Is there a way to bring the KH levels in water down besides R/O units, bottled water, or distilled water??

[Rocky998]

So I was wondering if there was a way to lower KH without using R/O or other water sources.
If I can lower the KH it will make it easier to change my PH!
Of course I'd change the PH gradually of the course of a month or two.
But if I can find a way to lower that I may be able to create a healthier environment for my fish.

 

[GaryE]

Nope...

 

[Rocky998]

Nope...

Well... shoot

 

[GaryE]

Wait.
There is another way. Move to place like where I am, where the city water comes from blackwater lakes with rainforest-like water!

Then you'll decide you want hardwater, high pH fish. It's human nature.

 

[Rocky998]

Wait.
There is another way. Move to place like where I am, where the city water comes from blackwater lakes with rainforest-like water!

Then you'll decide you want hardwater, high pH fish. It's human nature.

Well yes. Only natural to want the things hardest to get

 

[Colin_T]

You can add a lot of peat to the water and it will use up the KH, but it won't affect GH.

How high is the KH, GH & pH?
I think your pH is around 8.0, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Rocky998]

You can add a lot of peat to the water and it will use up the KH, but it won't affect GH.

How high is the KH, GH & pH?
I think your pH is around 8.0, correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, so my KH is 13-14
Then my GH is 3
And my pH is 8...
It's weird water, I know

 

[Rocky998]

I've heard good and bad about peat...
But I'd probably need a lot

 

[Colin_T]

You would have to get a bucket or rubbish bin and fill it with tap water. Add some peat and leave it to soak. Then monitor the KH & pH. When the KH & pH drops, remove the peat, dechlorinate the water and use it in the tank.

The main drawbacks are brown water, and the peat could use up all the KH and then the pH could drop rapidly.

 

[Rocky998]

You would have to get a bucket or rubbish bin and fill it with tap water. Add some peat and leave it to soak. Then monitor the KH & pH. When the KH & pH drops, remove the peat, dechlorinate the water and use it in the tank.

The main drawbacks are brown water, and the peat could use up all the KH and then the pH could drop rapidly.

Hmmm... I will look into it definitely.
I will have to get a water pump to pulp it from the bucket to the tank.
How long does it have to sit for?

 

[JuiceBox52]

You’d have to very careful with that method and consistent. Would be easier (and cheaper probably) to just buy some gallons of RO or distilled water…. Only like 1.70/gallon at my local stores

 

[Rocky998]

You’d have to very careful with that method and consistent. Would be easier (and cheaper probably) to just buy some gallons of RO or distilled water…. Only like 1.70/gallon at my local stores

Yah but that adds up...
I just wanted to know if there was a way besides doing that. Seems like the options are very slim, which I expected but I was hoping

 

[Byron]

I am in agreement with @JuiceBox52 here, the real risk--and it is very real--is the instability of the parameters. It will likely take a ;lot of peat, and this is expensive and to be honest detrimental to the environment these days with reducing peat bogs. Peat is like carbon, in sufficient quantity it does what it is intended to do, at least sort of, but it becomes rapidly depleted and no longer does what it is intended to do.

Lowering GH or KH and pH is best achieved by dilution of the source water with pure water. Once you work out the amount to achieve "x" KH and pH, it is easy to make the water at each water change.

 

[Rocky998]

I am in agreement with @JuiceBox52 here, the real risk--and it is very real--is the instability of the parameters. It will likely take a ;lot of peat, and this is expensive and to be honest detrimental to the environment these days with reducing peat bogs. Peat is like carbon, in sufficient quantity it does what it is intended to do, at least sort of, but it becomes rapidly depleted and no longer does what it is intended to do.

Lowering GH or KH and pH is best achieved by dilution of the source water with pure water. Once you work out the amount to achieve "x" KH and pH, it is easy to make the water at each water change.

Yah that is what I was thinking...
"How much peat?"
"And would it really be stable?"
I think I should just be thankful I have water

 

[Colin_T]

Hmmm... I will look into it definitely.
I will have to get a water pump to pulp it from the bucket to the tank.
How long does it have to sit for?

A couple of days, a couple of weeks, no idea until you try it. You would have to check it daily to start with and see how it goes. If you use a lot of peat in a small volume of water, it could drop the KH and pH very quickly, within a day. If you only use a bit of peat in a big container of water, it might take a few weeks, or longer.

You could make a solar still to distill the tap water. Might not work in winter but in warm weather it is free distilled water.