LFS water params

[SteveM]

I just picked up a blue gourami from my lfs, and while patiently letting the temperature equalize before starting to acclimate him, I figured why not test the water from the bag. It's pretty bad when testing someone elses water seems like a good way to kill some time

Anyway, here's what I measured (all AP liquid tests except KH):

pH = 6.4
KH < 10ppm (One drop from hagen KH test made full color change)
GH = 13dGH
NH3 = trace (< 0.25ppm but not 0)
NO2 = 0
NO3 = 80ppm (or more - red looks just like red at the high end of AP test kit)

Now the trace NH3 I can believe is from a 2.5" gourami spending 1/2 hour in a bag with a quart or two of water. 80+ppm nitrate seems a little high to me, but I guess they are overstockers.
What's wierd to me is the ultra-low KH with the high GH - the water around here all comes from the same lake and I get about 20-30ppm kH and 2-3dGH out of the tap. Would they be adding something to get the hardness up on purpose? Are they flirting with disaster to keep KH so low?

Just curious - I didn't expect to find things so different from my water. At least now I know why I spend an hour adding tank water to the bag before transfer.

 

[Jchillin]

Nice idea SteveM...shoulda thought of doing this myself. I can't fathom the LFS doing anything to harden their water purposely, especially with the low ph reading.

I've only been able to see my LFS acclimating fish once...they seem to follow the same regimen we do. I don't know if yours does the same...could they be skipping that and pouring their source water into their stock tanks instead?

 

[kaaikop]

Kudos to you, that's a great idea!!!
I ought to do the same thing next time I get fish from the LFS