View Full Version : making soft water
demon_surfer
10-29-2003, 6:41 PM
Can you guys give me some ways of making water softer, that dont involve me pouring chemicals into the water? I am looking into getting apistogrammas and want to give them the water they need.
Cearbhaill
10-29-2003, 7:56 PM
Reverse osmosis unit.
Turin Turambar
10-29-2003, 7:59 PM
I live in Serbia / Europe, and my water is quite hard. I always mix 2/3 of distiled water and 1/3 tap to get GH 6.
That's an ok way for smaller systems, but for big aquariums I suggest reverse osmosis units.
blitzen25bm
10-30-2003, 12:45 AM
add some peat or some driftwood.
wetmanNY
10-30-2003, 1:32 AM
Rainwater.
Grassguy
10-30-2003, 4:46 AM
water from a dehumidifier.
If you try the rainwater, you might want to check the pH. In college, we did an experiment in Hydrology of rainewater and amounts from different places. I got some rainwater from beside railway tracks in the woods that had a pH of 6.0.
Turin Turambar
10-30-2003, 5:23 AM
Peat won't lower the GH value, just KH.
Tim Bo
10-30-2003, 12:33 PM
More info on peat : http://hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/peat%20page.html
More info on softening water in general : http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/filtration/softening.shtml
125gJoe
10-30-2003, 2:08 PM
http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL59/715239/1510346/16394180.jpg
This is the R/O unit I have and it's from a local (almost for you), company.
Link: Aqua FX (http://www.aquariumwaterfilters.com/)
Also, have you ever had a cup of coffee with zero TDS? Excellent stuff! :)
demon_surfer
10-30-2003, 4:36 PM
I dont have the funds at presant to buy an RO unit, though as my collection expands I will get one.
The suggestions are all really useful! a few questions
with the driftwood, how significantly would a piece lower the ph?
the peat, how would this be used? a bag in the filter? also how much would I need to put in and what type and where could I get it? and again what kind of change could I expect if I used this?
I remeber reading somewhere that having a heavily planet aquarium can result in a lowered PH can anyone give me any info on that?
thanks for all your help!
125gJoe
10-30-2003, 4:51 PM
Originally posted by demon_surfer
.....with the driftwood, how significantly would a piece lower the ph?
the peat, how would this be used? a bag in the filter? also how much would I need to put in and what type and where could I get it? and again what kind of change could I expect if I used this?.... There is no 'exact' equation on this. It's more like trail and error. You have to experiment some, and that can be the fun part -- not just the finished results!
I had a bit too much peat once in one of my canisters and didn't like the tinting effect. A little coloring or tint is ok with me, but not where the water looks dirty The peat didn't effect the pH much at all..
Hope others can answer your questions in more detail.
tricksterpup
10-30-2003, 5:20 PM
Ok, Demon,
you want to take a fully clawed cat and hold it in the water for atleast 1 minute. This will atleast help, not make your water softer but your day more interesting. But everyone is correct, best way is to use RO water, peat or driftwood.
jim
yashinfan
10-30-2003, 5:44 PM
Animal abuse!!! :P I don't think your hands would survive that, when I was small my cat fell in the bathtub and when I went to rescue it, it cut me up pretty darn bad. I still have scars on my chest!
Turin Turambar
10-30-2003, 5:45 PM
Originally posted by demon_surfer
with the driftwood, how significantly would a piece lower the ph?
No. Driftwood doesn't do almost anything to the water (it doesn't hurt the water though, contrary - it is favourable!). Only when the water is really hot (boiling point) it releases tannic acids and makes a water brown. That's from my experience - I have a mongrove wood in the tank.
the peat, how would this be used? a bag in the filter? also how much would I need to put in and what type and where could I get it? and again what kind of change could I expect if I used this?
Please read the page someone provided to you about the peat and its usage. I use it in the filter - it makes a water brown for about 5-7 days and aside from that, I didn't notice any other changes in ph/kh.
My KH and GH are favourable, but I'm out of luck with pH - 8.5. Just cannot bring it down! When using yeast CO2 method I lower pH only for 0.5 - pH 8 that is. :( KH buffer isn't high, in fact it is perfect for stable environment - 3 to 4!.
I remeber reading somewhere that having a heavily planet aquarium can result in a lowered PH can anyone give me any info on that?
Maybe in some HEAVILY planted it is possible (I don't know), but I do have lots of plants and my tank is quite green overall, but no - pH won't go under 8! I was told by Tetra Team to better leave the pH value alone if the fish/plants were doing fine. And they really do, but I thought that 8-8.5 ain't for tetras and rams, but I have no choice - at least they seem not to bother with the pH, so why should I? ;)