Softening Water

[Christian74]

I have a young breeeding pair and i use tap water with prime for my water changes i keep the ph between 6.0-6.5 and temp around 84 they are in a 20 long tank painted white. They dont seem to want to breed since i took them out of my community tank im thinking maybe the water has to be softer. Which way can i best soften the water without an R/O system.
Thank you

[John_Nicholson]

A peat filter will help some but really the only good way is an ro unit.

-john

[Christian74]

thanks john maybe ill give that a try

[Freaky.Fishie]

Well RO water is the best way to get perfectly soft water, if you don't want to put down for an RO machine, maybe check and see if your lfs offers RO water. The one around here you can buy it for 25cents a gallon. Other than that, putting peat moss in your filter can help, but personally I've found Seachem acid buffer to be REALLY good. It takes the hard minerals an converts them to CO2, softening the water. The only issue is you may have to use a buffer to keep the pH stable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[Chicago Discus]

Well RO water is the best way to get perfectly soft water, if you don't want to put down for an RO machine, maybe check and see if your lfs offers RO water. The one around here you can buy it for 25cents a gallon. Other than that, putting peat moss in your filter can help, but personally I've found Seachem acid buffer to be REALLY good. It takes the hard minerals an converts them to CO2, softening the water. The only issue is you may have to use a buffer to keep the pH stable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)


You are correct about the C02 but it also binds the solids which can cause havoc in a discus tank. Yes the Peet it's safer and won't cause issues with bouncing PH. I would recommend instead of putting in your filter put it in your storage tank and use that for your water changes.......Josie

[Freaky.Fishie]

You are correct about the C02 but it also binds the solids which can cause havoc in a discus tank. Yes the Peet it's safer and won't cause issues with bouncing PH. I would recommend instead of putting in your filter put it in your storage tank and use that for your water changes.......Josie


Interesting, I haven't used it in a discus tank before personally, why would it cause havoc? I would imagine the solids get trapped in the filter and eventually cleaned out of the system when the filter is cleaned. Is this not the case? And why would it only be bad in a discus vs any other aquarium? I'm honestly curious as I use it regularly in my angelfish bio tope.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)