acidic tap water..help...

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giar

giar

Polypterus
MFK Member
Dec 20, 2016
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Indonesia
my tap water parameter
ph 6.2
temperature about 28 C
ammonia 0.25ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate about 40ppm

ive been using drinking water for WC in my 55gal up until now, and it wont be an option anymore once my 285gal arrives tomorrow.

currently my fish lives in a 7.5-7.7 ph with quiet high nitrate due to overstocked fish (about 80ppm nitrate)..

ammonia and nitrite dont concerned me too much because i use seachem pristine, prime, stabilizer and matrix..

what concerned me is the ph and the nitrate of my tap water.. i am imagining a drastic change in the ph where my fish lives from 7.5 to 6.2 will instant kill my fish.. and doing water change will not help me reduce the nitrate coz there are nitrate in my tap water..pls advices..
 
additional info : all of my LFS use tap water, and leave it over night before their routine WC.. should i do what they do? they just care about their fish being sold anyway, i believe they dont care about their fish in long term as long as they are sold.. well thats my opinion about them.. idk if im wrong.. also does leaving the tap water overnight will raises its PH? how about the nitrate? .. i dont know how ****ed up i am now @_@
 
I know people in the past age water to reduce the amount of chorline in the water, but cholormine(sp?) i heard doesnt dispurse even if left to age (someone correct me if im wrong)...

As for the PH, again, dont think leaving it will help it raise back up, but maybe you could use some crushed coral in a bag (placed inside filter) to help you slowly raise PH up to a more netrual / alkaline level slowly...

P.S. If you are just worried about inital transfer, you could always drip acclimate your fish in a bucket before moving them into the new tank, with the new water parameters...
 
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yeah im really concern about the initial change.. from 7.5ph to 6.2ph is just basically killing them in an instant..from my undeestanding fish can adjust to some ph over time.. so i am thinking maybe use 50% drinking water that has 7ph and mix with 50% tap water for the initial change untill they adjust to the lower ph environment? then what about the nitrate??
 
Yeah, the nitrate part will need someone else to chime in, since im lucky with my water supply and dont have to deal with high nitrates put the tap, just phosphates....

Im guessing there has to be a way to reduce it through filtration media possibly???
 
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If you start doing 5/10% daily waterchange with tap water on your 55 gal over a few weeks it will drop the pH down and acclimatise your fish.
The only sure way I know of to get rid off nitrate from tap water would be a ro unit.
What is going to be the stock on your new tank?
 
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1 male fh 5in
1 female fh 5in
1 spotted gar 10in
1 lemon oscar 8in
1 tiger oscar 7in
1 senegal bichir 10in

these are the stock of my current 55gal..

most of them thrive the most at 7.5ph which ive been able to keep it at that point with my drinking water..

yes i know my 55 gal is waaay to small hence im getting the 285 and it is arriving tomorrow. and doing 20-30% weekly WC with my drinking water on 285 gal wont be an option anymore..20170111_080532.jpg
 
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Your oscars will do far better in your tap water ph 6.2 is about perfect for them but your fh will suffer as there based on ca cichlids and need a higher ph, I don't know about the others but I am sure someone will chime in.
 
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