Water

[Shaunna]

Ok, since I haven't been able to get my test kit yet I just decided to call my local water plant. Duh, they do these tests multiple times a day. Now I know I have to get the strips still but here is what they told me the average is for water from my tap.

Ph: average 8.7 (usually for the summer months no higher than 9.0 and no lower than 8.0

Hardness: about 95 milligrams per liter (would that be mpl?)

Alkalinity: about 36 milligrams per liter

Now, just as a checker I went to check on the stats for a guppy and it said something about a kh. What is that? Is that Kalinity/Hardness if so why are they combined and how do I compare mine to the fish's likes/dislikes?

 

[Shaunna]

was checking on some other fish; i.e. tetras and platys, my ph seems a little high yet they seem to be doing fine. For now. Hope they don't have the same fate as Sam the Guppy. Should I keep the fish at this point and just do my water changes? Should I take them back?

 

[FroggyFox]

I think I would still take them back and do a fishless cycle...but then again I'm sure you've read the pros and cons of both types of cycling.

the pH, kh gh (pH measures the acidity of the water with 7 as neutral under 7 is more acidic and over 7 is more basic, and then theres carbonate hardness and general hardness...and I'm a little fuzzy on the definitions between those two) of your water really dont matter a whole lot...unless they're way high or way low...and then even sometimes it doesn't matter to your tank bred fish. If you kept wild fish or were really focusing on breeding one species, then sure, you should read up on safe ways to manipulate your water chemistry. Fish in your tank will be happiest when your water chemistry is stable...meaning there is no "ideal" pH for your fish...(although certain fish tend to like a higher or lower pH) the ideal pH for your tank is wherever it is stable.

 

[MaryPa]

Yikes !!!!! With pH that high maybe you should look into getting cichlids. It`s always best to check the profiles of any fish before buying. You need to know the water preference and tankmate compatibility. Fishless cycling is the best way to start a tank or use Bio-Spira to instantly cycle it. I`ve used Bio-Spira and added my fish the same day with never an amonia spike and fish are doing great a year later.

 

[Shaunna]

Ok, well I tried to take my fish back to Wal-mart. They told me they were just going to flush them down the toilet!!! So I said well just forget about it and just took the refund for Sam the Guppy. So I figure if they were just going to get flushed then I might as well keep them and they may just surprise me and live! I bought some of these plants there called Hybrid Aponogeton Bulbs. You are just supposed to drop them in the water and they will grow really fast in just a couple of weeks. In 3-4 weeks they are supposed to have pink and white blooms on them which are to be cut off to promote steady plant growth. I have tried to do a search on them even went to Walmart website (they didn't even have them listed) to see if they are background or if I should bunch them or what. I am assuming since they get over 8 inches tall they would be background but I don't know how to place them. Does anyone know what they are or ever tried these? Will my fish or shrimp try to eat the bulbs or roots?