New tank at work

[YesRushGen]

Hi all,

I am planning on setting up a 20 gallon long tank here in my office. In preparation for this, I have tested out office's tap water. Here's the stats:

pH > 8.0 (my test kit's highest is 8.0, and the color was off the scale)
KH = 8dH
GH = 8dH

These are quite high compared to my tap water at home. (I also need to test whether work's tap is treated with chlorine or chloromine)

So, my question is, can I modify this water to bring it into the more neutral range of pH=7.0? If so, obviously, I would have to treat every batch of tap water I use for water changes.

It must be possible to use this water, but what is the best (and safest) way to go about it?

Thanks,

Kelly

 

[Nina7777]

Hi there- The safest way to go about it, is to not modify it at all. Instead pick fish that prefer a PH a little on the high side. The fish can adjust to the higher PH, as long as it is stable.

Also you had mentioned that you needed to test your work water for chlorine and chloramine......this isn't neccesary as long as you use dechlorinator that will rid it of both chlorine and chloramine. You really should be using it even if your water tests for negative.

 

[YesRushGen]

Hi there- The safest way to go about it, is to not modify it at all. Instead pick fish that prefer a PH a little on the high side. The fish can adjust to the higher PH, as long as it is stable.

Also you had mentioned that you needed to test your work water for chlorine and chloramine......this isn't neccesary as long as you use dechlorinator that will rid it of both chlorine and chloramine. You really should be using it even if your water tests for negative.

Oh, about the chlorine vs chloromine - Of course I will use a de-cholorinator! I just meant that I wanted to see which one was used to treat the work's tap water.

With regards to not messing around with the tap's parameters... I constantly here that opinion both here and at FishGeeks. At the risk of being scathed, can I ask why that is? Certainly poeple modify their water's parameters/chemistry to achieve some desired conditions? Why is it so widley considered "bad" to alter your tap's parameters?

Sorry, I'm not trying to be difficult, I would just like to know!

Thanks a bunch...

Kelly

 

[Nina7777]

Thats an easy one!

It's because a stable PH that may be a little higher or lower than ideal is better than a PH that is always changing. It is very difficult to keep the PH stable if you have to keep adjusting it up or down, and the constant changing causes tons more stress for your fish than if you just left it alone.

Hope this helps!

 

[Fordaz]

If you keep everything as natural as possible, there's less to go wrong. Best not to tamper with things like that.

The best idea I can think of is to seak an alternative water source, like bottled water or transporting it from a tap that has safer water.

 

[YesRushGen]

I thought about the bottled water option, but it just seems impractical.

I undersand the bit about a stable pH being better than a fluctuation one. But isn't it possible to "re-buffer" the tap water to maintain a STABLE pH - say in the 7.0 range?

Wouldn't I just need to figure out how much to add at each water change, so that the tank remains stable after each change?

Thanks everyone,

Kelly