Solutions for Hard Water

[Slappy Kincaid]

I'd like to use tap water to fill my aquarium/do water changes but I have hard water where I'm at with a pH over 8.

It is a 30 gal planted tank with CO2 on 1 BPS. I also have a 10 gal unplanted tank and just gravel substrate. I want to avoid constantly adding pH lowering chemicals. I've been using just RO water from my fish store, but it is expensive and inconvenient especially with more than one tank.

I was considering getting Amazonia to use as a substrate because it softens the water some. Not sure what else would have a long term effect on countering the hard water.

Any suggestions.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Have you considered a RO filter and making your own water?

 

[snowfrill]

there is a couple of things you could do
1. is get a RO water filter installed, they are reasonably priced all you would have to do is change the filter of your RO system once a year.
2. you can get filters that you put into the boiler which softens the water obviously both of these will bring your PH down.
Where i live is hard water area n my ph is 7.8 so not quite as hard as yours but sometimes it spikes to 8.5 so had to find fish that were happy with high PH, whatever you do dont do discus unless you get a RO water system installed, i made that mistake n ended up getting one installed, i dont need it any longer as now have silver dollars, blue tetras, keyhole chiclids, i also have corydoras and have had them even when i went to RO water, i also have bristlenose plecos which also changed from RO water to my normal tap water

 

[tlindsey]

I agree with snowfrill about maybe consider keeping species that tolerate your water hardness.