HARD/ALKALINE Water

[Gavilb]

Im setting up a new tank and have been in the process of cycling which is going well.....

However, my water is very hard and alkaline. Are there any fish that are suited to these conditions??

THanks!

 

[pnyklr3]

African Cichlids

 

[Dubby]

I live in a hard water area as well. My LFS stocks all kinds of fish that you wouldnt imagine could live in hard water and he keeps them in the local tap water without adding any additives to lower the PH.

So as long as these fish have been acclimatised to your local conditions you wont have to make too many changes to water.

If you are new to fishkeeping then choose some hardy fish such as danios, platies etc.

 

[Xtech]

Whats your ph and GH?

Livebearers like hard alkaline water.

 

[CFC]

How hard and how alkeline? Most tropicals will adapt to a pH of up to 7.8 and a hardness of up to 18GH without problems.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Yeah, I have hard water, all mine are fine. The only time is is annoying is for breeding, filling tanks (water can be cloudy from the chalk), and if its not cycled properly.

 

[freddyk]

Yup, my water is and has always been about 8.0 and fish do fine. In fact, you'll find that more people then not have alkaline water because acid water corrodes pipes more quickly. If your PH is approaching 9 then you've got more serious concerns.

 

[pnyklr3]

My local pH is approaching 9, and I have no problems keeping fish (healthy fish). I am using othe methods to lower my pH because I can't properly breed my dwarf cichlids in this water.

 

[Gavilb]

thanks - my local pet store said that " when doing a 25% water change, add half rain water " and that should keep pH and hardness at a safe level.......

 

[dwarfgourami]

I would not risk adding rain water; sadly it is heavily polluted these days, even in the countryside. There was a post not long ago about some lfs keeper in ?rural Ireland or somewhere who killed off all his fish adding rain water. Much better IMO to let your fish cope with the water as it comes out of the tap.

As you can see above, lots of people manage to keep fish in hard/alkaline water and more fish are used to such conditions these days. OK so you may not be able to breed neon tetras, but a trio of livebearers will fill your tank in no time. Platys, mollies, guppies, swordtails will all be absolutely happy.

My ph was 8 last time I tested (8.4 out of the tap, but I have bogwood which brings it down a little), and my corys still spawn happily. And lots of fish will live comfortably in those waters though they may not spawn.

 

[SarahBravo]

My PH out the tap is about 8.75...... all my fish (see profile) are doing fine. I have set up one tank with the water filtered through peat granules, this has lowered the PH to between 6.5 and 7 without any effort on my part. However, the water is pretty dark!!

My kribs and livebearers have bred in tap water without any problems, and I also got one set of cockatoo apisto babies, although I think they would prefer a lower PH.

Mostly your fish will adapt themselves - just make sure you acclimate them very slowly.