Hello,

I have a question about water parameters and the best way to control them.
First I want to let you know a little about my water parameters and tank. My
PH out of the tap with a 24 hour sit time is: 8.6, in addition, the water is
very hard, if I remember, the KH was 107.4 ppm and the GH was more that 300
ppm. I have a 46 gallon, semi heavily planted tank with angels, cardinal
tetras, clown loaches, rummy nose tetras and a German blue ram. To fix my
water parameters I purchased a "tap water filter" from aquarium
pharmaceuticals. I have been using that for the last two years. Don't get
me wrong, it works great, but I only get about 45 gallons per refill. I am
just getting tired of purchasing replacement filters every month. I just
purchased a new light, to help my plants out (a Coralife, 192 watt, 6700,
compact fluorescent). I added some DIY C02 to help, but it doesn't seem to
be able to keep up with that high light. My plants seem to be smothered with
algae.



After reading as many posts possible, regarding water parameters and C02, I
have come to the conclusion that I am wasting my time filtering my tap
water. If I am correct in my assumptions, I should toss the "tap water
filter" and purchase a good C02 tank system and let that do the work for me.
Does that sound correct? I wouldn't mind spending $200-$400 bucks on a good
system if I didn't have to spend up to 300 bucks a year on tap water filter
replacements and dealing with the DIY C02.



If I left anything out, I am sorry, let me know and I will try to fill in
the blanks...



Thanks for your help!!!



James

Regardless of anything else, at $300 a year for TWP, you
should have gone Reverse Osmosis a good long time ago. Get
the drinking water kit and you can save yourself on bottled
water too!

At dKH 6 (107.4 ppm), your pH should stabilize somewhere
just around/below 8. You must have chemistry other than
carbonate hardness going on, or a test problem. But, what,
I don't know.

At 46G you are probably reaching the limit of DIY CO2 on
such a brightly lit tank. I like my CO2 tank/controller, no
fuss, no muss. They seem to have gotten cheaper lately, too.

Your GH is fairly hard, but CO2 won't do anything to change
that. Your TWP drops that to zero, and so will your shiny
new RO. Indeed you should be needing to add a pH targeted
carbonate/bi-carbonate (washing/baking soda) mix to your TWP
water, even now.

Algae is a problem all it's own, and one that is always slow
and painful to fix. There is lots of info on the web for
dealing better with the various types.

If you choose to follow the Phosphate limitation route, a
favorite of Governments, Commerce, and I, I can help jump
start your program...

1) Buy a reasonable phosphate test kit. I use a cheap
0-5ppm Nutrafin. All you need is "pass/fail", really.

2) Go to a supermarket and pick up some Alum, in the spice
section or, perhaps, pickling and canning. You only need
the very smallest bottle they have.

3) Phosphate test your tap, just for fun and practice.
Then, test your tank. Do the test in the coldest,
brightest, whitest, light you have in the house.

4) If you see ANY twinge of an indication, even if it is
clearly "the low range of the scale", you will dose the
Alum. Actually, you probably should dose at least once
anyway, just for fun.

WARNING: 1 level teaspoon of Alum will treat 1000 gallons of
water, to 1.2 ppm! More is not better. Your 46G tank needs
not more than 1/20 of a teaspoon.

Repeat the test, and the Alum dose when there is ANY
indication at all, every second day. If you are "way out",
continue every 2 days until you reach zero, but watch your
KH/pH, Alum consumes buffer.

5) Search Google for "PMDD dupla", read the work around
"Poor Man's Dupla Drops". This system requires you dose
"everything" but Phosphate. gregwatson.com has the complete
mix, cheap.

6) You can use a bleach process to help clean up the
existing mess. Dip hard items and beefier plants in a 1
part bleach to 20 parts water solution. Plants 1-4 minutes,
the lesser for plants with delicate leaves. Search the web
for more info. DON'T bleach wood, unsealed rocks, or
anything that isn't plastic. Obviously, rinse well before
returning to tank.

Once you've cleaned up the tank, brought existing Phosphate
to zero, and have your nutrient regimen established, stop
dosing the Alum. Plants need to be able to get some
Phosphate from the fish food. Oh, and be sure you feed
exactly no more than the fish will eat, 100%, in 5 minutes.

good luck.
******************************
James wrote:
Hello,

I have a question about water parameters and the best way to control them.
First I want to let you know a little about my water parameters and tank. My
PH out of the tap with a 24 hour sit time is: 8.6, in addition, the water is
very hard, if I remember, the KH was 107.4 ppm and the GH was more that 300
ppm. I have a 46 gallon, semi heavily planted tank with angels, cardinal
tetras, clown loaches, rummy nose tetras and a German blue ram. To fix my
water parameters I purchased a "tap water filter" from aquarium
pharmaceuticals. I have been using that for the last two years. Don't get
me wrong, it works great, but I only get about 45 gallons per refill. I am
just getting tired of purchasing replacement filters every month. I just
purchased a new light, to help my plants out (a Coralife, 192 watt, 6700,
compact fluorescent). I added some DIY C02 to help, but it doesn't seem to
be able to keep up with that high light. My plants seem to be smothered with
algae.



After reading as many posts possible, regarding water parameters and C02, I
have come to the conclusion that I am wasting my time filtering my tap
water. If I am correct in my assumptions, I should toss the "tap water
filter" and purchase a good C02 tank system and let that do the work for me.
Does that sound correct? I wouldn't mind spending $200-$400 bucks on a good
system if I didn't have to spend up to 300 bucks a year on tap water filter
replacements and dealing with the DIY C02.



If I left anything out, I am sorry, let me know and I will try to fill in
the blanks...



Thanks for your help!!!



James