hello everyone,

I have had a lot of success in keeping the wretched algae at bay by adding rowaphos to my internal filter in a little bag to remove tapwater phosphate (this is one strategy among many that I employ to reduce algae but I have found it particularly helpful).

The thing is, it isn't very cheap and I wondered whether there were any other products or options to remove phosphates that would do a similar job for less pennies?

I currently use an RO/tapwater mix.

Cheers,
Fizz

Use 100% RO remineralised, see how the cost of that would complare?

Hi Fizz,

Just some thoughts on going 100% RO and remineralising as Cathie suggests. See if this looks any cheaper.

Seachem make a specific Discus Buffer which is going to give pretty much the right balance for your Clowns too. When used with 100% RO, you mix in the Discus Buffer powder in a set ratio with Seachem Neutral Regulator depending on the pH you want to set. You'd also need to add in Discus Trace which puts back essential trace elements.

Not knowing precisely how much water we're talking about or what pH you normally run the tank at I'll "guesstimate" the costs based on 100 litres a week set to pH 6.8.

To remineralise 100 litres to pH 6.8 would take approximately 10g Discus Buffer, 10g Neutral Regulator and 10 ml Discus Trace.

250g of Discus Buffer is £8.95, 250g of Neutral Regulator is £7.95 and 250 ml of Discus Trace is £8.95

A set of all three would cost £25.95 and last for 25 treatments @ 100 litres a time, or 25 weeks if that was your weekly water change so just over £1 a week.

Nice calcs there Noods I'm impressed

Guess who picked the easiest options to calculate

Don't underestimate yourself honey You are a mine of info we can all tap into

£25.95 for nearly half a years treatment (plus cost of RO on top of course) may be cheaper for Fizz, long term. You are a star as always. Hands up - given my soft water, I have little experience of RO personally.

V x

Brill

Thanks - I have wondered whether re-mineralising might be the better option.

Cheers for the calculations Noodle - I'll have to have a think carefully about this. Is re-mineralising a bit of a faff or is it fairly straightforward?

Also, my ph is at 7.2 which I appreciate isn't ideal for clown loaches but has been the best ph I have reached with the RO/tapwater mix. If I went with re-mineralising I would need to be careful to match this ph and then lower gradually - is this possible?

Thanks again everyone,
Fizz

There's a very easy way to match the pH.

Do a normal RO/tap water mix water change which will leave the tank clean and at 7.2. For the next few days, add 7g of just the Discus buffer per 80 litres tank volume every day until pH is at 6.8. From then onwards continue your usual schedule of water changes using 100% RO, remineralised as per the recipe above (may need tweaking slightly so you'd need to do some tests to get the mix precise).

I take it that you currently prep water the day before needed and leave in a tub with a heater/aeration? If so it's just the same except you need to use 100% RO and mix in the buffers the night before instead of mixing in tap water.

There are liquid versions of the Discus Buffer and Neutral Regulator available too if you find them easier than powders. Liquids are easier to dose precisely with a syringe, and they mix more readily.

HTH

Thanks Noodle

Yes, I do set out and prepare the water the night before so could easily add the bits and pieces then.

I'm a bit nervous about re-mineralising because I don't want anything to go wrong... but if I follow all the instructions it should be straight forward right?

I've had a look for the liquids (as I think that would be easier for someone like me) but I'm having trouble seeing anyone on line who stocks them. Any suggestions? If not, I'll just go with the powders..

Also - and here's a very silly question but I want to make sure I'm right here - As I will be re-mineralising 100% RO I won't need any de-chlorinator, right? So actually that's another saving to be made?

Hopefully what this will do is reduce my nitrates, phosphates and make the PH, GH and KH more suitable for the clown loaches in the longer run....

I'll sleep on this I think and worry about it tomorrow

Fizz