Water Quality

[Fishman_2000]

Hello fellow fish people! I need some advice about water changes. My water contains high amounts of ammonia, chlorine and chloramine. The pH is more on the alkaline side. What is the best way to make this water safe for fish? Right now I'm using my reverse osmosis water unit and it is such a hassle to get the water buffered back up to normal standards pH wise. I have heard some people use all chemicals. I never had success with that but probably didn't get the right stuff. Thanks.

 

[catfishmike]

try an aging barrel and a powerhead to drive off chlorine.but like you said it's chloramines so that still leaves you with ammonia.mix the ro water with the aged water and any remaining ammonia should be eaten by the bio-filter.you can lock the ammonia with amqule or a similar product.using powder ph buffers and all that rot are just going to make your life hell.if you can just stick to aged tap and a good water conditoner.

 

[stik6shift98]

do more water changes.....

wht kinda fish are in the tank?

 

[colesea]

Is the ammonia comming from your tank (aka too many fish in too small a volume of water), or is the ammonia actually in your tap/well water? Well water is not usually recommened to be used in fish tanks, mostly because of its high mineral content and other contaminates. If you wouldn't drink the water strait from your tap, it doesn't belong in your fish tank.

If your tap water is that bad, as Mike recommended, aging it with a strong bubbler and some de-chlorinator/ammo-lock might do the trick. Most aquarist would kill for an R/O unit. Mix your tap with your R/O until you get a good chemical ratio.
~~Colesea

 

[Fishman_2000]

The ammonia is in my tap water. Well I was trying to get away from the unit for a while. While it purifies the water really good and the water tastes good, it puts out a lot of waste water. Since I'm now unemployed I'm having to cut all my expenses back . But taking down my tanks would be the last thing I'd do unless I had to move. I just wanted to know about what chemicals would work best for treating the water. I know in another post Mike mentioned mixing mixing tap and RO water. I might try that cuz it would be less waste water. But with the way Ammo lock works, the ammonia in the water should be non toxic and with a healthy established tank the biofilter should take care of it in no time right? I've used tap water conditioner a lot before and it does great for getting rid of the chlorine/chloramine bond. Some people say prime is good too but I have't tested it enough yet.

 

[RedTurquoise]

Like Cole said! But if you can use your tap water, use Seachem Prime (or other brand similar). I have chloramines in my tap water. When I used prime, the bond between chlorine and ammonia is broken. Even though your test kits will measure ammonia level, it is nontoxic because prime detoxifies it. Other than that and what cole mentioned about well water, I would stick with tap water.