Firstly - many apologies if this is an idiotic post, or one that has been covered a bazillion times before ( I've done several searches, and not come up with anything )
In a filtered, heated tank, with reasonably frequent water changes, is the hardness of the water coming out of the tap going to be drastically different from that in the tank? ( the pH of my tap water is 7.4, and currently in my tank it is somewhere between 7.4 and 7.8 - colour falls between the two on the API chart ). Actually I have two tanks - one, with a Betta is cycled, and the other is, I think, almost cycled - ammonia is 0 and nitrites have fallen to 0.25, so getting there, anyway. The betta tank pH is a fraction closer to 7.4 than the not-quite-there-yet tank. (I throw that in, because I know there is a relationship between pH and hardness, although I need to go and read up the science again
)
I guess I need to go and buy a testing kit from the lfs, so I know what the tank hardness actually is
. However, what I haven't a clue about is, is it likely to change much over time within the confines of a well-maintained tank, or can I expect it to stay fairly constant? ( assuming that I do not try and fiddle with it)
What I do know is that the tap water in my area is ( according to the water company) 17-21 degrees hardness, 250-300 ppm CaCO3.
One of the main reasons for my question is that I wish to keep Cory cats (don't have any yet) - but have read references to their ideal water hardness being more like 12. That sounds like quite a big difference - but quite honestly, I don't know if it is, or, even if it is, how critical it is to a Cory's well-being (several references don't mention their ideal water hardness at all) . (I have already crossed several fish off my list of possibilities due to pH considerations)
I know it is possible to alter pH and hardness - but really, as a beginner, I would think I should save that for several tanks down the line and in the meantime I would be better off trying to match the fish to the water I have. So, Cory Cats out or in??
In a filtered, heated tank, with reasonably frequent water changes, is the hardness of the water coming out of the tap going to be drastically different from that in the tank? ( the pH of my tap water is 7.4, and currently in my tank it is somewhere between 7.4 and 7.8 - colour falls between the two on the API chart ). Actually I have two tanks - one, with a Betta is cycled, and the other is, I think, almost cycled - ammonia is 0 and nitrites have fallen to 0.25, so getting there, anyway. The betta tank pH is a fraction closer to 7.4 than the not-quite-there-yet tank. (I throw that in, because I know there is a relationship between pH and hardness, although I need to go and read up the science again
)I guess I need to go and buy a testing kit from the lfs, so I know what the tank hardness actually is
. However, what I haven't a clue about is, is it likely to change much over time within the confines of a well-maintained tank, or can I expect it to stay fairly constant? ( assuming that I do not try and fiddle with it) What I do know is that the tap water in my area is ( according to the water company) 17-21 degrees hardness, 250-300 ppm CaCO3.
One of the main reasons for my question is that I wish to keep Cory cats (don't have any yet) - but have read references to their ideal water hardness being more like 12. That sounds like quite a big difference - but quite honestly, I don't know if it is, or, even if it is, how critical it is to a Cory's well-being (several references don't mention their ideal water hardness at all) . (I have already crossed several fish off my list of possibilities due to pH considerations)
I know it is possible to alter pH and hardness - but really, as a beginner, I would think I should save that for several tanks down the line
and in the meantime I would be better off trying to match the fish to the water I have. So, Cory Cats out or in??
