What can I do to lower alkalinity, soften water?

[used2bBubbles]

I just tested my water and compared it to parameters in the past. Everything is the same, but my total alkalinity/buffering capacity has risen from 180 to 240.

The "total hardness" went from 25 ppm to 250 ppm.

These changes didn't occur rapidly; but the new readings are more like the ones I got from straight tap water, not aged water (which I use exclusively).

Any ideas? I've never had this problem....

Thanks for any responses.

Kathi

PS: Our water is very hard and very rusty. We have a water softener on our line, and I have an AC filter on the aging tank. Maybe I should add something other than sponges to the filter?

[Moon]

The most economical way of reducing hardness is with RO. Soft water is required for breeding. There is no need to reduce hardness for raising discus. They do quite well in hard water. My well water is about 400 and I've raised quite a few discus in this water.
Joe

[lhforbes12]

Kathi,
You say you have a "whole house water softener", is it the kind you charge with salt? If so, the first thing you want to do is find a way to by-pass it for your tank water. All they do is exchange Ca & Mg ions, for Na ions, which are actually worse for your fish.
Also aging water is not going to change your alkalinity in any significant way, nor will it change your General Hardness. The main purpose of aging is to get rid of dissolved CO2, and chlorine (not chloramine) in your water. Your pH may rise after you age, but that is only because CO2 creates carbonic acid, which lowers your pH, it isn't changing the alkalinity of your water though.
If you feel your water is too high in alkalinity and GH your best bet is to get an RO (or IMO even better RO/DI) filter. This will reduce both GH and KH for you.

[used2bBubbles]

Thanks, Moon and Larry. Another case of reading the label of a fish product and pannicing. When I looked at my test strip color indicators and read below the numberd readings, I saw "add ph buffer" for the high alkaline and "very hard" for the total hardness.

I know you don't have to change the pH for discus, but in order to raise fry, the water needs to be soft. Luckily, I am not at that stage yet, so I will hold off on the RO.

Larry, the water softener is only for the hot water, and when I fill my aging tank, it is usually cold water, so I should be ok, shouldn't I?

Thanks again for your quick responses, guys!

Kathi

[Graham]

Kathi, you mentioned using test strips, those things are notorious for being inaccurate. Even leaving the container open and having high humidity can affect the readings.

Liquid drop type tests are much more accurate with La Motte and Hache kits being very good.

Graham

[lhforbes12]

Kathi,
Yep, since you aren't adding salt from the softener there is no reasson to worry about it.
Hmmmmmm... funny... I still haven't seen any piccies yet...

[used2bBubbles]

Kathi, you mentioned using test strips, those things are notorious for being inaccurate.
Graham
Oh, that figures. I just bought these test strips; had the liquid test kit for over 2 years and was afraid it wasn't accurate due to its age. What do you think? Would the chemicals lose accuracy after 2 years?

Thanks, Graham, I've never heard that the test strips are known to be inaccurate at times.

AND LARRY, because you're such a nice guy and you helped Marie out, I will try to get some pictures of my new guys soon. I have some already, but it was the day after I brought them home and they were scared and dark, and what's worse, in that beige tank, so the pics are awful.

I have moved them to a blue painted tank, so they will photograph better now, I hope.

Thank you both for your comments.

[Graham]

Kathi All the liquid drop kits will have an expiry on them and are generally good for about 2 years...Most people that I know toss them after about a year and replace them....I use a pH meter but replace my basic test kits each spring..... $10 per kit isn't much, considering an investment or hundreds or thousands of dollars in your fish.

G

[used2bBubbles]

You're right, Graham. Do you buy the individual test kits:
nitrate
nitrite
ammonia
pH
hardness
alkalinity

or limit to a few basics?

[Graham]

I use a Hanna pH pen and then I have individual test kits for NH3, NO2, NO3, KH/GH. I use the pen every few days and the KH kit every 10 days or so. This allows me to know how solid my pH is.

The ammonia, and nitrite kits are hardly ever used. My bios are well established and unless I run a chem or a med through them they look after and and all NH3 and NO2.

The NO3 kits is used every 5 or 6 weeks to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be...<5ppm. Again the well established bio/TT's and the water change schedule keep it low.

I've never owned an O2 test kit and I threw my ORP meter in the garbage years ago :D

[used2bBubbles]

Thanks! That's good information to know.

Kathi