High GH, KH and pH

[lionfishlover]

Hi there, my GH is high (>16), pH is 8, and KH is about 20. This is on my new tank which i just started fishless cycling, in my old tank i used water through a brita water filter and the GH result was the same but pH and KH was quite a bit lower.

Is this going to cause any problems when i transfer the fish or should i get a RO unit and do a large water change with the water from the unit before putting the fish in?

Could i just buy distilled water to use instead of buying an RO unit temorarily (if i need to)?

Cheers, Scott

 

[freddyk]

How big a difference is there between the old tank and new?
If the difference really is significant (ph is 7.5 or lower) then you can acclimate the fish by doing frequent water changes in the old tank with the new water. Your parameters as they are will be fine for most fish.

FYI if you transfer the filter from the old tank to the new along with the fish, the new tank will be instantly cycled.

 

[Def]

Also FYI, if you use r/o water in your freshwater tank you'll have to add additives to it. Everyone (including me) forgets that even though you really, really need r/o water for marine tanks, you still have to add lots of additives to it...

 

[lionfishlover]

My old tank is GH >16, pH 7, KH 3. The only difference to the water is that the water in the old tank went through a brita filter before it went in the tank.

If once the new tank is cycled i do a 30% water change using filtered water and then do a test, how much higher then the above test results could the water be to put in the fish directly? (IE if the water was GH >16, pH 7.5 KH 10 [just an examlple] once the water change had been)

I dont want to use the filter from the old tank as the tank is not cycling, thats the main reason for the new tank and getting it set up quickly.

Cheers Scott

 

[impur]

Also FYI, if you use r/o water in your freshwater tank you'll have to add additives to it. Everyone (including me) forgets that even though you really, really need r/o water for marine tanks, you still have to add lots of additives to it...

Actually in marine tanks the salt you mix with ro/di water supplies the needed elements.

 

[Def]

That being the "lots of additives" I was talking about... Some salt mixes have the necessary additives (eg, reef crystals), some do not and require suppliments.