Water Chemistry

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

Well, out here in Arizona we have some very hard tap water.

My Gh is 18-22. Ph 7.8

My fish seem happy enough and aren't bothered by it, but I wonder about long term effects.

Will a little baking soda( about a quarter tsp per water change) and aquarium salt (about 1 tablespoon per water change. I keep the Ph at 8.0


I have 2 canister filters. An Ehiem 2217 and a Magnum 350 with the BIO whell 60 pro.

Now to lower the Gh I can use a water softern pillow in the carbon canister for the Magnum( I usually just keep the carbon in there, bu tas this tank is goin on six months and the water is always clear I will get rid of it for a water polisher or a Nitrate removal pillow.


So if anyone has any information on this kind of HArd water I would love to hear from you.

 

[Nidge]

Most fish will adapt to the water they are in so you are better letting the fish get used to it rather than adjusting the water, It depends on the fish you want to keep, It probably wouldn't be a good idea to keep fish that need soft acitic water.

Baking soda does keep the ph at about 8 and it wont change from that even if you put more in, the more you put in the bigger the buffer level you create.

You could put a pouch of pete into your filter and this would lower the ph and make the water softer.

 

[Wannaknowaboutsand]

Sorry, I think you misunderstand.

I have african cichlids, Mbuna.

The recommended Gh for them is about 6-12 I have a 22!

I understand that they will adapt to this, but it is in my power to change it, if it has even the slighest long term negative effect.

So what Im looking at is adding a small amount of baking soda to keep the ph at 8 ( this is not a problem at all), and addinga watersofting pillow to my magnum filter to lower the Gh down to 12 every time I change the water(this is a pain because it needs be timed and tested constantly).

The fish seeem happy, but 22 sounds high!