I currently have a 10g setup, plastic decorations & 6 Neon Tetras. I've been very careful with my water changes up to now. I deionize with an AP tap water filter and add some stuff to get the water where I'd like it, as far as gH and pH go. I also have a small heater on the inside of the bucket to get the water as close to tank temperatures as possible.
I would really like to move up to a 20g setup with live plants. While I've been doing my research, on this board and other places around the net, I've started to question whether or not I need to take so much care in this process. It seems to me that many of the kind folks here just refill the tank with tap water, aproximating the temperature and adding dechlorinator as they go.
I'm doing 20% water changes now and I get the feeling I should be doing closer to 50%, especially if i'm going to be going with a planted aquarium. I know it will cost me much more money to try and filter 10 gallons of water a week with my current system, and initially, the costs would also be high for me to invest in an RO system. It would be much easier on me if I could just fill up from the tap, but I'm concerned about my parameters.
I tested my water out of the tap, about 2 nights ago, and found the following: no ammonia, gH 15, kH 9, pH 8. Will the hardness of my water make it harder to successfully grow plants? If I use CO2 at 15ppm I think that would bring my pH down to around 7.2, is that enough? And what about my kH? Also I have the fish to think about. I prefer small Tetras and will likely be adding a couple more neons, as well as a few others like some glowlights or pristellas, or maybe black phantom's instead. Can my fish deal with these parameters, and still live a healthy life?
I just want to do whats best for my future tank. If I need to spend the time and money to treat the water I will. I just need your opinions if you have the time to offer them. Many thanks in advance, I've learned a lot from these boards and am hoping to learn more.
I would really like to move up to a 20g setup with live plants. While I've been doing my research, on this board and other places around the net, I've started to question whether or not I need to take so much care in this process. It seems to me that many of the kind folks here just refill the tank with tap water, aproximating the temperature and adding dechlorinator as they go.
I'm doing 20% water changes now and I get the feeling I should be doing closer to 50%, especially if i'm going to be going with a planted aquarium. I know it will cost me much more money to try and filter 10 gallons of water a week with my current system, and initially, the costs would also be high for me to invest in an RO system. It would be much easier on me if I could just fill up from the tap, but I'm concerned about my parameters.
I tested my water out of the tap, about 2 nights ago, and found the following: no ammonia, gH 15, kH 9, pH 8. Will the hardness of my water make it harder to successfully grow plants? If I use CO2 at 15ppm I think that would bring my pH down to around 7.2, is that enough? And what about my kH? Also I have the fish to think about. I prefer small Tetras and will likely be adding a couple more neons, as well as a few others like some glowlights or pristellas, or maybe black phantom's instead. Can my fish deal with these parameters, and still live a healthy life?
I just want to do whats best for my future tank. If I need to spend the time and money to treat the water I will. I just need your opinions if you have the time to offer them. Many thanks in advance, I've learned a lot from these boards and am hoping to learn more.
