Tropic marin

Has anybody used the Tropic Marin range of products and what do you think of them. There is a specific one for replacements of minerals when using RO water - anyone used this before. The price from a LFS is R 622.35 for a 5kg bucket of the stuff. Seems not expensive if I compare it to other replacement additives that I have been using. OR, any other suggestions for mineral replacement products that do not cost an arm and a leg !!

 

Just mix with tap water to replace some hardness back. (and its free)

 

I couldn't agree with you more. If that's the case why run your water through a membrane in the first place. You may as well run the water through the micro sediment and carbon filter only..... Save some bucks on the membrane.

 

No, only reasen you use RO is to soften the water, nothing to do with removing the "nasties" as you so put it.... If you are using RO to just get clean pure water you are wasting your time, as soon as you mix with your tank water it is contaminated anyway not to mention all the contaminents before it even reaches the tank.

Verndog, running water through a membrane is the only way to get the tds to 0 or as close to it as possible, sediment and carbon is just prefilters to help prolong the membrane..... I love it how people who have never used RO for their tanks in the first place always give advice....

 

Only reason for using RO is if you have extremely hard water out of tap, or you want to breed fish that require very soft water to breed, thats about it. Most places in SA the tap water will be fine for most fish.

 

Johan, I am fairly familiar with the RO process. Most use it to get rid of nasties and achieve a TDS of 0 as you put. My point is your TDS of 0 means nothing if you are just going to mic tap water with it again. I know the discus guys are fairly keen on this method, but it makes no sense to me.

Please don't just assume I have never used R/O..... I have been keeping fish since the early 2000's marine and fresh water, I have been through many membranes with my own R/O unit and I feel I am a very valid candidate for a debate. Which is the point of this forum after all.....

 

I hear you on this point, but why add tap water with other nasties to get some minerals back in. Seems like 2 step forward and 4 steps back to me.

 

By what you are saying it is easy to assume you havent.... Why dont you know then that it is only used for hardness adjustment ?

 

You seem to miss my point completely. I'm not going to sit here and have a p!ssing contest with you. Moving on

I apologize for messing up your thread @eros111 . I didn't realize Johan Kotze was going to launch a personal attack on my husbandry skills.

 

Hi eros have you tried seachem trace seems to work well but like you said is a bit expensive but a good product. @Johan Kotze I am sure you have valid points and some experience but, please explain to me why do you come across so aggressive and as a Mr know it all? This is a forum for both old and new fish keepers to learn and share with each other their experience and knowledge about fish keeping not a place for all of us to bash each other.

You have done the same thing before on another thread about seachem prime vs safe. I am sure you have some good experience to share and I hope you do it in the correct manner. This is not an attack on you just the way you come across.

 

Ok, now to get back to my original question. I am using RO water and in order for my (Discus) fish to not be deprived of the ESSENTIAL minerals - would it not be a good idea to put these additives back into the water to re-mineralise it using this product? You cannot only use RO water exclusively as well all know - it is too 'sterile' after stripping it of all the bad AND THE GOOD things in the water.
So, who has used TROPIC MARIN and thinks it's a good product?

 

Just mix with tap water, and all will be fine, i promise you....

 

@Reedfish low pH is a CONSTANT problem with my tank - gotta check it daily and add neutral regulator all the time - once or twice I have skipped the checks and when I test again suddenly my wretched pH is like 3.4 or 3.8.

 

Thats because your water is to soft, no ph buffer.... ok dont listen, take the advice of people that have never kept discus in RO mix water. Done here.

 

@johanKotze - I DO use filtered municipal water AND RO 50/50 and still having problems with the damn low pH

 

Hi Eros,

If you are having difficulty with your ph, then using RO water is going to worsen the situation. Yes you can use RO and reconstitute with the Tropic/marine powder, but as Johan said, it will be just as good adding some tap water, and loads cheaper long term.

Why do you not want to use your tap water? Lets start there and then hopefully find a simple solution to your problem.

Rgds

Marco

 

Where in your tanks / system are you having the problems?

1000 L tank , with 2 built in filters at the back - about to change into a sump system
1 x 500L Jo Jo tank with heaters and airstones for conditioning and preparing filtered municipal water
1 x 500L Jo Jo tank also with heaters and airstones filled with RO water.
600 L bare bottom tank with sump filter and 34 younger discus
140 L tank with built in filter the back, 100 cardinals to grow them bigger ( and as a quarantine tank if necessary)

is the sera peat in play ? Sera Super Peat for pH reduction

and is this the substrate you now have Density of sand - Page 2

or did you go for "PS or PFS"

are you adding any other additives?


Do you chart your ph and have you tried several methods of measuring it or just one kit?