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View Full Version : Do you condition your RO/DI water before adding?


one4gatr
10/01/2009, 08:29 AM
Ok guys... by the sig you can tell I am a newbie so I appologize for the question (if its been covered before). But I was wondering if and what you condition your RO/DI water with prior to putting it in the tank. I have read a few threads where I see people putting stuff like Amquel in at the same time they do water changes... does this help at all? I was just wondering because I just got a new RO/DI filter and am about to do a 15% water change and was considering adding the Amquel as well. Thanks for the help!

Mark

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/01/2009, 08:34 AM
There's no need to add anything to RO/DI unless, you are just using it as a vehicle to add something that you know the tank itself needs. :)

one4gatr
10/01/2009, 09:33 AM
There's no need to add anything to RO/DI unless, you are just using it as a vehicle to add something that you know the tank itself needs. :)

I didnt think so but say some people saying they did Amquel so didnt know if it would be useful to add...

Thanks,

Mark

Henry Bowman
10/01/2009, 09:44 AM
I dont condition. I run an 5 stage RO/DI filter and have for years. I've never found the need to "condition". Use as clean / purified water as you can get, add only things to it you can test for, salt and other known and needed supplements (no conditioners) then enjoy.

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/01/2009, 12:39 PM
Amquel will do nothing after a functioning RO/DI. :)

If someone suggests using it, ask them what it is supposed to accomplish and we’ll be happy to discuss it further. :)

one4gatr
10/01/2009, 01:23 PM
Amquel will do nothing after a functioning RO/DI. :)

If someone suggests using it, ask them what it is supposed to accomplish and we’ll be happy to discuss it further. :)

Lol...cool... thanks guys... I pretty much figured that but hey I would have never thought about dropping Vodka or Sugar in my tank either!!!

Billybeau1
10/01/2009, 01:25 PM
but hey I would have never thought about dropping Vodka or Sugar in my tank either!!!

We can discuss that further as well if you like. :D

Zestay
10/01/2009, 03:47 PM
uh randy. looks like you have a new postcap to break =)

redfishsc
10/01/2009, 04:04 PM
Ok, so I'll be the odd man out here.

I hit my RO/DI water with a bit of Prime or Amquel. I just toss a little over in it for one reason. I was reading on Melev's site where he recommended against plumbing your ATO to the RO filter since the water companies occasionally do something strange like pour pure ammonia into intakes in some neighborhoods, which can be more than the RO/DI can handle, apparently.

I know it isn't necessary so long as the water company hasn't done anything psycho (other than rip everyone off as usual).


I did, a while back, accidentally hook the faucet up and run hot water through the RO/DI, which for whatever reason allowed ammonia (for sure) and possibly chlorine to pass through both the RO and DI. I caught the goof halfway through filling a 5g container, so I just turned it to "cold" and kept on going. The TDS meter said 0 the whole time (a new membrane) so I never gave it a second thought.


The next day I topped off my 20g tank and went to work. Came home for lunch with both fish in the tank dead. Both the tank and the water bottle registered toxic levels of ammonia, although I don't recall the exact number.


Anyhow, I suppose I could just test all my water for ammonia, but then again it's just as cheap and easy to hit it with a bit of Prime. Doesn't take much.

Billybeau1
10/01/2009, 08:56 PM
My guess is it wasn't ammonia that killed your fish, rather some toxic metals that came from the hot water heater. Zero tds or not, I would never use water from a hot water heater.

No need to add Prime or Amquel if you have a properly running ro/di.