# high calcium in local water



## ElChef194 (Dec 25, 2011)

so the local water tap is very high in calcium (you can taste it) it calcifies on the taps, in the tiolet, shower, even washer. i havent noticed any damage to tank yet other than a need to clean walls of tank more than usual. (every other day) it does cause my fish to scratch or flash for the first day after a change. i wasn't terribly worried about this, but then i researched my town's water and unless you have well water the whole town is affected. any way to filter this mineral out so my fish are healthier and happier? again, not an emergency just an issue in need of correction.


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Try dilluting you water with Distilled or Bottled Drinking Water. Check your Hardness and ph, both are probably very high.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

im jsut going to copy and paste coz im being lazy!!:

Calcium carbonate in your aquarium will keep a more stable electrolyte balance (for osmotic function), while magnesium is another important element that works with calcium. A proper amount of Calcium and Magnesium in your aquarium will affect the fish health positively, including fish such as Discus, German Rams and Apistos!!! 
Magnesium and calcium have been shown to increase resistance to degenerate diseases by lowering the acidity in the body. This will help with prevention of ich, fungus, and general “wear and tear” in your fish. Calcium also helps in healing and stress, and without proper calcium levels healing may be difficult or impossible. Calcium is also important and has been shown to both prevent and treat Hole in the Head disease common to cichlids (also referred to as HITH).
The addition of antibiotics (such as Tetracycline) will lower calcium absorption, while the presence of correct amounts of calcium in the aquarium water will considerable reduce the toxic side effects of Malachite Green which is why a GH (for freshwater calcium measurement) of at least 100 ppm or higher is SO VERY important to ich treatment.

In fact I will go a step further as need for Calcium (even in freshwater) seems to be totally misunderstood (I have observed this quite a lot in both scientific and non-scientific observations over the years!). Here is an important quote: “The presence of free (ionic) calcium at relatively high concentrations in culture water helps reduce the loss of other salts (e.g. sodium and potassium) from fish body fluids (i.e. blood). Sodium and potassium are the most important salts in fish blood and are critical for normal heart, nerve and muscle function. In low calcium water, fish can lose (leak) substantial quantities of these salts into the water.” 
In freshwater aquariums I recommend a minimum of 100 ppm of calcium (which a GH of 100+ ppm will generally provide).



what does your test at?


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## ElChef194 (Dec 25, 2011)

Zero, as usual, very helpful info!

my water is a bit on the hard side, pH ~7.6 (between 7.4 and 7.8 colors on API pH test kit) out of the tap. i do not know my GH though as i do not have a test for it.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

No problem  If you have a decent ifs they will be ableto test it for you. Mine charges 50p for any additional testafter the 3 main ones but do every test u could need!


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## ElChef194 (Dec 25, 2011)

my two lps test using tetra strips and my lfs uses API master test kit. the GH test isn't included unfortunately. payday is friday, will go pick up the test from store then.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

I think, with all due respect, that Zero has overgeneralized. A proper amount of calcium is ideal for rams, discus etc, but when it is precipitating onto taps etc, it is not a proper amount.
They are rainforest fish, and water that leaves calcium deposits should set off all your alarm bells. I lived for a short time in an area with hard hard water (wells) and no one could keep any rainforest fish alive there. Livebearers did fantastically.
And I don`t think you need a test kit. A call to the city water plant will give you a better reading, for a lot less. 
I`m assuming you`ll have good hard water - liquid rock. So all you have to do is choose your fish from Central America, North America or Eastern Africa, and you most likely have ideal water. If your water is drinkable, fish have adapted to it, so you just have to do a little reading and find the right ones.


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## ElChef194 (Dec 25, 2011)

navigator black said:


> I think, with all due respect, that Zero has overgeneralized. A proper amount of calcium is ideal for rams, discus etc, but when it is precipitating onto taps etc, it is not a proper amount.
> They are rainforest fish, and water that leaves calcium deposits should set off all your alarm bells. I lived for a short time in an area with hard hard water (wells) and no one could keep any rainforest fish alive there. Livebearers did fantastically.
> And I don`t think you need a test kit. A call to the city water plant will give you a better reading, for a lot less.
> I`m assuming you`ll have good hard water - liquid rock. So all you have to do is choose your fish from Central America, North America or Eastern Africa, and you most likely have ideal water. If your water is drinkable, fish have adapted to it, so you just have to do a little reading and find the right ones.



i have had the same fish for months, some for a year. none show any signs of discomfort. aside from the betta, barbs, gourami, dojo, and glass cats, all my fish are rainforest or african. but as susankat's signature says, "success is measured in years not months." only time will tell i suppose. thanks for all the advice i will do what i can with this info.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

navigator black said:


> I think, with all due respect, that Zero has overgeneralized. A proper amount of calcium is ideal for rams, discus etc, but when it is precipitating onto taps etc, it is not a proper amount.
> They are rainforest fish, and water that leaves calcium deposits should set off all your alarm bells. I lived for a short time in an area with hard hard water (wells) and no one could keep any rainforest fish alive there. Livebearers did fantastically.
> And I don`t think you need a test kit. A call to the city water plant will give you a better reading, for a lot less.
> I`m assuming you`ll have good hard water - liquid rock. So all you have to do is choose your fish from Central America, North America or Eastern Africa, and you most likely have ideal water. If your water is drinkable, fish have adapted to it, so you just have to do a little reading and find the right ones.




thank you for expanding on my point, im spending like 5+ hours every day learning some really hard stuff (not studied chemesty in like 5 years!) theres so much to know and hard to digest at times!!!


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

I think the hardest thing is covering your bases in postings. I blow it all the time, because I focus on one aspect of the question and I just don't give the answering the time it probably deserves. At times, everyone here does that.
These "little" aquarium questions get really big fast.
Plus, once someone else has taken the first step, it is easy to add, or criticize....
I think it's a question of decent people trying to help out decent people on this forum, and I hope I didn't sound snotty. Back before the forums were big, I used to answer aquarists' questions professionally in print, and there, you had the time to mull over every angle. With the net, you type fast and sometimes overgeneralize. I figure that if a newcomer takes the time to read and think about the info multiple posters offer, he/she should be able to find a sensible way through it all. I hope so.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

no you didnt sound snotty, i actually like reading your views as you seem to know what your talking about and sometimes explaine things better than what ive read and really helps me understand better. i agree regarding the multiple posters info, a paternt emmerges and you can then use that to research more, i think anyway!


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

ElChef194 said:


> Zero, as usual, very helpful info!
> 
> my water is a bit on the hard side, pH ~7.6 (between 7.4 and 7.8 colors on API pH test kit) out of the tap. i do not know my GH though as i do not have a test for it.


I would test for carbonate hardness (KH) and the GH you mentioned. API has a combined test kit for like $12 or so.

PH is not a measure of hardness. For instance, you can have very high pH values like 8.4-8.8 with the api high range test kit with very low KH values. Which is what I have on my FW planted tanks. Simply because I do no water changes and have no filter or any mechanical circulation. The plants suck out the co2 so that each day the tank is a net consumer of co2 and source of oxygen. Which can hardly be harmful for any fish. Therefore fish reported as "Needing" soft water with a pH of 7 or less thirve and live for years.

I have also found that by using peat moss in the substrate my kh stays and 4 degrees and gh at 9 degrees for years. Without the peat moss both rise to very high values. Which was fine for platys and guppies but neon tetras do not do well. 

my .02


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## Nereus7 (Jun 13, 2012)

I admit, this is going to be a mini thread hijack. When ya'll talk about peat softening water, what exactly is going on there? I get ph changes etc.. but when it comes to hardness, where's it going, what's happening in there? Thanks - N


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Nereus7 said:


> I admit, this is going to be a mini thread hijack. When ya'll talk about peat softening water, what exactly is going on there? I get ph changes etc.. but when it comes to hardness, where's it going, what's happening in there? Thanks - N


Actuall I don't know but presume there is some kind of ionic change.

Additionally in my planted setups with no water changes and no circulation I get the same high pH values with peat and without. like 8.4-8.8 api high range test kit for both fw and marine setups. (marine has circulation though)

But kh and gh do rise to high levels with just a sand substrate. On my old guppy tank kh was measured at 20 degrees plus and gh was over 35 degrees after a few years.

But but kh remained at 4 degres and gh 9 degrees for years with peat moss in the substrate.

Again in both cases pH was 8.4-8.8.


my .02


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