Pat's Water Parameters for Wilds

[Second Hand Pat]

Since I get asked this a lot here goes. My water parameters for my wilds are

PH - 7.2-7.4
GH - 4dGH ( x 17.8) = 71.2 ppm
KH - 4dKH
TDS - around 80 - 100

My water consists of a RO/tap mix or about 2/3 RO to 1/3 tap. I do find my tap has seasonal variations between wet and dry season (I live in Florida) where the TDS drops a bit in the dry season (Dec-May)

My primary target is the hardness of the water or GH and according to Dale Jordan the sweet spot is about 60/70 ppm. Also according to Dale PH become secondary to GH. So 4dGH x 17.8 = 71.2 ppm.

For those who know or know of Dale one thing he could do is get his wilds to breed consistently. So I am following his guidelines and the wilds breed. I know there are varying opinions of Dale here on Simply but I request we focus on the water parameters for wilds and keep past forum politics in the past.

Thanks,
Pat

Another useful thread

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?83604-wilds-compared-to-domestic

[Bud Smith]

Thanks Pat - equipment for the wilds tank is what I have been looking at today to make all these water conditions happen
we will talk

[Second Hand Pat]

Look forward to it Bud.

[Trevor W]

Great post Pat!
Thank you for sharing that with us.
What test kits do you prefer to use for the GH?

[Poco]

Thanks for posting this Pat. I haven't kept wilds yet but I thought they need more acidic water but I was unaware GH is more important than pH.

What I have heard from the some member that Dale had a magic touch with wilds and had some awesome pairs.

[Second Hand Pat]

Great post Pat!
Thank you for sharing that with us.
What test kits do you prefer to use for the GH?

Nothing fancy Trevor, I have the API Master freshwater kit and the separate API GH/KH kit. I do not even own a ph meter. I may need to reconsider that once those heckels mature.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks for posting this Pat. I haven't kept wilds yet but I thought they need more acidic water but I was unaware GH is more important than pH.

What I have heard from the some member that Dale had a magic touch with wilds and had some awesome pairs.

You are welcome Babar. Dale did have some awesome fish. I do maintain occasionally contact with him.

[Trevor W]

Nothing fancy Trevor, I have the API Master freshwater kit and the separate API GH/KH kit. I do not even own a ph meter. I may need to reconsider that once those heckels mature.
Good to know thanks! I personally don't test for pH I do however have both an inline and external TDS meter. The inline meter is for testing my product water from my rodi unit and it let's me know when I need to replace my filters. The external is from when I was breeding domestics and so I could figure how much ro to add to my aging barrel which will now be used for mixing water for wilds. I will be sure to pick up a GH test kit and factor that into determining an appropriate mix for wilds.

[zchauvin]

Nothing fancy Trevor, I have the API Master freshwater kit and the separate API GH/KH kit. I do not even own a ph meter. I may need to reconsider that once those heckels mature.

The kh/gh your referring to are the strips??

[Second Hand Pat]

Zach, I use liquid tests. There strips are not correct enough for me.

[zchauvin]

Gotcha