water hardness - Aquarium Advice

zach119 · 05-31-2005, 01:30 AM

i have a problem my water hardness is all the way up as high as the test strip reads do i want it that high what is a good number to have my hardness and also is reverse osmosis water better to use than tap??

**Fishyfanatic** · 05-31-2005, 10:18 AM

To get an exact figure of hardness, buy a hardness liquid test kit. This will give exact numbers to work with. The strips are not as accurate. Are you using the strips for the Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and pH readings as well? If so, you should really get an Aquarium Pharmacuticals Master Test Kit. Extremely accurate and cheap.

zach119 · 05-31-2005, 06:35 PM

ok but what is a good reading 0? and is reverse osmosis watet better to use then tap if i have a free source for reverso osmosis?????

**Fishyfanatic** · 05-31-2005, 07:08 PM

0 is very soft water, not really the best buffering capacity. I'm not sure on the [acronym:5b913499cf="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:5b913499cf] water, I don't use it.

zach119 · 05-31-2005, 07:18 PM

but i do want some water hardness is that correct?

**Fishyfanatic** · 05-31-2005, 07:29 PM

Yes. I don't know the values off hand though.

zach119 · 05-31-2005, 07:40 PM

over 200 to high?

Heiko · 05-31-2005, 08:04 PM

not sure but i know ive got fairly soft water and that effects my pH which im having problems with at the moment. So yes some hardness is good. Not sure exact levels tho.

I would definatly agree with the master test kit there much better.

No idea about [acronym:9799418321="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:9799418321] water i dont use it either. soz

Gd luck

**Fishyfanatic** · 05-31-2005, 10:07 PM

Get exact figures of your tap water and then give readings. Get the liquid [acronym:7129486aac="Carbonate Hardness"]KH[/acronym:7129486aac] and [acronym:7129486aac="General Hardness"]GH[/acronym:7129486aac] test kits.

zach119 · 06-02-2005, 12:09 AM

tested my water today

hardness-120
alkalinity-80
[acronym:5fbf8a90c5="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:5fbf8a90c5]-6.5
nitrite-0
nitrate-80
ammonia-.25

found a dead fish in the tank hiding so i believe the ammonia is due to the dead fish that i did not see. But it got removed. Also, tank looks cloudy i changed the carbon cartriges on my fluval 404 tonight so hopefully that will clear it up. when i opened the fluval 404 the filter was quite nasty so i will prolly rinse that out in a couple of days and do a partial water change to get rid of some of the nitrates sound good?

05-31-2005, 01:30 AM	#1
zach119 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: rockford illinois Posts: 168	water hardness i have a problem my water hardness is all the way up as high as the test strip reads do i want it that high what is a good number to have my hardness and also is reverse osmosis water better to use than tap??

05-31-2005, 10:18 AM	#2
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,303 Images: 15	To get an exact figure of hardness, buy a hardness liquid test kit. This will give exact numbers to work with. The strips are not as accurate. Are you using the strips for the Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and pH readings as well? If so, you should really get an Aquarium Pharmacuticals Master Test Kit. Extremely accurate and cheap. __________________ Vote for Aquarium Advice 10 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 29 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 150 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid

05-31-2005, 08:04 PM	#8
Heiko Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: May 2005 Location: IOM UK Posts: 168	not sure but i know ive got fairly soft water and that effects my pH which im having problems with at the moment. So yes some hardness is good. Not sure exact levels tho. I would definatly agree with the master test kit there much better. No idea about [acronym:9799418321="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:9799418321] water i dont use it either. soz Gd luck __________________ Fish keeping isnt just a hobby, its THE hobby! lol (so cheesy)

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05-31-2005, 06:35 PM	#3
zach119 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: rockford illinois Posts: 168	ok but what is a good reading 0? and is reverse osmosis watet better to use then tap if i have a free source for reverso osmosis?????

05-31-2005, 07:08 PM	#4
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,303 Images: 15	0 is very soft water, not really the best buffering capacity. I'm not sure on the [acronym:5b913499cf="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:5b913499cf] water, I don't use it.

05-31-2005, 07:18 PM	#5
zach119 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: rockford illinois Posts: 168	but i do want some water hardness is that correct?

05-31-2005, 07:29 PM	#6
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,303 Images: 15	Yes. I don't know the values off hand though.

05-31-2005, 07:40 PM	#7
zach119 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: rockford illinois Posts: 168	over 200 to high?

05-31-2005, 10:07 PM	#9
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,303 Images: 15	Get exact figures of your tap water and then give readings. Get the liquid [acronym:7129486aac="Carbonate Hardness"]KH[/acronym:7129486aac] and [acronym:7129486aac="General Hardness"]GH[/acronym:7129486aac] test kits.

06-02-2005, 12:09 AM	#10
zach119 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: rockford illinois Posts: 168	tested my water today hardness-120 alkalinity-80 [acronym:5fbf8a90c5="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:5fbf8a90c5]-6.5 nitrite-0 nitrate-80 ammonia-.25 found a dead fish in the tank hiding so i believe the ammonia is due to the dead fish that i did not see. But it got removed. Also, tank looks cloudy i changed the carbon cartriges on my fluval 404 tonight so hopefully that will clear it up. when i opened the fluval 404 the filter was quite nasty so i will prolly rinse that out in a couple of days and do a partial water change to get rid of some of the nitrates sound good?