Lfs water or use prime?

[Tyler3533]

So I've been pondering on this for awhile. I have a 29 gallon tank that I am about to set up in the next couple days. But I can't decide what I want to do about the water. My lfs sells water that is amazon. It is 85 cents per gallon for plant water. I am in the midwest so I am told that our water has very high minerals and ph. What would you guys suggest. I am new to aquariums and want my tank to be healthy. Should I spend the extra money and get the plant water or should I just use prime and see how things go?

 

[WhiteDevil]

Where in the midwest, and that plant water isnt what you need to start a tank, you need some good filter sponge goo.

Relax a bit, you should spend $30 and go grab a API master freshwater water test kit, its a very cheap investment to understand where you tank is and it lasts a long time.

you need to test your tap water out of the tap and one that has sat out overnight there is a gas off period where the results will change from out of the tap to 24 hours later. Since you have a 29g tank, a tap water filter will be yet another cheap investment for you, the best part is its portable, and does not interfere with the sink taps functions at all. It removed the contaminants from the water.

But as far as that "amazon water" goes I wouldnt do it to any of my tanks, ask the LSF if they have any sponges you can squeeze into a 5g bucket of your tanks water(take it with you but call first)

Im in the midwest and I went to RO filters because with every good rain we get the tap parameters changed and that was a big NO NO with the kind of fish I keep.

 

[BBradbury]

Tank Water

So I've been pondering on this for awhile. I have a 29 gallon tank that I am about to set up in the next couple days. But I can't decide what I want to do about the water. My lfs sells water that is amazon. It is 85 cents per gallon for plant water. I am in the midwest so I am told that our water has very high minerals and ph. What would you guys suggest. I am new to aquariums and want my tank to be healthy. Should I spend the extra money and get the plant water or should I just use prime and see how things go?

Hello T...

I understand the vast majority of aquarium fish will be fine in the vast majority of public water supplies. I'd use the standard tap water treatment for ammonia, chlorine and chloramine and just go with tap water.

As long as you're not keeping and breeding rare fish, you don't need to worry about the pH, hardness or any of that, as long as the pH is steady, your fish will adapt.

B

 

[HN1]

Prime. Wow @ an LFS selling FW. I'd be leery of their advice based solely on that. The only reason you would need additional additives would be if you intend to keep and breed very specialty fish (wild caught, etc.).

Here are links to a few articles which may help you get started right which saves so much money and frustration in the long run.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice

Welcome to AA!

 

[Tyler3533]

Prime. Wow @ an LFS selling FW. I'd be leery of their advice based solely on that. The only reason you would need additional additives would be if you intend to keep and breed very specialty fish (wild caught, etc.).

Here are links to a few articles which may help you get started right which saves so much money and frustration in the long run.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice

Welcome to AA!

Yeah the guy did a great job selling the water to me. But I didn't give in yet. I want to use prime rather than the plant water. But I don't want to mess up and end up having to start over. Like having a major algae build up. the guy at the pet store made it sound like if I use Kansas tap water that. It won't work with the tropical fish there.. But maybe he is just trying to sell me the water really badly haha

 

[boadams87]

He is. Don't fall for it!!!

 

[Ram897]

I am in nebraska and use tap water and prime and have happy healthy fish. Don't let them scam you! Was he a car salesman???

 

[Sillyfishies]

I am in nebraska and use tap water and prime and have happy healthy fish. Don't let them scam you! Was he a car salesman???

Hey me too. Where r u located? And I use the crappy water conditioner and mine are happy.

 

[Ram897]

Lincoln, where are you?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Lincoln, where are you?

Omaha. Have some good LFS here. We have one just for cichlids. He has a bunch of rare species (even non cichlids!) fish freaks is what it's called

 

[paytertot]

Idk where you are in kansas but I'm in Joplin Missouri (SWMO) and I keep discus with tap. So I'd say you're fine. There's a ton of mineral deposits in my town, it was a major mining area all around me.

 

[Tyler3533]

Idk where you are in kansas but I'm in Joplin Missouri (SWMO) and I keep discus with tap. So I'd say you're fine. There's a ton of mineral deposits in my town, it was a major mining area all around me.

I'm in northwest Kansas. Yeah and I didn't listen to him would of coated me $30 alone to fill. So I just got me some prime Instead