Which water should I use?

[4discusdude]

Hi, which water should I use? Tap water has chloramine, ph at 8 after age, and tds read at 199 ppm. water that use outside for grass, and water the garden has .2 ppm ammonia, no chlorine, ph 7.5 to 7.8 don't what after age will read, and tds read 202 ppm. So which one can I use to grow out discus?
Thank you.
I will still add prime if use either for safety.

[BobDaniel]

Help us understand your water situation. Please explain the source of the water. Why/how is outside and inside water sourced differently? Is one well and the other city?? Everywhere I lived, my house was hooked up to the public water system and all the water on the property was from the "city".

[4discusdude]

I really don't know why. I just realize about the different when I fill up one of the tank using the water from the garden hose yesterday. Didn't smell any chlorine and test ammonia read at .2 ppm. So wait for next day and test ammonia again, read same thing, so I test tds it read 202 ppm. I don't think it well or maybe it is? It shouldn't be. If it well water, does the city water meter still charge for it? If I use the other, not tap, will it be ok?

[DiscusDrew]

If your in the USA.... It is the same water and the only difference in a standard home is that your external (outside) taps are split off prior to your water heater. It should be the same source water wether it be from city (which it must be if there's chloramine) or from a well. So to answer your question... It shouldn't matter which location you pull the water from UNLESS you have a whole house filter or water softener set up (which again, you obviously don't have either).

[4discusdude]

Well thank you.

[Divantie]

Hi Discusdude,
Hope this help

The water department use chlorine to combat pathogen (diseases cause bacteria). EPA or/and your health department required a min. of .20 mg/L of chlorine residual in the water when delivery to the customer. The water from your tap should contain small amount of chlorine residual for your safety. If there is any pathogen, that chlorine residual will come in contact and kill the pathogen (no trace of chlorine, mean that the pathogen have overcome chlorine demand).

What is Chloramine and why?

By adding ammonia with chlorine (Chloramine) you will have a longer lasting chlorine residual, longer protection. What the ammonia does is not allow the chlorine to air out.

Why the different in PH?

Chlorine by itself does not disinfect, when chlorine come in contact with water it will cause reaction (HCI = Hydrochloric acid) or (HCIO = Hyperchloric acid) depending on the PH of your water. Chlorine will cause your water PH to drop and drop and drop. By adding dechlorinator, you will remove chlorine and stop this reaction and allow your water PH to return to normal for you case PH of 8.0 (Age Water).

TDS?

Total Dissolved Solids= All inorganic solids dissolved in the water, mineral, phosphates, nitrates, sodium, potassium, chloride, etc. etc. (Low or High TDS, it all depend on what is dissolved)
Some dissolved mineral are good for your discus and some are bad!
Check with your water department Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs). You can find a break down of TDS.
Your TDS meter, is measurement of Conductivity, Conductivity is a measure of the ability of a substance to conduct electric current.
General water hardness is related to the dissolved minerals in the water. General hardness is a misleading term that is often confused with carbonate hardness or temporary hardness, which is actually related to alkalinity and relates to the "buffering capacity" of the water (its ability to resist pH changes). This means that if the carbonate hardness is high then the pH will be extremely stable or alternatively if the carbonate hardness is low the pH of the water will be able to fluctuate easily.

If you are breeding discus you want a low CaCo3= Calcium carbonate (this will cause a coating on the eggs which will not allow sperm penetration)

The water from your tap and garden are the same water. However I would be caution to use water without chlorine! Did someone use the garden hose to clean out a sewer lateral? :)