so yep I started a GH thread back a ways... this one will be more on general water, & fixing the problems... I bought some test strips, & have another water test kit, & my GH is reading 75, which should be good for most situations???
however my water is really hard with carbonite... my carbonite hardness tests at 300 ( this from my tap, which is softened ) also my alkalinity is at 300 ( both of these numbers are as high as my test equipment can go, so possibly much higher ) my PH reads 8.4... again, this is tap water, everything else is in spec.
the funny thing, is I have 2 tanks that have had big pieces of drift wood in them for months, that still stain the water & yet those Carbonite, Alky, & PH readings are the same in those tanks, as my tap water, so my natural softening has done nothing to change the water from its tap condition...
looking for ways to correct this, without going to the extreme... I have an old canister filter... actually most of my tanks have canister filters, which I have been running with a basket full of carbon, & a floss sleave over the basket... I'm thinking about filling the basket with peat, instead of carbon
...also considering just doing water changes with RO, until my numbers get into a better place, then start doing a percentage of each, as needed during water changes
thoughts or suggestions???
however my water is really hard with carbonite... my carbonite hardness tests at 300 ( this from my tap, which is softened ) also my alkalinity is at 300 ( both of these numbers are as high as my test equipment can go, so possibly much higher ) my PH reads 8.4... again, this is tap water, everything else is in spec.
the funny thing, is I have 2 tanks that have had big pieces of drift wood in them for months, that still stain the water & yet those Carbonite, Alky, & PH readings are the same in those tanks, as my tap water, so my natural softening has done nothing to change the water from its tap condition...
looking for ways to correct this, without going to the extreme... I have an old canister filter... actually most of my tanks have canister filters, which I have been running with a basket full of carbon, & a floss sleave over the basket... I'm thinking about filling the basket with peat, instead of carbon
...also considering just doing water changes with RO, until my numbers get into a better place, then start doing a percentage of each, as needed during water changes
thoughts or suggestions???
those strips you bought, £97 
how much did you pay?
