My water is pretty hard in my piranha tank today when I checked. What is some ways to soften it? I only ever used conditioner, stress stuff, and stuff for cloudy water in my tank. Any one here help me out?
Hard water?
- Thread starter _Piranha_
- Start date
misterfun;4091244; said:
Does hard water even really mater? ive herd discus fish need soft water. Mine out here is 300+ Tho i could be interested since im getting really sick of this hard water residue all over my filters.
Otherone;4093033; said:
When do you change your carbon? i do it once every 3-4 months and stagger it so it doesnt cause my tank to have to recycle.
Howdy, and 
My first question would be: How hard is your water exactly (kH and gH). My second question is: Why do you want to soften it? Are your Ps (which species?) showing signs of stress?
Most fish are fairly tolerant of different water parameters, even softwater species. They mainly need it for breeding (e.g neon tetras). Your Ps should be just fine in hard water, I think you worry about it more than your fish do
But if you do want to soften water, then you need to "dilute" it with distilled or R/O water. That's the only way.
That only takes care of carbonate hardness, and it has the big disadvantage that it adds to total osmolarity, i.e. adds ions. To truly and selectively reduce hardness, this is not the way to go.
That generally only takes care of gH, i.e. replaces Mg and Ca with alkali metal ions such as sodium and potassium. Difference between a rock and a hard place ...
Carbon does not affect hardness. At all.
HarleyK
_Piranha_;4091123; said:
My first question would be: How hard is your water exactly (kH and gH). My second question is: Why do you want to soften it? Are your Ps (which species?) showing signs of stress?
Enemyarms;4092209; said:
Most fish are fairly tolerant of different water parameters, even softwater species. They mainly need it for breeding (e.g neon tetras). Your Ps should be just fine in hard water, I think you worry about it more than your fish do
But if you do want to soften water, then you need to "dilute" it with distilled or R/O water. That's the only way.
misterfun;4091244; said:
That only takes care of carbonate hardness, and it has the big disadvantage that it adds to total osmolarity, i.e. adds ions. To truly and selectively reduce hardness, this is not the way to go.
jp80911;4092418; said:
That generally only takes care of gH, i.e. replaces Mg and Ca with alkali metal ions such as sodium and potassium. Difference between a rock and a hard place ...
Otherone;4093033; said:
Carbon does not affect hardness. At all.HarleyK
Howdy,
I am not sure what your problem is
... that's medium hardness and perfectly fine.
Let me ask this again: Why do you want to soften it, are your Ps (species?) showing signs of stress???
--> What's your pH?
HarleyK
_Piranha_;4094404; said:
I am not sure what your problem is
... that's medium hardness and perfectly fine. Let me ask this again: Why do you want to soften it, are your Ps (species?) showing signs of stress???
--> What's your pH?
HarleyK