How to remineralize R/O water for betta?

[Arkodios]

My tap water is nasty. It's working fine for my South American Cichlid/Gourami and my African Cichlid tanks, but I'm starting a reef tank so I got an RO/DI unit. Since my betta will only be having 20 gallons, I can use RO/DI on it since it's like 2-4 gallon water changes a week. Unlike saltwater where I can just use the synthetic salt to replenish minerals, I cannot find a powder/solution to add to RO/DI water to make it ideal for Bettas. I am aware of products like Seachem Equilibrium, Seachem Fresh Trace, and Alkalinity/Acid Buffers. I'm trying to know what I need and don't need, using as little as I need. I don't understand why people say to use both Alk and Acid Buffers, can I not just use less Alkalinity Buffer instead of adding some and then adding Acid Buffer? Could I find the ratio of each powder per gallon, and then use this to throw the powders together into one big container, taking out scoops as necessary?

 

[Frank the Fish guy]

Food grade Magnesium Sulfate, and Calcium Chloride.

https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Epso...1&sprefix=food+grade+epsom+salt,aps,61&sr=8-7

and

https://www.amazon.com/LD-Carlson-6...ix=food+grade+calcium+chloride,aps,59&sr=8-10

Generally, you find the Calcium Chloride at home brew stores. And Epsom salt at the drug store.

Once you have these powders, you mix them 3:1 (Calcium: Magnesium).

You add this to your RO/DI water to achieve the GH level you want.

Also add baking soda to get the KH you want.

So it is exactly like your salt water. You just add these different salts/buffers.


For my cichlid tanks, I use 2 tsp of the salt mixture, and 2 tsp of the buffer (baking soda) in 5 gallons of water. That makes for very hard water.

 

[CindiL]

Hi, with my smaller (7g) betta tank and RO water I use Seachem Fresh Trace, alkaline buffer (no you don’t need the acid buffer) and replenish (GH). My aim for a betta is generally to have the ph stable at around 6 or 100ppm for the alkalinity, the GH 50-100ppm. This has always worked well for me.

 

[Thunder_o_b]

For years I have remineralized my RO/DI water with Seachem - Equilibrium I have plants.