]

I think I'm getting a good remineralising routine now, I put Equilibrium in my Spotless water till I get about 70-80 TDS and add to tank. Then I monitor GH and KH and the ph seems to look after itself, high 6's 👍

It's a great feeling when the plants just seem to take off and the greens are so green, happy customer now thanks for you help

 

[bazz]

I think I'm getting a good remineralising routine now, I put Equilibrium in my Spotless water till I get about 70-80 TDS and add to tank. Then I monitor GH and KH and the ph seems to look after itself, high 6's 👍

It's a great feeling when the plants just seem to take off and the greens are so green, happy customer now thanks for you help

Hi,
If you have a largish tank and now that you have experience remineralising you could consider using Calcium Sulphate and/or Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salts) and Potassium Bicarbonate, also using the Remin feature of the fabulous IFC Calculator IFC Aquarium Fertilizer Calculator (other calculators are out there) will enable you to precisely target your own GH, KH values and ratios. I've never used Equilibrium but my understanding is that it contains a LOT of Potassium. All the salts mentioned above are safe and easily available and you will also eventually save yourself a fair bit of dollar.
I'm not preaching here just offering a more precise and cheaper alternative moving forward.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

It's a great feeling when the plants just seem to take off and the greens are so green, happy customer now

That is really the bit that matters, healthy <"plant growth is the gift that keeps giving">, but .........

If you have a largish tank and now that you have experience remineralising you could consider using Calcium Sulphate and/or Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salts) and Potassium Bicarbonate, also using the Remin feature of the fabulous IFC Calculator IFC Aquarium Fertilizer Calculator (other calculators are out there) will enable you to precisely target your own GH, KH values and ratios.

Very true. Personally I just use a bit of <"hard, alkaline tap water"> to supply calcium (Ca++) and carbonate hardness (dKH) and I'm going to add magnesium (Mg++) with <"my fertiliser addition">.

I've never used Equilibrium but my understanding is that it contains a LOT of Potassium. All the salts mentioned above are safe and easily available and you will also eventually save yourself a fair bit of dollar.

Yes, we have a few <"Seachem - Equilibrium"> threads - <"Seachem method of potassium dosing">.

I'm not preaching here just offering a more precise and cheaper alternative moving forward.

That really is the <"genius"> of companies that sell <"aquarium"> products, find a <"cheap product">, imbue it with all sorts of magical properties and sell it at a huge mark-up.

cheer Darrel