water chemistry....GH, KH, TDS - my parameters

[shoveltrash]

hi all.
I finally got my GH/KH test kit, and a TDS meter.

here goes:
TANK
TDS 400
KH 214.8 ppm (took 12 drops to get the color change, conversion charts tops off at 12)
GH in tank is <50ppm
pH of aged water is 8-8.3

NOW
this is salt-softened water (!), that I cannot bypass . my home has a whole-house system hooked directly to the well. the only non-softened water I have available is up in my horse barn (NOT close to the house at all).

well water from barn
TDS 285ppm
KH 214.8ppm (same)
GH - holy moly, it's off the charts! it took 19 drops to get the color change.....and the conversion chart tops out at 12 drops
pH same

I guess I'm lucky that my sub-adult Discus are alive?
(remarkably they seem to be thriving - they've grown in the past months, and are voracious eaters)

so..............I'm guessing I need to invest in an RO unit?
and I thought the DISCUS were expensive! I'm going to end up spending mega-bucks just to get my water parameters right......

heeeelllllllp.
someone talk to me about this water chemistry, my head is spinning!!!!!
what are desirable parameters for GH, KH, & TDS?

[Glenn36]

Be careful if your using water softener water. The Na levels will be off the charts. You may not need RO water. Many people say consistent water quality is key to raising healthy discus. I installed an RO system in my house with enough capacity to do my water changes which meant $$$ spent. Guess what? I don`t even use it, what a waste of money. My water directly out of my well has a pH of 7.5-7.8 and is hard, about 15dH. My discus are thriving and growing like crazy. I only use well water. If I were you, I`d get a plumber in and install a faucet out of your well line before it enters your water softener line and consider using this. It will at least be consistent and not have the massive sodium content it must take to soften that water. Cosistency is key! not having to modify water will save a lot of headaches in the end.

[shoveltrash]

thank you so much Glenn for the reply.

what is "15dH"? how does that compare to the GH I listed??? (although since it test 'off the chart' it's hard to know....and it is in "ppm")

when I bought the house I was told that the water was so hard that it ruined appliances.
that's why the previous owner installed the whole-house system. we're talkin calcium buildup from H*LL. I'm just not sure about that, which is why I was contemplating RO.
.........getting the non-softened well water to the house, good lord I foresee a TREMENDOUS cost there. <bangs head on wall>
oy!!!!
makes me &

[Glenn36]

My water hardness is 300-400ppm. A plumber hired to install a faucet direct from your well line will be peanuts compared to an RO system.

[shoveltrash]

do you get calcium/mg buildup in your tank???? on your filters?
(again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the time to reply here.....can you tell I'm freaking out?)

[Glenn36]

I get a little calcium buildup on my filter lines. I just wipe it off before it hardens. I once felt the same as you about my hard water and this is why I installed my ro system. My supplier assured me since my discus are domestic that I shouldn`t use ro water. these fish were raised in similar water to what I have. Just do lots of water changes, which I do daily, and everything will be O.K. The only time you will need the ro water is if your breeding, the hard water may kill the eggs. It will be no problem for a plumber to fix you up with that faucet.

[shoveltrash]

but my well house is NOT close to my home
it'll require trenching......and no telling what-all to get it piped into the house.
maybe I'd be better off running a 300ft hose from the barn LOL (that's a guess....could be longer than that!).

My supplier assured me since my discus are domestic that I shouldn`t use ro water.

out of curiosity, if you don't mind my asking, who is your supplier? pm me if you need.

THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU for all the advice & support!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was afraid no one would post.

edited to add: I wonder....could I mix softened & well together, perhaps half & half?

[fredfry]

I mixed some of my well water and softener water to just check it out.
I did 75% softener to 25% well water.
I got gh 6 kh 11. My gh in my well before mixing was 23, even higher than yours trish.

Fred

[shoveltrash]

Fred it took 23 drops for the API color change to measure your GH???? wow (assuming that's what you mean by '23')
so, what are you going to do? mix?

[TURQ64]

My water hardness is 300-400ppm. A plumber hired to install a faucet direct from your well line will be peanuts compared to an RO system.

RO systems can be had for well under 100.00...You won't find a plumber who even know's that left is hot for that kind of coin...

[mi-ko]

I am new to forum and I am not sure if I should ask questions here but I have an opposite problem. My tap water's PH is 8.1' alkalinity is 15.7 ppm, total hardness is 11.8 ppm. How can I stabilize PH? I do 1/3 wc every other day. PH drops to very yellow (could be less than 6. I have no idea) in very short time. How can I keep my tank water to 6.5-7.0 ?
Thanks.

[jimg]

I am new to forum and I am not sure if I should ask questions here but I have an opposite problem. My tap water's PH is 8.1' alkalinity is 15.7 ppm, total hardness is 11.8 ppm. How can I stabilize PH? I do 1/3 wc every other day. PH drops to very yellow (could be less than 6. I have no idea) in very short time. How can I keep my tank water to 6.5-7.0 ?
Thanks.

you can add a mix of calcium,epsom salt and baking soda. You'd have to experiment to your water. I did this a while back but not worth it, you can also just add baking soda. There are decent buffers available but i don't use them to say which and how they are, I think Eddie used to use reef builder.

[fredfry]

RO systems can be had for well under 100.00...You won't find a plumber who even know's that left is hot for that kind of coin...

How much ro water will these less than $100.00 units make.
Can you let me know where I can get one?

Thanks Fred

[shoveltrash]

I am new to forum and I am not sure if I should ask questions here but I have an opposite problem. My tap water's PH is 8.1' alkalinity is 15.7 ppm, total hardness is 11.8 ppm. How can I stabilize PH? I do 1/3 wc every other day. PH drops to very yellow (could be less than 6. I have no idea) in very short time. How can I keep my tank water to 6.5-7.0 ?

do you age your water?
and of course you can ask questions here . heck I learn more when people expand discussions like this!

RO output is a big question in my mind too......I know you can't get water output equal to the tap, so really not sure about <$100 units? not sure I can pipe a slow-dripping RO pipeline from my kitchen to my dining room storage barrel!

[TURQ64]

1/4" tubing is readily available at the local hardware to plumb an RO wherever...doesn't need to be 'blue'...always buy an RO waay bigger than you think you'll need.