Hello all I am working on building a sump for my 1200L, I have a 200L tank running 2 filter socks and am going to try k1 moving media if I can find some. I am going to run an auto water change drip system with overflow to drain which I was wanting to use this http://www.trademe.co.nz/pets-animals/f ... 340152.htm to clean the water coming in. Has anyone used them? do I need to add anything to the water to keep fish Health? I have read using ro can make ph unstable is this correct?

Thanks chris

Hello all I am working on building a sump for my 1200L, I have a 200L tank running 2 filter socks and am going to try k1 moving media if I can find some. I am going to run an auto water change drip system with overflow to drain which I was wanting to use this http://www.trademe.co.nz/pets-animals/f ... 340152.htm to clean the water coming in. Has anyone used them?

Except for some extreme circumstances there is absolutely no need for an RO filter for water change water with freshwater thanks.

do I need to add anything to the water to keep fish Health?

Only thing you probably need to add is something to neutralize chlorine, otherwise straight from the tap will be good.

I have read using ro can make ph unstable is this correct?

Extremely unstable, wastes huge amounts of water that would be better off used for water changes, wastes money. You'd be using stripping all the hardness and minerals out of water that may not be perfect but is probably very usable and then spending money to put them back in so your fish can survive in it.

The ONLY time an RO filter would be used regularly for a fishtank is for a marine tank and the majority of that is for topoff water.

Only thing you probably need to add is something to neutralize chlorine, otherwise straight from the tap will be good.

Do you no off any filter systems like the one on trade me that would only remove Chlorine? Thanks heaps

Use seachem prime for a de chlorinator

Use seachem prime for a de chlorinator

I don't want to have 2 add anything I was hoping for a filter cartridge that i can change say once every 6 month sort of thing

I don't want to have 2 add anything I was hoping for a filter cartridge that i can change say once every 6 month sort of thing

You could use a carbon cartridge to remove the chlorine. Tends to be more expensive than something like Prime. But if you're running a constant flow water change system even that probably isn't needed.

The ONLY time an RO filter would be used regularly for a fishtank is for a marine tank and the majority of that is for topoff water.

The only other time it could be necessary is if you have exceptionally hard tap water and are keeping soft-water species that are delicate enough to suffer with incorrect water (discus, uaru, angels etc). And in that case, in New Zealand at least, it is far cheaper and easier to collect rain water to help soften the water.

How are you going to do your auto system? Pump to waste on a timer and a float valve to control the top off, or drain in the sump and incoming water dripped/pumped into the tank?

I have discus loaches and barbs so not going to bother filtering it then just straight tap water. David I'm going to run drain in sump and drip system.

Does anyone no were to get k1 media from?

Try sending henward a pm. He posted on a thread in this forum that he had it.

Ebay IIRC.

Only thing you probably need to add is something to neutralize chlorine, otherwise straight from the tap will be good.

Do you no off any filter systems like the one on trade me that would only remove Chlorine? Thanks heaps

If you use a standard drinking water filter (like BRITA), these typically eliminate 99% of chlorine but remove SOME minerals and hardness.