AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH **** water hardness!

R

Ripler

AC Members
Feb 4, 2010
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Well, my tap water is at 0 general hardness (GH), while high off the metter and maxing out on 240 carbonate hardness (CH)!


Here is where my dilema begins.

My water changes involve: 1/2 Reverse Osmosis water, 1/2 tap water.

I have 3 tanks:
  • 1 20gallon with single breeding pair of kribensis (today: the female was dead floating belly up :( )
  • 1 10 gal quarantine tank (right now in it: 1 discus (popeye), angelfish (getting nipped at because baby), and gourami (eye cloud)) - water is being treated with Melafix, 30-50% water changes every second day
  • main show tank: 65 gallon - 2 days already on ICH ATTACK treatment :mad2:
In each, although I use the same water for water changes, the hardness parameters are different.
  • 20 gallon: 60 GH, 180 CH
  • 10 gallon: 0 GH, 120 CH
  • 65 gallon: 180 GH, 240 CH
So I ask you all: What is UP with the water differences?! I used the same water change water, in all the 3 tanks.

I say to you all! :swear: water hardness. Is there a diffferent technique I should be using. Been in the hobby for about 1 year, far from mastering it lol lord help me lol
 
What are you water parameters coming from the tap? Also, what is your pH?
 
Me not being able really knowing the whole story on your water parameters, toxicity and source. The only solid recommendation I can give you is to find out what LFS's use the same water source that you do or have the same tap perimeters you do and find out what how they are treating their water. Chances are they are using nothing but water conditioner. If that is the case I would buy my fish from those LFS's and do the same saving yourself both time and money.

No one has water harder then in my areas 800 PPM Cal/mag and after much trial and error discovered that less intervention worked out better and cheaper then more intervention. My water chemistry is now maintained at 400 PPM Cal/mag without RO and all my fish from angels to Oscars are doing great.

Your water sounds great to me, wish I had it.
 
800??? woah im no expert but that sounds insane! lol :eek3:


I know I have pretty good water itself, however, I dont understand the drastic differences from one tank to another. That is whats boggling my mind.

In the tap, the water is perfect, same as in tank pH 7.5ish, .. also, in all my tanks all ammonia, etc. levels are 0.

And yes, As you said, I have been trying to do the same regimen as the local pet store (in Canada btw). And yes again, it is just tap water + conditioner, nothing else.

update: The discus in my quarantine tank just died 1 hour ago! :swear: Just as he fought off an ICH attack, eye cloud, AND popeye! he was looking good but for some reason I think stopped eating.

FISH FISH FISH! No more sensitive fish for me. i learned the hard way
 
How does the decore differ between the 3 tanks?
 
First, I wanted to say thanks, everyone in this forum is fairly helpful. Often more helpful even when they dont know they are. Always learning something new.

Now on to the topic of discussion:

  • 10gallon: white sand bottom, 2 small plants (bamboo and somekind of quick growing pinetree looking plant)
  • 20gallon: white sand bottom, 1 clay pot, 1 moss ball, 2 rocks, 1 piece of wood I found outside, 1 medium sized plant
  • 65 gallon: black gravel bottom (1 inch thick to 2 inches think in other parts), 5 plants (medium sized), 6 bamboo plants, 2 big pieces of driftwood (the ones that are meant to lower hardness), 1 small piece of regular wood, 1 clay pot), also there is a lot more fish in this tank and it is getting seriously medicated to kill off a case of ICH that never wants to disapear,)
Sorry I dont remember what the plants are called. Also, the water in my 2 smaller tanks (10, 20gal) are crystal clear, while in my big 65 gall, the water is dark, once it was impossible to see the back. I am wondering if this has something to do with the hardness problem. I always assumed it was because I've been medicating strongly. Just last month almost all my fish stock was killed by an attack of ICH, FUNGUS, AND BACTERIAL PROBLEM! Well i thought i finally killed it all off until about 3 days ago, ICH showed up again! :22_yikes: and my big gourami developed eye cloud :( . Since I didnt want to medicate for both problems at once and stress my fish, I immediately began treating for ICH again (hopefully the eye cloud goes away on its own, because I am scared to treat both ICH attack and MELAFIX at the same time - I am wondering if it contributed to my mass fish death last month when I did just that)

Well back to the hardness, it Just doesnt make sense eh? I use 0 GH water in my water changes and still this big 65 gallon tank reads max hardness 180.

If this forum can get together and FINALLY help me solve my water hardness, as well as my chronic ich problem, I will be supa gratefull.

:huh: lol
i love challenges, thats why I didnt give up on this hobby
 
^ Could it be your gravel? I see that as the major difference from the smaller tanks
 
nimavafi said:
^ Could it be your gravel? I see that as the major difference from the smaller tanks
Click to expand...

For the harder water? It is a possibility i guess but I highly doubt it. It is store bough black gravel and I dont think their is any part of it that could leach onto the water.
 
the only thing that really makes sense in this case is

Something is dissolving slowly in both tanks

Do you know what types of rocks / sand you have?

The black sand you mentioned I'm assuming is Tahitian Moon Sand...white sand maybe Silica?
 
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