# Very hard/alkaline water



## Bellasonsa (Feb 14, 2013)

Hi everyone, I'm hoping for some advice on my water. 

I have a 20 gallon fresh water tank that has been a home for the last month for a few angelfish, a small school of tetras, an algae eater, a small albino catfish, and a couple ghost shrimp.

My tap water is very hard and 8+ ph. I even get white buildup on the heater after a month. I have some supplies given to me that I've used, such as biphosphate, for lowering ph. Is that good/recommended to use? Should I use some distilled water? (I've read concerns here about harmful metals in distilled water?) I have also read here to use plants, woods, and peat moss to help keep it down (increasing co2?), but when replacing water in the tank, I want to replace it with lower ph water before it enters the tank.

Suggestions?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

The phosphate will likely cause an algea outbreak and leave water very unstable,meaning it could still flucuate back and forth(high and low.)Distilled water is safe(no metals) and will help to lower ph.RO works also.Wood in the tank will also help to lower pH.


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## jshiloh13 (Dec 12, 2010)

Also if you decide to go with RO water, you can usually buy it from your lfs. you will just have to call around and see who sells it.

A question though. Why do you want to lower your ph and hardness? Just to get rid of the calcium deposits?


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

IMO once you see water testing like that from the tap its time to stop using it and switch to RO or distilled. distilled is not my first choice but it will work, also little food for thought, not all distilled water is the same, but I doubt you will be able to see the differecnes unless you get an extremely bad batch. I switched to RO water personally because I don't trust water water company with sucess of my tank.

+1 to what jshiloh13 said
sounds like you have a rather large source of calcium somewhere in there. that will drive your hardness through the roof an dyou pH will follow right behind it. finding and eliminating the calcium source should solve the problem

aside from what has already been mentioned, you could try some softener pillows but that is more of a bandaid rather than a solution


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## Bellasonsa (Feb 14, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the feedback and info!



coralbandit said:


> The phosphate will likely cause an algea outbreak and leave water very unstable,meaning it could still flucuate back and forth(high and low.)Distilled water is safe(no metals) and will help to lower ph.RO works also.Wood in the tank will also help to lower pH.


We do see a buildup of algea starting. RO=reverse osmosis? Are some of the water dispensers (ie $.30/gal) reverse osmosis filteration?



jshiloh13 said:


> Also if you decide to go with RO water, you can usually buy it from your lfs. you will just have to call around and see who sells it.
> 
> A question though. Why do you want to lower your ph and hardness? Just to get rid of the calcium deposits?


"lfs." = ? I'm proud that I might have figured out "RO" but I'm lost on this.  

I understand angelfish prefer 6.5-7. I'm probably less concerned about the calcium deposits (unless I should be) but want the fish to be in a low stress environment and assumed such high ph/hard water was less than optimal. Is this not necessary?



phil_pl said:


> IMO once you see water testing like that from the tap its time to stop using it and switch to RO or distilled. distilled is not my first choice but it will work, also little food for thought, not all distilled water is the same, but I doubt you will be able to see the differecnes unless you get an extremely bad batch. I switched to RO water personally because I don't trust water water company with sucess of my tank.
> 
> +1 to what jshiloh13 said
> sounds like you have a rather large source of calcium somewhere in there. that will drive your hardness through the roof an dyou pH will follow right behind it. finding and eliminating the calcium source should solve the problem
> ...


Would testing the ph of distilled water detect a 'bad batch' or is that more a reference to contaminants?

NM has very hard water statewide. Just driving thru a neighborhood you can see lots of white buildup and stains on roofs from leaky swamp coolers (altho newer homes usually have central a/c.)

What are "softener pillows"/examples?


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

LFS = Local Fish Store

Distilled water will always have a pH of 7.0 and a hardness of next to nothing.

SeaChem sells water softening pillows. You can also achieve the same end result with a mesh bag full of sphagnum peat moss, sold at your local hardware store.

RO is Reverse Osmosis, it's basically a distilled water maker. Very expensive, if you ask me.

Why is your water so hard? Don't you get itchy skin from showering in it? Do you have a water softener in your house?


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## Berylla (Mar 4, 2013)

I wouldn't try to use any chemicals to lower your PH in your water. I use Pond Peat Granules in my filter to slowly and naturally soften the water and lower PH. My discus love it.


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## Bellasonsa (Feb 14, 2013)

Gizmo said:


> LFS = Local Fish Store
> 
> Distilled water will always have a pH of 7.0 and a hardness of next to nothing.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the information. I will call my lfs and see if they offer RO water and the price. We don't have a water softener and as long as we use soaps that aren't too drying, we're ok with it. We are simply in a zone in the SW that has very hard water.


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