Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => New Fishkeepers => Topic started by: Lynn999 on August 10, 2016, 06:43:16 PM
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Hi, this is my first silly question, I cannot seem to find a definitive answer on the forum .
I am returning to keeping tropical fish after 24 years. Unfortunately, we now live in Coventry with tap water that has a Ph of 8 and Nitrate between 20-40ppm. I have a 265l (net excluding decor) cylinder tank and wish to keep; tetra, a couple of GB Rams and for the first time 6 Stenker Discus. I know i probably have the wrong shape tank, but I have no room for a long 200+litre tank and my sister has kept Discus in a 220 litre cylinder tank for 5 years now.
My cycle completed around 15 days ago and I currently have 6 Bumblebee Platys which will be moving to a 120l tank, with some Mollies and Rasbora.
The question is how do I get my ph and nitrate down without resorting to chemical buffers? :-\ Whoops forgot KH = 100 ppm (6 drops on API test)
Cheers
Lynn
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Hi there and welcome to the forum. :wave:
That's not a silly question. Have you had a look on your local water suppliers website to find out what the hardness of your water is? This is going to be more important than the pH. Severn Trent (if that is your supplier) has a page where you put in your postcode and it telly you all the parameters for the tap water. I think your area is a medium hardness, but check your exact location on their website. We can then work from there. We usually go by the German degrees hardeness, so look for that one.
My area has water of 17 dH German, and is hard water. It is easier to choose your fish from those suitable for that rather than the other way around. When I first started I tried to alter my water ph using API pH down, and it was a disaster, thankfully I was doing a fishless cycle, but had to strip the tank down and start again.
The only other way to change the hardness of your water is by mixing it with RO water.
Check your water suppliers website, let us know your water hardness, and we can sheck to see if the fish you want will work in that water without alteration. :)
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Hello Lynn, and welcome.
I'm afraid that both Discus and German Blue Rams are definitely soft water and low nitrate fish... so the best way would be to install an RO machine and use remineralisation salts to 'make' suitable water. You could buy in RO water in quantity from your Local Fish Shop.... I know Maidenhead Aquatics will sell it, but your own RO supply will work out cheaper and nore convenient in the long run for such a large aquarium.
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Thank you both for those great answers. I have found out that my water is slightly hard and has 20ppm of Nitrate (no wonder the roses grow well).
Any recomendations on a RO drinking water unit, I have been thinking of one for a while because I drink a lot of water due to radiotherapy destroying my salivary glands.
Thanks again
Lynn
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Do you mean things like Brita water filters? Those don't produce water suitable for fish, due to ion exchange I believe, @Sue is the best person to explain it.
We generally recommend you stock fish that are suitable for your water conditions, it just makes life a lot easier. What are the tank dimensions?
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Whoops I think i am getting confused in my old age.
My cylinder is 63cm x 980 it has a powerhead 3 tray filter system and an internal Aqueal 1500 Turbo filter, 6 jet air curtain and LED lighting. The holding tank is a Interpret 120L with Aqueal 1000 and Interpret CF3 internal filter, have to say I am not impressed with the CF3 filter and am only running it as a backup.
I have added 2cm of sand substrate and 2 pieces of mopari bogwood with Anubias Barteri, Nanna, Caffefolia and Petite attached, together with Java Ferns.
Surprisingly the Nitrate reading today was only 5ppm so the plants seem to be taking some of the nitrate up.
I checked with Stenker and they do not think I will have a problem with the hardness as it is very similar to the tap water they use. I will be making sure that I only buy aquarium bred fish.
Advice on what is involved in setting up an RO filter and what make would be welcome.
Thanks Colin B Maidenhead Aquatics isn't far from where I live although I have been recommend to go to Rockpool Aquatics which is only a mile from me.
Thanks again
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If you do a search for Evolution Stu's post you'll see his blow by blow account of setting up his RO unit
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Do you mean things like Brita water filters? Those don't produce water suitable for fish, due to ion exchange I believe, @Sue is the best person to explain it.
There are various commercial ways of 'softening' water like Brita filters or water softeners that attach to the mains. These use ion exchange resins, which are resins preloaded with specific ions. Brita filters are preloaded with hydrogen ions, and a lot of water softeners are preloaded with sodium ions. The minerals that make water hard are calcium and magnesium ions. Ion exchange resins swap the calcium and magnesium for the preloaded ions.
Hydrogen ions are what pH measures. It is an upside down measure; the more there are, the lower the pH. Brita filters increase the amount of hydrogen ions so the pH falls. When I tested my Brita jug, the pH was off the bottom of the scale.
Sodium water softeners put sodium into the water. There are no natural fresh water lakes/rivers (except possibly the Rift Lakes) which have sodium in the water. This type of water softener makes the water very unnnatural and fish can't cope with it. It is not good for humans either, which is why this type of softener must have a bypass tap for human consumption.
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Thank you all :)
I have decided to go 50/50 RO and tap so I don't have to add any chemicals.
RO unit ordered, just got to sort out some timber so the old man can build me a shelter to house it by the outside tap. I went middle of the range with a Finest Filter 75 gpd , as I tend to do a 25% change every day (70L). This filter is also one that I will be able to connect without my husband aka 'The Thread Stripper' having to interfere.
I will let you know how I get on.
Thanks again
Lynn :)
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That sounds like a very sensible idea.
Best of luck. ;D