Uh oh I need help fast....

[Rocky998]

It's a global forum and there are definitely some parts of the world where the water doesn't seem as tightly regulated as ours here in Blighty. There are also more users of wells out there than we are used to.
Whilst some untreated waters can cause fish harm, the real and persistent danger of untreated water is to the bacterial colonies in the tank.
Remember that the water is specifically treated, so as to kill bacteria, to make it safe to drink. Adding this to the tank will kill tank bacteria, which will kill the Nitrogen Cycle, which will kill the fish.

What should I do when I have these readings then in tap water?

Heres the pic again:

 

[Byron]

First on the pH...as @Essjay mentioned in an earlier post, make sure your pH test is accurate by out-gassing the CO2. Second point, use the high range test as well as the normal range to see the results; they will be different, but the issue is that when the pH is measuring 7.6 on the normal range, it might actually be higher, and the high range will tell you/us. Once the accurate pH is known, that will be the pH to use in deciding fish, though GH is actually more important--if memory serves me, you have softish water?

On the ammonia, using a conditioner that detoxifies ammonia at water changes is advisable. This detoxifying is only temporary, for about 24-36 hours, after which the ammonium [this is how most of them work, changing ammonia into less harmful ammonium] reverts back to ammonia if it is still present and if the pH is basic (above 7.0). The teemporary detoxification allows the ammonia/ammonium to be taken up by the bacteria or live plants, so it should be gone within the 24 hours. Especially with fast growing live plants, like floating plants-- you will never have ammonia issues.

If the ammonia is actually due to chloramine, i would not even bother with special conditioners, just use a good one that deals with chloramine. I am again assuming you have live plants (I believe this was mentioned elsewhere) and they will deal with this.

 

[Rocky998]

First on the pH...as @Essjay mentioned in an earlier post, make sure your pH test is accurate by out-gassing the CO2. Second point, use the high range test as well as the normal range to see the results; they will be different, but the issue is that when the pH is measuring 7.6 on the normal range, it might actually be higher, and the high range will tell you/us. Once the accurate pH is known, that will be the pH to use in deciding fish, though GH is actually more important--if memory serves me, you have softish water?

On the ammonia, using a conditioner that detoxifies ammonia at water changes is advisable. This detoxifying is only temporary, for about 24-36 hours, after which the ammonium [this is how most of them work, changing ammonia into less harmful ammonium] reverts back to ammonia if it is still present and if the pH is basic (above 7.0). The teemporary detoxification allows the ammonia/ammonium to be taken up by the bacteria or live plants, so it should be gone within the 24 hours. Especially with fast growing live plants, like floating plants-- you will never have ammonia issues.

If the ammonia is actually due to chloramine, i would not even bother with special conditioners, just use a good one that deals with chloramine. I am again assuming you have live plants (I believe this was mentioned elsewhere) and they will deal with this.

About the ph section of your reply: Yes I did use the high on test before anyone actually recommended it and I'm happy to say that it did not go past 7.6. It was the lowest reading for the high test. And no, I dont have the GH/KH test kit yet but hope to get it soon. But I do think I have soft water because our shower heads and sinks dont have any of that "residue"

 

[Rocky998]

First on the pH...as @Essjay mentioned in an earlier post, make sure your pH test is accurate by out-gassing the CO2. Second point, use the high range test as well as the normal range to see the results; they will be different, but the issue is that when the pH is measuring 7.6 on the normal range, it might actually be higher, and the high range will tell you/us. Once the accurate pH is known, that will be the pH to use in deciding fish, though GH is actually more important--if memory serves me, you have softish water?

On the ammonia, using a conditioner that detoxifies ammonia at water changes is advisable. This detoxifying is only temporary, for about 24-36 hours, after which the ammonium [this is how most of them work, changing ammonia into less harmful ammonium] reverts back to ammonia if it is still present and if the pH is basic (above 7.0). The teemporary detoxification allows the ammonia/ammonium to be taken up by the bacteria or live plants, so it should be gone within the 24 hours. Especially with fast growing live plants, like floating plants-- you will never have ammonia issues.

If the ammonia is actually due to chloramine, i would not even bother with special conditioners, just use a good one that deals with chloramine. I am again assuming you have live plants (I believe this was mentioned elsewhere) and they will deal with this.

With the ammonia/chloramine section: I know that the our water has chloromines because it is used to make it safe for us to drink here and there also may be glasses in the water (every single test that I did I shook up the water in the vile before adding the test solution to attempt a quick de-gas).
Yes, I do plan on having live plants 2 slow growing: anubias barteri and java fern, and 1 fast growing: red root floaters

 

[Essjay]

Do you have mains water or well water? If it's mains, the company that provides your water may give your hardness on their website. It's worth looking there before you spend money on a GH tester.


Some places use chlorine to disinfect the water, other's use chloramine. I have just chlorine, for example.
Using a water conditioner which says it removes chlorine and detoxifies ammonia will deal with both of them, something like Seachem Prime which does both. Once the tank is cycled, the bacteria or plants will remove the detoxified ammonia before it has chance to "undetoxify" (if there is such a word)

 

[Rocky998]

Do you have mains water or well water? If it's mains, the company that provides your water may give your hardness on their website. It's worth looking there before you spend money on a GH tester.


Some places use chlorine to disinfect the water, other's use chloramine. I have just chlorine, for example.
Using a water conditioner which says it removes chlorine and detoxifies ammonia will deal with both of them, something like Seachem Prime which does both. Once the tank is cycled, the bacteria or plants will remove the detoxified ammonia before it has chance to "undetoxify" (if there is such a word)

I believe its mains water and that the water is soft... But the water parameters are VERY tricky to find online anywhere... Kinda scary. The water is somewhere imbetween 50-100 ppm hardness I know that. At least... Thats what I thought I saw it was. I'll just hopefully be able to test it.