hello all

[rummynose]

I'm new to the board. *A little about me... I'm 22, graduating in 1 month! *I've had fish for about 5 years. *Started out stupid with 2 goldfish and a handful of guppies in a 5.5 gal (PLEASE no badgering, it was an inherited tank; ignorance is no ecuse, poor little fishies). *I've learned a lot along the way and now keep a 29 gal heavily planted tank. *Fishmates are 3 Angelfish, 6 rummynose tetra, 3 fake simease algae eaters (again didn't know anybetter), and 3 corydoras. *

I just bought a 75 gal tank and am looking for some ideas so what would you all do with it? *I know i'm going to *plant it and do a driftwood natural kinda thing. *I really wanted to keepd Discus and Rams but I have hard water (10 kh, 15 dGH) and might save that for down the line when I can afford RO's and all. *

What would you do? *
adam

[dattack]

With your water being high in pH and alkalinity, check out african cichlids!  I really want to set one up myself also and check out how they make the backgrounds on the back with styrofoam.  It looks very natural and awesome.

http://cichlidinspiration.net3services.com/

[dattack]

Or ask your parents if they want  to install an RO system in your home for drinking water.  If you live by yourself, save some money up for an RO system which at cheapest would cost around $120-$150.

[clothahump]

Dat, I thought that RO water was too pure for human consumption?

[colesea]

You can drink RO water, it just taste like s***.  
~~Colesea

[Matt Nace]

My friend has an R/O unit for drinking, he says it taste good.

I am very picky with water. Even some of the spring water stinks to me. I like my brita filtered water.mmm

[dattack]

RO taste great (why do you think people buy it at HD or at a vending machine?).  It's RO/DI that some people don't like the taste of.

Pure water is not detrimental to human consumption.  People say this because regular water contains some mineral that we use for our body.  However, if you have a good diet, than RO/DI or RO won't be detrimental at all.  That's a misunderstanding.  

[rummynose]

I could probably talk my parents into buying an RO system, now if I can get them to drive 700 miles once a week for water changes...proably not. *I would buy one myself but I'm already saving dimes for a canister so I can get this thing set up (still on a college budget). *Already have flourite for substrate and home depot shop light fixtures (240 Watt). *I might try the peat moss filtration someone else posted on another thread. *Any success with that?

I like Africans, but I want to do a planted set up; that doesn't mix does it? *Maybe I'll convert my 29 gal into an Africans tank. *I like the styrofoam look though, very polluted natural. *Beats cords and such.

We have 400 GPM RO water a work but I wouldn't drink it, its a chemical process plant. *I've seen to many buggies come out of it. *

[colesea]

I don't know, I never liked the taste of R/O water, it was just, too bland and tastless, and drinking it made my mouth feel really dry. Even bottled stuff just, doesn't seem thirst satisfying. Give me some good ol' chlorinated strait from the tap any day. Or even better yet, icy cold water from the garden hose!
~~Colesea

hmmm, garden hose water from our well, icy cold. Soooo good!! Colessa your bringing me back to my childhood (not that long ago) lol
Johnmac