Moving from hardwater to softwater area

[JenNewbie]

My mother and her boyfriend are buying a condo, so I get dibs on her house. I will be moving from a city with liquid rock water to one with soft water. Any pointers on helping the fish make the transition? Will it help to know the exact water parameters of the new house? I have to go over there to talk about which furniture is going/staying, etc. and now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to snag a water sample to test.

 

[Purrbox]

My best advice is to setup the tanks with water from your old place. Then over the course of several weeks acclimate them to the new water with water changes. Might want to do several smaller water changes the first week or two to avoid shocking them if the difference in water is really extreme. For instance if you would normally do a single 20% water change once a week, then do a 5% water change everyother day or 10% waterchange twice a week for the first week or two.

Definately get a water sample to test as it's a lot easier if you know exactly how different the water is going in. You may also find that there are other suprises in the water, so make sure to do the full spectrum of testing. Last time I moved I discovered that the new water has Ammonia in it, and had to make a quick run to the store to get a Dechlorinator that detoxifies Ammonia before I could do a water change.

 

[JeffreyL]

soft water

Couple more things to check. Make sure you test for kh, carbonate hardness. This is a measure of how well your water will maintain a stable pH. Very low kh, like mine of <2, means no pH buffering. So the pH can change abruptly. Also check the new water pH right out of the tap, and after setting in an open container overnite. Again my water pH is over 7.6 right out of the tap, but goes to 7.0 after a few hours. Meaning no CO2, till it difusses in from the air. Not a problem doing a PWC, but too much new water will be a great shock.

Purrbox's advice is perfect. Gradually introduce the new water. Unless you have rift lake cichlids, you should be fine. If your water is very low in gh and kh, post it here and someone can help you with adjustments. Good luck and enjoy the new house!!!

 

[JeffreyL]

soft

Almost forgot ...... say goodbye to hard water deposits!!!!!!!!

 

[Guest]

you might want to buy a small bag of crushed coral just in case. I have to use it to buffer my soft water.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Also, how far is the move? If it's fairly close, the I'd go the rought of filling the tank in the new house with water from the old. Or even if you have several buckets, the original tank water and with what you don't have enough buckets for, then make a run to the old house and fill the rest with water from the old house. Then acclimate the fish. Then over the course of a couple weeks, can do 20% weekly PWC's to slowly change the parameters to match closer to the water at the new house.

But if it's over a distance, then bring the fish over and acclimate very slowly. They should be able to handle it with minimal stress if done properly. IME, the fish seem to handle going from harder water to softer water much easier than the other way around. And that's what a couple other breeders have told me as well, as they prefer breeding in harder water and sending out the fish, as it's easier on the fish to go from harder to softer, than it is the other way around. But even then, proper acclimation is the key.