RO Water with Loaches and automatic remineralization

[Curtis]

I'm thinking of going to RO/DI water for my horse of loaches, everything from clowns to striata's. My question is, I do automatic continuous drip water changes, how can you remineralize the water automatically?

My thought is to run the RO/DI water into the sump (150 gallon sump) (1200 gallon total water) and somehow remineralize it on the fly, or do 75% RO/di water with 25% tap water.

Does anyone do something similar to this now?

If you have any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

[oilhands]

(150 gallon sump) (1200 gallon total water)

[chefkeith]

I'm not sure how to do it, but I'm sure it's been done before.

Any particular reason why you want to use RO water?

Keith Wolcott is doing something like that or will be in the future.

[Diana]

If the tap water is OK I would do the 25%/75% into the sump.

How much water change would this really add up to? There are ways from simple to complex that can add minerals back to the tank.
One example:
Dissolve the minerals you want in a 1 quart or larger container. Hook up a small pump to some air line tubing (really small pump) and plug the pump into a vacation timer, set to come on several times a day. Dilute the water with minerals dissolved so that the 5 minutes the pump is on times several operations per day will add exactly the amount of minerals you want. Caution: As the container empties the pump will pump less and less, it is that small a pump.
There IS a little pump that is designed to do JUST THIS! Look at the plant specific sites to find the name. I think I read about it at www.aquaticplantcentral.com

Same idea, but more complex (read: $):
There is a mini-computer that can handle the timing for these pumps, perhaps regulated by a probe in the water.

[Keith Wolcott]

I am doing RO, but not continuous drip. I am changing 8-10% each day and adding the minerals before the change.

Diana's suggestions, I think are good solutions.