How to handle a huge KH

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Neonus

AC Members
Mar 26, 2011
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Hello,

I recently move to a new location and my water source is a 40m deep drilled well. The hardness is extremely high, but the NO2, NO3 and of course CL are zero. I'll call this "hard water"

no3 - 0
no2 - 0
gh - 16
kh - 15

ph - 7.6
cl - 0

I have also a softener which change the water to:
I'll call this "soft water"

Cl - 0
PH - 7.6
KH - 15
GH - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0

If I mix the water from the drilled wall and the softener water (in different proportions) I'll get:

NO2, NO3, CL = 0
PH = 7.6
GH = any value I want from 0 to 16. For example I got GH=8 with 1/3 "hard water" and 2/3 "soft water"
KH=15.

My tank, 140 liters:
Lenght=70cm
Width=40cm
Height=50cm

My tank is not started yet, I need to know what kind of plants and fishes are compatible with my water. I want a planted tank, not african cichilds. I will have an external filter and CO2.

The question is: what kind of plants and fishes do you suggest me ? How the huge KH value will affect my tank ?

Thank you
 

dbosman

AC Members
Dec 5, 2010
1,481
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East Lansing, MI USA
Adapt the fish to your water, not your water to the fish.
For plants, my advice is similar, but acknowledging that some may not adapt as well as others.
The ideal solution would be an RO unit after the softener. Using an auto shut off and a holding tank to allow the water to come to room temperature, you can mix RO and well water to any chemistry you desire.

Now for the new to well water - lecture.
Get your water tested by the state or county every year or as recommended by the state or county health department.
Keep your well head clear of anything that might attract animals. Fecal contamination is a real pain in the gut.
 

Neonus

AC Members
Mar 26, 2011
7
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Hi dbosman

The drilled well is protected into the basement. I think I don't know the exact word for my drilled well, the diameter is less than 8 inch (~20cm). It is protected by any kind of animal/fecal, etc.

Anyway, your advice "Adapt the fish to your water, not your water to the fish." is very good. Thank you. i will let you know the water parameter after the nitrogen cicle will be finish.
 

SubRosa

AC Members
Jul 3, 2009
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And Goldfish
 

KarlTh

AC Members
Feb 15, 2008
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Plants are no problem. TBH your GH is not so high that it really precludes any of the commoner fish; the domestic populations are pretty adaptable. I'd not use the softened water though; the sodium's not a good idea for plants or fish really.

All the KH will do is keep the pH stable.
 

Neonus

AC Members
Mar 26, 2011
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I don't untend to use the softened water only. Anyway, I will start my tank soon, and after few weeks I'll knew if the fishes will be happy or not.
 

KarlTh

AC Members
Feb 15, 2008
3,332
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I didn't suggest you would be doing so; what I said was that I wouldn't use the softened water at all. Although it lowers the GH reading, it actually raises the TDS and within the sort of values you're looking at, that's more important than the GH. Although it's lower in GH, the softened water is arguably less suitable for softwater fish than the hardwater would be.
 
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