What do you mean by this? I also have hard tap water so I use RO water (and nothing else) in my tetra tank. This means 0KH and 0GH. Yes my pH is low (<5.5) but it is perfectly stable. I do make substantial water changes every week - but I do that anyway.
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What the heck happened?
- Thread starter Larry Licata
- Start date
Why do you people have such hard water? 
Why do you people have such hard water?
It depends upon the source of the water, and anything it has passed through/over to get to the water treatment plant.
Water is the most solvent liquid on this planet. This means it readily and easily assimilates substances it comes into contact with, such as organics (which on their own would tend to make water softer and more acidic) or mineralized rock such as limestone (which on its own would dissolve calcium and magnesium into the water making it harder and higher (basic) pH.
Pure water does not exist on the earth's surface. Pure water is the condensed water that forms clouds, but as soon as it begins to fall as rain or snow it will take up substances with which it comes into contact and these change the properties (chemistry) of the water. Ths is why freshwater the world over is not the same but different to varying degrees with respect to GH, KH and pH. The water in the oceans is basically the same with respect to these parameters, but not freshwater. If the water goes underground in areas of calcareous rock (limestone is primary here) it will assimilate dissolved calcium and magnesium. Removing this mineral hardness is, as every aquarist who has hard water knows, very expensive and involved, so water authorities don't bother.
Weird, here in Kentucky our tap water isn’t that hard, but our natural water (ponds and streams) are, due to all the limestone. In my creek on the back of my house there are giant chunks of limestone in the river bed. I was just asking because it seems a lot of people here have really hard water.
FallenPepper
Fish Crazy
Waters 99% pure it only has less than a 1% of impuritys and it will carry what evers trapped in it to clouds that it forms. Think acid rain
OP
OP
Larry Licata
New Member
ha, I guess I would only really know if I had some tests done at my tap. But then again, i took the advice from my LFS.
ha, I guess I would only really know if I had some tests done at my tap. But then again, i took the advice from my LFS.
The best way to get to the bottom of parameters is to get the numbers for GH, KH and pH from your water authority. Check their website, this may be posted, or if not call them. Just be sure to get the number and their unit of measurement (these vary) for GH and KH. The GH is the most important here.
The pH in an aquarium or in the tap water can vary due to other factors. It is the GH you most need to pin down; this will tell us what to expect with respect to pH long-term.
Depending on which side you approach our little island from this may be the first site (or even sight) you seeWhy do you people have such hard water?
And on this side of the country most of our water is ground water
But some of us have soft water because our water comes from reservoirs which are situated on non-calcareous rock 
If a member's location is Scotland, most of that country has very soft water.
If a member's location is Scotland, most of that country has very soft water.
Metalhead88
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To add in here, there was another thread recently about neons. They are extremely sensitive to being moved.
Many of us lost a few neons out of a group quickly after first being added. Perhaps try your luck with a less sensitive fish?
Many of us lost a few neons out of a group quickly after first being added. Perhaps try your luck with a less sensitive fish?
Those are the white cliffs of Dover. Almost pure limestone.
Also known as the @PheonixKingZ chemistry set. He keeps API in business.
There is a lot of limestone around here, that's why I never ask about hardness when somebody says they are from London. Obviously best for photos when seen coming straight out of the seaWow the white cliffs of Dover is a real place. I thought it was made up for the song.
Stunning contrast tho, blue and white, nice picture.
. FWIW that pic was taken in spring and the "fields of gold" are rapeseed. Quite spectacular viewed from the airSimilar threads
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