New to Making My Own Water

So I'm ordering my Spectra Pure RO unit this weekend and really looking forward to getting it. Now the next question, what salt to mix with and do I dose anything else to my water that im adding? I definitely know to mix salt, but do all of you does MG, CA, ST....etc?

Travis

 

just get a good brand salt mix. instant ocean, reef crystals, red sea, etc.. maybe want to add some prime or water conditioner with your ro water just in case. but you should need to dose anything as long as your doing water changes every 2-4 weeks..

 

I would choose a mix that I know is always availible to avoid changing "my mix" often.I use Oceanic and don't dose anything when preparing for a water change.I dose my display tank only after testing to see if it's needed.Most of the popular brands of salt mix will give you close to everything you need to start with,you can then test your tank for Ca,Mg,Alk to see where you are.Depending on what you're housing in your tank you may not need to dose anything.

 

I use Oceanic and love it. I've heard really good reviews of the salt from other users as well.

 

I urge you to spend a little more money and add on the DI unit.

 

It actually is an RO/DI unit, I just forgot to mention that

 

Reef crystals keep my tank happy.. If I did a water change a week, my levels would be pretty much spot on besides calcium getting a little low. water changes are a PITA, so I just dose..

 

The answer to your question is subjective to each aquarium and it's consumption rate due to calcium and magnesium using coral and other life. You will need to test and monitor weekly to determine your personal needs.

 

I dose my tank with Ca, Mg, and Alk every other day.. I know my params very well and my phosphates test 0 as well as nitrates, but I know they are there somewhere..

Is there a type of medicine? Red Slime Remover ring a bell?

 

That product is for the elimination of Red Slime, or another is Chemi-Clean. Do you have Red slime? As far as phosphate elimination, a phosphate reactor is the way to go on its' own or in conjunction with Pura Filtration Pads. The pads get the silicates which the reactor doesn't.