Tap water parameters.. Yikes!! New Hobby?!?

[The Zigman]

Holy smokes... :eek3: I got a new well this past summer, and just tested the waters, now I'm thinkin I'll scrap the discus idea, and maybe put a couple ferrets or an iguana in the 125...

My total hardness (gh) was near 300
Alkalinity (kh) was off the scale.. higher than 300
And my ph you ask?!? HA!!! off the scale too, more than 8.5...


I used a 6 in 1 test strip from Petsmart, jungle labs...

suprised my plecostimus and rainbow shark are still livin...
should I install a R/O system? Will it clear up some of these issues?!?

 

[Lupin]

Repeat test using API liquid. Test strips could be misleading at times.

 

[southpaw]

:iagree:

 

[The Zigman]

is API Aquarium Pharmaceuticals? The freshwater master kit is like $23 from petsmart. This should be all I need to test, but not to correct anything, right?

http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...st+kit&kw=test+kit&parentPage=search&keepsr=1

 

[ansbfish]

it can be had for 13$ on big al's - depending on shipping it could be a better deal
I know my local stores charge like 30+ for it in the stores, so I just added it to a big order I had at big al's

 

[The Zigman]

Big Als?? I'll check it out.. checked it with a tetra test ph kit looks closer to 7.5..

big als.com... here I come.

 

[J double R]

yep. I'd be willing to bet that your test results will be drastically different using a proper liquid test.

 

[OldMan1947]

The master test kit does not include GH or KH. That is a separate test kit but is fairly cheap. You will have already paid the shipping so get both together.

 

[The Zigman]

Got my API kit today. Tested the ph again, both thre hi level, and low level tests indicate about 7.6. This makes me happier. I plan on lots of live plants, a co2 system, and BIG driftwood. Hopefully these will bring my ph down enough for the discus to thrive in there.. Still need to get the hardness GH & KH. lone of the LFS's here carry one...

How much does co2 and driftwood affect ph?

 

[J double R]

driftwood does not affect the pH much at all.

CO2, when used in high regular doses, can really swing the pH... but you have to overdo it. the nice part is that swings caused by CO2 don't affect the fish like normal swings. read some of the other threads about it, it's been widely discussed.