The tap water in my region is not very good and Im finding the PH levels (above 8) and water hardness quite high. Is this going to cause huge problems for my fish? I asked an employee at the fish store about this and he said there wasn't anything to be done...everyone in the region with a fish tank will have similar PH/hardness and the fish will just have to "get used to it". Does this seem accurate?
PH, water hardness
- Thread starter Jennifer
- Start date
There are plenty of fish that are pretty hardy and would probally do alright in these conditions, some fish even prefer a higher ph level. But although your fish may do alright they would prefer a more suitable enviroment. Same as you could survive and be fine in 100 degree weather every day but I'm sure you would be happier in 70. And these issues are small and easily fixed. Put some aqaurium moss on your filter to soften the water and there is a PH balance out there that you just throw in the tank and it automaticaly puts it at 7.
I assume you are talking about Peat Moss, not aquarium moss. The last one could be any number of species, and none of them have any effect on PH.
Peat moss will lower it a bit, but IME with really hard water, for it to work you have to add so much you will not be able to see your fish because of how brown the water will be.
Comparing temp for us to PH for them isn't exactly accurate. Besides now a days most fish have been farm bred so much the PH isn't that much of a concern.
What is more of a concern is that the PH stay stable and not always fluctuate because you are messing with it.
Now I'm not saying I would keep Discus in water with a PH over 8. There are some cases like this were the fish just will not tolerate it.. However most tropical fish will adapt to any PH within reason.
You need to get a high PH test kit to determine just how high your PH actually is. Anything above 8.2 is beyond reason. And at that point your best bet is to either Keep African cichlids or get an RO unit.
Peat moss will lower it a bit, but IME with really hard water, for it to work you have to add so much you will not be able to see your fish because of how brown the water will be.
Comparing temp for us to PH for them isn't exactly accurate. Besides now a days most fish have been farm bred so much the PH isn't that much of a concern.
What is more of a concern is that the PH stay stable and not always fluctuate because you are messing with it.
Now I'm not saying I would keep Discus in water with a PH over 8. There are some cases like this were the fish just will not tolerate it.. However most tropical fish will adapt to any PH within reason.
You need to get a high PH test kit to determine just how high your PH actually is. Anything above 8.2 is beyond reason. And at that point your best bet is to either Keep African cichlids or get an RO unit.
Well lets see...You got the use across, but totally messed up what type of moss to use. I'm sorry for correcting you, BUT if a newb read that then ordered java moss thinking it will lower their PH...well you get the point.
And to be exact most farm bred fish are either farm bred in Thailand or Florida. Thailand naturally has PH well below 7 and Florida is pretty much almost at 8 state wide. There goes your 7.0 theory.
Bottom line is don't mess with your PH it causes more harm than good. Most of those chemicals are made and sold just to take your money. And do not doubt your fishes ability to adapt. A steady Ph and proper acclimation is by far more important.
And to be exact most farm bred fish are either farm bred in Thailand or Florida. Thailand naturally has PH well below 7 and Florida is pretty much almost at 8 state wide. There goes your 7.0 theory.
Bottom line is don't mess with your PH it causes more harm than good. Most of those chemicals are made and sold just to take your money. And do not doubt your fishes ability to adapt. A steady Ph and proper acclimation is by far more important.
.Yes, I have already planted my tank...I think I have seven plants in there right now...2 swords, 1 lotus, 1 anubias, 1 barcopia (sp?), 1 tall redish plant (can't remember the name) and 1 short plant with large leaves (also, can't remeber the name...have it written down somewhere). Should I add more? There are a few spaces left, I am just not sure I have planted them correctly, it was a real pain in the *** and took me forever! lol. All I did was take them out of the plastic containers, made a little ditch in the gravel and then pile gravel around the base to keep them down (the tank was 1/3 full of water). Does this sound right? When I looked at other people's planted tanks they looked far neater and the gravel was more level!
I went to the fish store today to look at the CO2 stuff but I got a little confused and there were no available staff. I looked on an internet site (Petsmart I think) at the Co2 products but they seemed massively expensive (like $300). Can someone point me in the right direction as to what I should buy? (32 gallon tank).
Thanks
I went to the fish store today to look at the CO2 stuff but I got a little confused and there were no available staff. I looked on an internet site (Petsmart I think) at the Co2 products but they seemed massively expensive (like $300). Can someone point me in the right direction as to what I should buy? (32 gallon tank).
Thanks
At that size tank...make your own CO2. read up on it in the stickie in the planted tank section. It's very simple.
So far sounds good. Your swords may try and take over in a tank that size so pruning is going to be needed. But other than that sounds like you have a good grasp on things.
BTW how many watts per gallon are your lights?
So far sounds good. Your swords may try and take over in a tank that size so pruning is going to be needed. But other than that sounds like you have a good grasp on things.
BTW how many watts per gallon are your lights?
Unfortunately, my tank came with an incandesent canopy (I bought it used and didn't realize the difference until later). I looked around to buy a tube flourescent canopy but they were so expensive, instead I found mini compact flourescent lights that fit into my canopy. They are 25W each and are 50/50 (half normal white ligth, half blue)...apparently they replicate daylight...either way it they were the best I could find.
I read the stickie, that sounds simple and cheap! (yay) One thing though, I am not sure I understand how to attach it to my aquarium after its all made...it was suggested to insert the CO2 tube into the filter intake... where exactly? I have a power filter, the intake tube has a plastic, slitted cap on the bottom (presumably to keep fish out) would I just squeeze the CO2 tube in there and then the intake would carry CO2 up to the filter body and out again? Along the back wall of my tank I have bubble stones.
I read the stickie, that sounds simple and cheap! (yay) One thing though, I am not sure I understand how to attach it to my aquarium after its all made...it was suggested to insert the CO2 tube into the filter intake... where exactly? I have a power filter, the intake tube has a plastic, slitted cap on the bottom (presumably to keep fish out) would I just squeeze the CO2 tube in there and then the intake would carry CO2 up to the filter body and out again? Along the back wall of my tank I have bubble stones.
Get rid of the bubbles. If you have plants you want as little surface agitation as possible. Surface agitations gasses out your CO2 levels and adds O2 to the tank.
For attaching the CO2 line to your filter, you drill a small hole just smaller than the line into the filter uplift tube. Then insert the CO2 line into this hole. The filter will suck the bubbles into it and the impeller will smash them into a thousand little small bubbles that dissolve into the water at a very rapid rate. This is the basic theory behind defusing CO2 into your water column.
For attaching the CO2 line to your filter, you drill a small hole just smaller than the line into the filter uplift tube. Then insert the CO2 line into this hole. The filter will suck the bubbles into it and the impeller will smash them into a thousand little small bubbles that dissolve into the water at a very rapid rate. This is the basic theory behind defusing CO2 into your water column.