Lowering Water Hardness

[hoyfoys]

Hi everyone,

I previously posted that I kept having fish deaths. I've now tested my kH and gH and found that these are really high, around 250ppm (12 degrees) and 360ppm (20 degrees) respectively!

What is the easiest way to reduce water hardness successfully? I've heard that it is a bit of a minefield, especially for a newbie like me!

I have odessa barbs, pearl gouramis, cardinal tetras, dwarf gouramis, 1 blue ram and shrimps. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrates 20, 26 degrees centigrade.

Thanks for the help.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Softening water is risky using chemical additives and to be honest, in water with those stats the changes would be barely noticeable. On the positive side, Odessa Barbs originate from very hard water in Myanmar, where crazy readings at pH 11 have been recorded because of the limestone river bed!

 

[hoyfoys]

Thanks for the reply. Weirdly, I've had a couple of Odessa Barbs die, but both my pearl gouramis have been fine. Do you think I should just tailor my fish to the hardness? If so what recommendations would you make? I've fancied cichlids but that'd be quite a change and too much of a challenge for me, I think?

 

[Lufbramatt]

African rift lake cichlids thrive in hardwater and are some of the hardiest fish going.

 

[hoyfoys]

I have to say that I am very tempted by the cichlids. I take it I'd to get rid of all the existing fish (even the Gouramis and barbs?). How would I do this?

Also, looking at Rift Lake fish it seems that Lake Malawi and Victoria require softer water so would only Lake Tanganyika fish be suitable.

The other thing I've seen suggested is to use rain water. It sounds a pain, is it a feasible option?

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Well, you would def. want to rehome the fish you have if you switch to africans, r they may become lunch. What size is your tank?

 

[hoyfoys]

It's 110L so just (but only just) big enough for a small cichlid community, I think? How many would I be looking at?

 

[Dieses Madchen]

If you go for a dwarf species, maybe 5?Do some research on cichlids and look for ones that only get to be about 2-3 inches. I know there are some malawis that are small, and need to be slightly overstock due to aggression. But you would also have to tank into account space lost for rock formations.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Dont even try. Its very very hard to get right, & even if you do get it right, then each & every time you do a water change you will have to try to match the new water to the chemical make up in your tank, THATS EVERY TIME, WITHOUT FAIL.

To hard to do, just leave it alone, your LFS will have been keeping fish in the same water as you so dont panic.

Ph & Hardness are the two things you should be worrying about the least. As long as your Ammonia & Nitrites are zero, your fish will cope quite happily.

Tom

 

[Juggler75]

My tap water kH is around the same as yours and gH around 500ppm! pH is 6.9 though so we still use coral sand to up the pH in our malawi tank and they are thriving!

 

[hoyfoys]

Hi Aqua Tom,

My Ammonia and Nitrates have never budged form 0, thanks to the fishless cycling on this site, but I've been having fish deaths every few weeks (about 15 in 6 months!). The only thing that I think can explain it is the hardness. The LFS, and he seems good, doesn't really understand why I'm having so many deaths. The hardness is the only thing that seems unusual but it will probably be the same as his, and his customers. It's a bit of a mystery...

Thanks for all the other replies too

 

[raptorrex]

Dont even try. Its very very hard to get right, & even if you do get it right, then each & every time you do a water change you will have to try to match the new water to the chemical make up in your tank, THATS EVERY TIME, WITHOUT FAIL.

To hard to do, just leave it alone, your LFS will have been keeping fish in the same water as you so dont panic.

Ph & Hardness are the two things you should be worrying about the least. As long as your Ammonia & Nitrites are zero, your fish will cope quite happily.

Tom

well said.

it simply is not worth it, for most of us.
water has a horrible tenancy to revert back to its original make up. its called "buffering". (though i have other names for it. lol)

best bet is, keep fish that suite you water.