How do you make tank water softer aside from buying a RO Unit. Actually would bottled water do the trick? I know that this is not ideal because of the cost...but it is only a 3 Gal breeder tank?
Softening tank water
- Thread starter donaldastwood
- Start date
I use peat in my filter. It's not an instant solution, it's a mess to deal with, it will stain your water and lower your pH, but it seams to induce spawning IMO. I think it creates a much more natural water environment for the fish.
I like the tannins in the water and the fish and plants seem to also. I've got a 20 gal breeder with 3 roseus danios that are little fry machines (everytime I look in the tank theres more fry) and it didn't happen until i added a peat bag to the filter. You can buy peat filtration pellets, but I used 100% organic peat.
You will have to change out the peat about once a month, but I think I paid $12.94 for a HUGE bail of peat, so it won't break the bank.
I use R/O water on another set of tanks and it's a PITA. My R/O water comes out at a pH of about 3, so I have to buffer it with baking soda to get the pH to 6.8. The little 20gal has been going stable with a pH of 6.8 and fairly soft water, just by using the peat, for well over a year now.
I like the tannins in the water and the fish and plants seem to also. I've got a 20 gal breeder with 3 roseus danios that are little fry machines (everytime I look in the tank theres more fry) and it didn't happen until i added a peat bag to the filter. You can buy peat filtration pellets, but I used 100% organic peat.
You will have to change out the peat about once a month, but I think I paid $12.94 for a HUGE bail of peat, so it won't break the bank.
I use R/O water on another set of tanks and it's a PITA. My R/O water comes out at a pH of about 3, so I have to buffer it with baking soda to get the pH to 6.8. The little 20gal has been going stable with a pH of 6.8 and fairly soft water, just by using the peat, for well over a year now.
Depends where it was bottled. If the bore, spring or tap they used to fill the bottle has hard water it could be exactly the same as your tap water.
Are you able to catch rain water from a roof downpipe? I guess that depends where you live, but rainwater is VERY soft and you could mix it with your tap water to get the hardness you want.
Cheers
Ian
If you only have a small tank then the easiest way is to catch and store rainwater (or snow). I keep my rainwater in dark barrels so stop algae. Peat, blackwater extract or pine cones is very fiddly and takes a long time so your storing water whist treating/preparing anyway. If you want a quick easy way for a small tank then RO is the simple but most expensive option. Look/post around for someone who has an RO unit and buy a few litres from them.