water hardness

[meiling]

I recently moved my young aro. He's a 15" supposed silver, but looks pretty red, about 10 mos old. The water here runs a much higher ph, and the hardness is well, about as hard as water can get. So, help!! I have been using reverse osmosis water from the store at .39/gal, but even that makes the ph ok, around 7-7.5. Does reverse osmosis affect hardness? I've been told no. I've been told yes. Bottom line: I have the ph under control with almond tree leaves and a tea tree log from Malaysia.

What do I do about the hardness?? Will reverse osmosis work or do I need something different. All the pet store has to say is, umm err, no one around here keeps aro's. Wrong answer, He will be the best he can be but I could use any advice!!

 

[DeLgAdO]

I recently moved my young aro. He's a 15" supposed silver, but looks pretty red, about 10 mos old. The water here runs a much higher ph, and the hardness is well, about as hard as water can get. So, help!! I have been using reverse osmosis water from the store at .39/gal, but even that makes the ph ok, around 7-7.5. Does reverse osmosis affect hardness? I've been told no. I've been told yes. Bottom line: I have the ph under control with almond tree leaves and a tea tree log from Malaysia.

What do I do about the hardness?? Will reverse osmosis work or do I need something different. All the pet store has to say is, umm err, no one around here keeps aro's. Wrong answer, He will be the best he can be but I could use any advice!!

arowanas could care less about water hardness, i live in socal and our water is VERY hard.

and my aros thrives in it. and yes i have a silver also.

to your other question, a reverse osmosis units DO remove most if not all minerals from the water.( whoever told you it doesnt remove mineral needs a back hand)

but this can be very dangerous to the fish.

you need to restore some minerals to the water, other wise you will have no buffer to keep the pH stable, and you will most definately have a pH crash!!! and bye bye Mr or Misses aro

if you insist on using RO water for your fish i would use a product called kent RO right by Kent Marine to retore the mineral content of the RO water.

hope this helps

 

[meiling]

Thank you very much!! Do you know if I mixed 7.2 ph city water and ro if that would be safer? I'll get a full test kit, never thought about your point, thanks thanks thanks

 

[DeLgAdO]

Thank you very much!! Do you know if I mixed 7.2 ph city water and ro if that would be safer? I'll get a full test kit, never thought about your point, thanks thanks thanks

that works to!!

RO water typically has a neutral pH but mixing it with the tap water should give it the nessesary minerals.

since you almond tree leaf and tea logs those should lower your pH easier than if it was with harder water

 

[marxxx]

When I used r/o, I mixed it mix 1:1 with my tap water (which is very hard like your). They loved it. I have since stopped using r/o and the fish are no worse for the wear.

Thanks,
Marxxx