you can grab a tap filter from amazon for around 30 bucks
and make a ceramic filter for around 15-20
the shower filter
can lower minerals/metals/chlorine etc...don't expect RO water because it won't be but it'll lower stuff in your water quite a bit...
my water without this thing comes out whitish and with it it's perfectly clear
now for the 2nd removal stage and also a slow process
ceramic filtration....
you can check out
and see how to do it on the cheapo side of things
now the co2 part...
I use co2 and a ph controller and keeping ph under 7 reduces co2 spent as it stabilizes things a bit more
but as far as kh/ph goes...as soon as you stop using it, it'll just go right back up
also I'd be very careful with co2 without a controller because after it goes under 7 it's just downhill from there...
you can watch all the videos you want and people telling you 1 bubble a second...1 bubble every 2 or 3 or whatever
from experience I can tell you it doesn't matter 1 or 2 or 3 bubbles
it matters how much of it actually gets mixed with the water and it's pretty simple...
the smaller the bubbles coming out of the diffuser the faster it'll change the water...
you can have someone with a co2 setup using an air stone or an amazon diffuser doing 3 bubbles/second
and you doing 1 bubble per second and getting the same results for the same tank size just because you went and spent 25$ bucks on a better diffuser
and now spend 3/4 times less on co2 refills
always make sure you get multi stages regulators so you don't get end of tank dump which can be a bad ending
cheapest co2 builds you can have right now are sodastream bottles..
you can use them straight with the AAA regulator
or the FZONE one with an adapter attached to it...both of them are multi-stage and both cost around 130-140
you can get a cheaper multi-stage with multiple gauges etc....but I can assure you you'll always have leaks even if you don't hear them it's leaking..
basically the less attachments on the regulator the better...
then comes controllers....
you got bluelabs at 500 bucks and up using chemicals through a peristaltic pump
and then digital ph controllers that just turn on the power if ph is outside of desired range (hence the solenoids)
and cost around 100-150....
then arduino/pi boards with expansion modules and being able to do virtually anything you wish...
if you want the arduino board to change the water at 3am everyday or lower the filter voltage at night time
or do water changes based on gh/tds/ph....
or as some fish spawn based on rain....turn on a pump everyday at 11am for 2h with a "shower" type output
or turn on a small light everytime fish cross to the left side of the tank
also there's httpd modules for arduino where you can have your own web server in the board and pretty much have a website on it for commands
like....go on your phone or computer and access the website and click on water change and the board executes it...
I myself don't have access to connect my tank straight to a drain, and drilling on stuff in our condo because of fish wouldn't sit with my Maria
but eventually when we do move into a house...all these crazy stupid ideas of mine of making everything automated will be done....
I hate big water changes as many people know and to me nothing would beat a drip system xD
can you imagine my own fish room?!? the dream!!
