How To Make Water Soft?

[NEONCORY]

I am not really a beginner but I need a help from the briliant mind. Ok here it is. I know there is ph and dh(gh) when we talk about the hardness of the water. I know ph is measurement for acid and alkaline. And dh(gh) is for hardness.
And dh(gh) is important for me since I try to breed some of the Tetras. I got so call "master water test kit" but there are no chemical to measure the dh(gh) in the kit!
So I make breeding water by guess. So it seems they don't hatch always when I try the Neon. I know they require the really soft water. And I don't have RO system. And I can't always collect rainwater. So anyway, I used the peat filtered water and charcoal filtered water. And mixed with my guess. And last batchI got from Neon 2 days ago, start to hatch yesterday. Which is good. And I have some infusioa water ready.

But here is the question

Is charcoal take out the hardness of water?
Is peat do the same? Or peat just lower the ph?
Also, who sell the test to measure the dh(gh)? I went petsmart yesterday and didn't see one.

I appreciate any help. Thanks in advance.

 

[mark.w.jones]

I am not really a beginner but I need a help from the briliant mind. Ok here it is. I know there is ph and dh(gh) when we talk about the hardness of the water. I know ph is measurement for acid and alkaline. And dh(gh) is for hardness.
And dh(gh) is important for me since I try to breed some of the Tetras. I got so call "master water test kit" but there are no chemical to measure the dh(gh) in the kit!
So I make breeding water by guess. So it seems they don't hatch always when I try the Neon. I know they require the really soft water. And I don't have RO system. And I can't always collect rainwater. So anyway, I used the peat filtered water and charcoal filtered water. And mixed with my guess. And last batchI got from Neon 2 days ago, start to hatch yesterday. Which is good. And I have some infusioa water ready.

But here is the question

Is charcoal take out the hardness of water?
Is peat do the same? Or peat just lower the ph?
Also, who sell the test to measure the dh(gh)? I went petsmart yesterday and didn't see one.

I appreciate any help. Thanks in advance.

Some people use peat to help soften their water by placing mesh bags of it in their filter. It is quite unpredictbale though and while not maintain a stable hardness level in your tank.

This article offers some good advice:

http/www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_adjusting_pH.php

The tap water purifier mentioned is relatively cheap but has not had many good reviews. Most people have found that it'll only produce 12 - 20 gallons of purified water per cartridge and as the cartridges cost £20 each its not really a good long term solution. Other options include buying RO water direct from your LFS or buying an RO unit Im afraid. The cheapest option is definitely a water butt in the garden but the choice is up to you really.

 

[thegnu]

what is your waters KH as this is kinda interlinked

 

[NEONCORY]

Thanks jonesyUK,

That is educational article. I think I become smarter, not much but smarter.
Although I still don't know the effect of the charcol. I knew the resin would make water soft.
Anyway, I am not trying to soften all the water for the regular tank but I just need some soft(almost no salt, mineral water) water for the breeding tank for the Tetras(especially Neon).
But the water I mixed was good enough that the Neons did hatch. I just use the special mix for now. It should work for Diamond also, I hope.
And I better go another store and look for the water test for dh(kh) So I can figure out what water is good to hatch the Tetras.

 

[NEONCORY]

thegnu,

Like I mentioned, I do not have the water test which can measure the dh nor kh unfortunately. I will go store soon to get one if I can find one.

 

[NEONCORY]

fishkiller_nomore,

Thanks for your suggestion. Although I may not be able to have tank with plants to make soft water. Since I need the soft low mineral water to get more fish. And need more tank for fish. So it is almost impossible to have extra tank with mainly plants but not fish. I may be able to keep some plastic storage box on the balcony in Spring/Summer. Although still need some hard water plants.
But I will try to keep in mind about your idea. Thanks.

 

[Arimus]

Can I ask a really really really stupid question please....



What is RO water??? (See I said it was stupid )


Don't worry - google is my friend today... found out. Reverse osmosis (just better spelt)

 

[mark.w.jones]

Can I ask a really really really stupid question please....



What is RO water??? (See I said it was stupid )


Don't worry - google is my friend today... found out. Reverse osmosis (just better spelt)

Reverse Osmosis. Basically "clean water." With none of the dissolved minerals in it that block your shower head and and put the white chalky stuff on your taps and shower screen. You can buy a machine which takes your tap water and basically cleans it. Most discus and marine keepers need it. Most tropical owners don't.

 

[NEONCORY]

I am still looking for the definate answer for the questions below. Hopefully someone with scientific mind would be good.

Is charcoal take out the hardness of water?
Is peat do the same? Or peat just lower the ph?

Thanks for your time.

 

[thegnu]

the KH (carbonate hardness) in water stops us from softening the water if it is too high. KH is also known as temporary hardness as it can be changed. its like a sponge and will soak up out efforts to change the water by, lets say repeling it like a buffer on a train will shield the train and stop it from changing shape. so there are ways we can soften our water by adding peat to make the water less alkaline and more acidic but we are now back to the KH. if the kh is high but not as high to not be able to lower it,ie making the KH work harder to keep the waters shape, this will lower the KH and then you would be able to lower your pH, but if the KH is so high as to not allow this then the only way would be an ro unit. now the question is what is the edit; highest number of KH ppm to STILL be able to lower it? 100? i dont know

 

[Majjie]

I am still looking for the definate answer for the questions below. Hopefully someone with scientific mind would be good.

Is charcoal take out the hardness of water?
Is peat do the same? Or peat just lower the ph?

Thanks for your time.

No - charcoal won't remove the hardness from the water
KH and pH are related and they will vary together. Peat will lower the KH and the pH a lot - and will lower the GH a little (depending on the original level)

I filter some of my water through peat - in a bucket with a hole pushed through the bottom (which I keep out in the garden shed) - and use that for water changes. I don't use peat in the tank filter because, as has been said, it can result in unstable water parameters. I wash the peat with boiling water first and use filter wool to stop small peat particles coming through. After passing through the peat, my water has a KH of 0, GH about 7.5 and the pH is less than 5 (my tap water has KH around 6.5, GH of 13 and a ph of 7.5). Before using it in the tanks, I bring the pH back up to around 6.5 with sodium bicarbonate (this brings the KH back up to about 3 - 3.5). Seems to work fine.

 

[NEONCORY]

Thanks thegnu, majjie,

I guess I still need to find the gh/kh test chemical. I have the so call master water test kit but there are nothing to test gh/kh. I may have the older kind or something because same maker I just saw selling on the internet have gh testing chemical now.
But I appreciate your practical suggestion of the use of the peat. I have peat soaked in my tap water in the gallon plastic container. And I did obtain the frys from the Neon with it. So I imagine it is soft enough. And if it is soft enough for Neon, it should work for most other Tetras. I just use this as starting point.
I usually don't use the peat filter or peat filtered water for the tank.( our water is pretty close to nuetural and the fish I have are fine with that) I just need softer water when I try to breed the Tetras. I will get gh/kh tester sometime in the future so I can repeat the successful spawn easily.
I just thought the carbon might remove some hardness because it used to remove the treatment medicine, chlorine from tap water for drinking.,etc.
Thanks again for the knowledge, I appreciate your time to response.

 

[Majjie]

....... I just thought the carbon might remove some hardness because it used to remove the treatment medicine, chlorine from tap water for drinking.,etc.
Thanks again for the knowledge, I appreciate your time to response.

You're welcome.

Activated carbon is a very variable way of removing contaminants from water - it depends on the type of carbon and how it has been treated - but, in general, it's mainly organic compounds that are removed (so it's good for medicines because they are mainly small organic compounds). Chlorine reacts with the activated carbon to form chloride - so it is de-activated or de-toxified, rather than removed. Most inorganic ions - like those responsible for the hardness of water - are not removed.

 

[NEONCORY]

Thanks for the chemistry lesson. It probably won't stick to my head I will try my hardest to remember that.
Thanks again for your time and knowledge.