I had troubles finding any equipment or test kits that would measure high PH. When I had a water analysis done at the local pool/spa place I just got 8.6+ meaning higher then they could test. Most of the test kits would just show the color at the end of the scale. My tank measurements on drip fed tanks were always significantly higher then what came out of the tap, despite dripping several hundred gallons a day. The rays lived in this and they bred in it, but them dang Marbles just never seemed like they did anything but darken. Since they are a favorite species I choose to try to do something about it. IF they benefit why wouldn't other species? Could they be the ray worlds version of the canary in the coal mine in terms of water???? I've never seen any other species loose/gain patterns like Marbles do.
IF In had those kind of readings and could run year after year without losses I might consider just running it. My issues more then the hard numbers were the bi yearly die offs that I seem to have avoided by ditching the tap. Really think its something that isn't tested for. IF I had to guess it would be something related to the jacked up amount of human cancer cases in our region, something that would likely lead back to field chemicals. I sent over a half dozen rays in for necropsy at a university and the last 4 came back "environmental" which means they assume stress as they found no disease nor could they give me an exact COD.
What do most keepers do when the bomb drops, the shibby gets real, the hell breaks loose - most turn to RO. When you watch half your collection die, the amount of money lost becomes sickening really fast. Do people have backup plans? Do they know what they are gonna do when a mass die off is on the horizon? A new species is found, a must have that runs $7K/pr they go off food, water is "good" other rays are fine, what next? Same thing importers do to minimize losses?
Here's the thing with water intervention - how many have actually tried it? I know of several instances where some very experienced keepers turned to RO and never looked back. Have not heard of many instances where someone tried messing with the water and went back to straight ol whatever falls out of the tap cause RO results were not there. Most don't go back. Maybe it's the pain in the ass factor???? I can assure you it's no fun setting up a system like this, but it sure as hell isn't fun paying electric bills that are hundreds of dollars more then stupid every month, nor is it fun funding the food that gets tossed in tanks by the fistful but at the end of the day we do a lot of stupid things for rays, but obviously we think its worth it cause we keep going.
Sure would be nice if someone could design us a filter to strip MOST of the stuff out of the water instead of all, RO sucks in the fact that so much water is wasted, but I have yet to find any other option then cutting RO with tap, so you're just stripping everything out then adding a little back in, but it's the waste water ratio that's rediculous.......
And finally..... On that subject of more bling..... Times have changed folks. Used to see bling everywhere, them big fat wheels all shiney.... What do I see now? People paying to have thier bling powdercoated black. You guys seeing the same? Is the bling era gone?
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