Ro units and water hardness...

[justrfb]

All,
 Please let me know a few things from you.  I have a 55 gal, tropical stocked tank that has gotten progressively hard water from the changes I have been doing over the years.  I have KH and GH readings of 328 and 247 ppm.  The directions for the test kit say the only way to bring both readings down is by using deionized water.  I could not find deionized water and the only way to "make" it is with a Reverse Osmosis unit.  I used 5 gal of distilled water.  This was all brought to light by my inability to bring my pH down to a comfortable level for my fish.  I am at 7.8 and holding.
 How do you control your hardness?  Do you have a RO unit?  What about distilled water.  Then yesterday I read that you "may need to add "XYZ" product to deionized water because it may be too pure for your tank".  What about that statement.  Please sound out any thoughts or experience you may have.  Thank you.

  Justrfb

 

[Davy Reynolds]

I'm working the oposite way so will need to do some reading

 

[Great Lakes]

You are in the States. Most grocers here in Mi. have RO units in their stores, as does Wal-Mart. I bought two of the Five gallon jugs available there, and problem solved.
Check around, bet you can find one or two.

 

[Great Lakes]

PS, The harder your water is, the more stable the PH

 

[whacky]

I add a product to my ro water to replace the minerals that the ro unit takes out. I only use the ro unit because my water is very hard and i keep soft water fish.

The product is called R/O right by kent marine. Once i have added the correct amout it helps to maintain the correct hardness and alkalinity