Hard Water

[peedee]

I'm having a tough time with hard water. The 30g has been cycled and running well for a few months and the fish were doing fine with the few exceptions getting sick. The 100g has the same story since i've moved everyone from the 30g to the 100g. All the fish seem ok all the ph, amonia, nitrites are good to go except i cant get the water to soften up. I've used some water softeners but nothing seems to happen. Any help advise would be appreciated. thanks in advance

 

[aaronnorth]

Peat can work

 

[peedee]

How long does it take to have an effect...i've had peet in both filters for at least a week and a half. I'd rather not use chemicals but i want the gh and kh to come down.

 

[geo7x]

How hard is it exactly? What fish do you have?

With you average set of community fish I wouldn't touch the hardness, providing the fish have been that way for a long time and it is stable they should be fine. I have very hard water and my fish are no worse because of it.

 

[peedee]

yes i meant peat...not peet. and now i see where other people have posted but didn't find before using the "search".

 

[peedee]

large and small clown fish, danios, dalmation mollies, polkadot loaches, bn's. Sorry i don't know all the latin names, i'm simple minded when it comes to this part. They all seem fine and i catch them oddly hanging out together sometimes like one of my smaller clowns hang out wtih the mollies. I'm also looking for info on f8 puffer's prefrence on hard or soft water...i'm preparing for two in about 4 weeks.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Mollies need their water hard and will fall ill in soft water. Danios and bristlenoses don't really care either way. Loaches should be adaptable.

I take it you are not going to keep your puffers in the community setup?

 

[aaronnorth]

I have loaches, plecs and tetras, they are not bothered, tetras prefer soft water but they have adapted, i have lost 1 but that was 2yr old so probobaly age that killed it

 

[backtotropical]

I agree with what has already been said. I wouldn't try to soften your water unless you notice that it causes your fish specific problems.

Hard water is easier to work with in the sense that you are less likely to get a pH crash.

I can't see any problems with leaving it as it is.

Cheers

BTT

 

[peedee]

Alright i feel much better about it. And i have a second tank for the puffer. thanks