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Well, Im going to be moving up to a larger tank soon, and I simply will have to switch from using straight RO water, to a tap/RO mix of some sort.


Here is the problem, my tap water is horrible. Pure garbage.

My pH is between 7.5 and 8.0, usually around 7.7
gH is 555ppm
kH is 143ppm
And I know there are heavy chlorines used and present

LFS shops suggest double or triple dosing Amquel to combat this, but that doesn't help with the hardness.

Last time I used tap, even 25%, it just sent one of my tanks out of control within a month and a heavy mineral deposit was present on the waterline and filter.

What do I do?

Last edited by TexasBetta at 02-Oct-2004 13:26

Your KH (carbonate hardness) is within acceptable range...

Your GH (general hardness) is not.

There's a product called Water Softener Pillow that reduces calcium and magnesium ions by removing those ions.

You can further lower GH by using deionized water with each water change.

--garyroland.

Those water pillows do remove the calcium and magnesium ions, but replaces them with sodium ions. Softening my water by using this method will introduce too much sodium as fish that need the softer/medium hardness water do not tend to like sodium at all.



Last edited by TexasBetta at 02-Oct-2004 14:30

An exchange of ions takes place, the same action as with water softeners in homes...

The exchange is small and would be unnoticeable and safe for all species of fish.

Water softener pillows have been in use for years without any salt problems being reported.

The amount of salt ions it takes to exchange for calcium and magnesium ions is not in proportion. A rather insignificant matter at best.

Deionized water in addition to the pillows would further reduce any salt content produced.

I would say you're in a bind, along with your fish, by not choosing this action.

--garyroland.

I didn't mention salt at all mate =) I am a chemistry minor, so this sort of stuff interests me. Sodium ions and salt are two completely different things.

I'll quote for a resource site I use http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html

"Ways to reduce gH

 Adding peat moss to your filter
 Use commercially available water softening pillows or a water softener (this removes calcium and magnesium ions and replaces them with sodium ions. Many people feels that this is an unacceptable method of softening water as many fish that prefer soft water don’t like sodium either.
 Mixing tap water with reverse osmosis (RO) water.

"

I am simply going on my experience in chemistry and a few resource sites I use. Considering any pillow will be displacing many mg and ca in my case, since my water is abnormally hard, it is only logical that an equal amount of sodium ions would be created in the process. That is of course unless I am missing something.

Sodium carbonate: A sodium "salt" of carbonic acid used especially in making soaps and chemicals, "in water softening", in cleaning and bleaching, and in photography. A hygroscopic crystalline anhydrous strongly alkaline salt Na2CO3.

Maybe I didn't make it clear enough.

And, I'm not "many people". Deionized water along with the pillow will do the job without harm.

Peat will also drop your pH, something you really don't require.

--garyroland.

Last edited by garyroland at 02-Oct-2004 19:50

I see, I didn't realize it was sodium carbonate, didn't think of any inherent bonding that would occur when it when sodium ions were introduced.

Great, I'll have to try this. I have a Eheim 2236 on the way, maybe I'll run some aquarium peat in one of the media trays for good measure.

Thanks for the clarification =)

You're very welcome...

Keep up your studies.

--garyroland.