Water Parameters

[IrishJord]

Hi all!

Just a quick question, my tap waters PH is 6.6, GH is less than 1dgh (around 16.5ppm), KH is even less than that.

Is it impossible for me to keep an aquarium without having to mess with water parameters? for example if I did not add anything to buffer gh/kh and simply made my tank a black water system with tetras/betta, low PH with extremely low kh/gh?

I have always kept limestone/ocean rocks in my aquariums, buffering my water to ph 7.5 and increasing gh/kh, which is then annoying for water changes because of swings unless i do tiny water changes so the swings aren't massive for the fish.

Thanks in advance

 

[GaryE]

I'd kill for that water.

Well, maybe not kill, but...

It would be fine as a rainforest tank - African, Asian or South American. I have harder water than you, but still in the quite soft range, and the only issue I see is you have to be up on the water changes as tanks can go west quickly. They can be a little unstable when very soft, but 30% every week to 10 days (religiously) keeps my set ups good.


You could breed some difficult fish in water like that.

 

[IrishJord]

I'd kill for that water.

Well, maybe not kill, but...

It would be fine as a rainforest tank - African, Asian or South American. I have harder water than you, but still in the quite soft range, and the only issue I see is you have to be up on the water changes as tanks can go west quickly. They can be a little unstable when very soft, but 30% every week to 10 days (religiously) keeps my set ups good.


You could breed some difficult fish in water like that.

I have heard that a lot, people saying they would love my water haha. I get jealous then with people having a ph of 7-7.5 with a good amount of GH/KH Thank you for the help

 

[GaryE]

Well, you know, the water is always greener on the... mmm, that's another issue.