Hard or soft water

[Lamie]

Have been trying to find out whether my water from the tap is hard or soft. I think it's hard but I'm not sure how I can find out for sure. Would anyone know how to find out?

 

[itiwhetu]

Look up your water authority on line

 

[Colin_T]

The GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

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Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, most tetras, barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Have been trying to find out whether my water from the tap is hard or soft. I think it's hard but I'm not sure how I can find out for sure. Would anyone know how to find out?

Hard water has a bad attitude and usually has tattoos.
Soft water tends to cry a lot.

 

[Happilyretired]

Have been trying to find out whether my water from the tap is hard or soft. I think it's hard but I'm not sure how I can find out for sure. Would anyone know how to find out?

If you get a good lather on with bar soap or plenty of sudsy dish soap water, your water is likely soft. Hard water inhibits the lather or sudsy stuff from soaps.

 

[Lamie]

The GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

---------
Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, most tetras, barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

I have soft water in my tank. The water authority sent me some details.

 

[Lamie]

The GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

---------
Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, most tetras, barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

We are receiving water from 4 water treatment plants. Maybe it's easier to buy a test kit??

 

[Lamie]

We are receiving water from 4 water treatment plants. Maybe it's easier to buy a test kit??

 

[Lamie]

I can't make heads or tails of it

I have soft water in my tank. The water authority sent me some details.

 

[itiwhetu]

I can't make heads or tails of it

Where abouts are you, I will have a look if you like.

 

[Colin_T]

Take a sample of your tap water to a local pet shop and get them to test the pH, GH and KH. Write the results down in numbers and ppm, dGH or whatever it is measured in and that should keep you going.

The pH, GH and KH don't change much throughout the year, however it might if you get water from one place and then a different place. If this is the case, then get a GH and pH test kit and monitor it each week before you do a water change.

 

[Lamie]

Where abouts are you, I will have a look if you like.

Hillsborough, Auckland. Thanks

 

[itiwhetu]

Hillsborough, Auckland. Thanks

As I thought your water is soft

 

[Lamie]

As I thought your water is soft

Thanks for checking that

 

[itiwhetu]

Thanks for checking that

You will have no trouble keeping most freshwater tropical fish, try and stay away from rainbows and live bearers.