Hard water help

[jwmachon]

Just set u my first aquascape and have a question.

My tap water is GH 15
And kh is 7
Tank 250 litres

I do have a ro unit and thinking of doing water changes as follows if it's recommended

25l to water
And 100l of tap water

Or should I just use tap water

Thanks in advance

Jonny

 

[_Maq_]

It depends.
Such a hard water restricts the list of suitable plants. The most sensitive often require soft & acidic water. But even without them, you can create a beautiful planted tank.
Or you aim to keep these demanding species, and then reverse osmosis is by far the best option. (In my country. In the UK, rains are more plentiful and some people apparently catch rainwater. I find it less convenient, anyway.)

 

[bazz]

Take a look at.... ....as far as I know Dave and the guys only use hard tap water so anything is possible.

25l to water
And 100l of tap water

I personally don't think this would really be worthwhile, 20% dilution of your tap water with RO will only give you approximately dGH12 and dKH5.5. Ideally you would be better off doing it the other way round i.e. 100L of RO and 25L of tap water if going to the trouble of using a RO unit.
Just my take, others will think differently.
Cheers!

 

[_Maq_]

Dave and the guys only use hard tap water so anything is possible.

Nice tanks, though following a singular pattern (ADA "nature" aquarium).
Yet some species are just missing. And @jwmachon did not even mention CO2 injection.

 

[bazz]

And @jwmachon did not even mention CO2 injection.

New tank Green drop checker no co2

Hi, Set up my tank last night and substrate, rocks, plants however didn't connect co2 up This morning the drop checker is green was blue when it went in Is this normal Thanks

www.ukaps.org

You only commented on this a couple of hours ago.

 

[Mat H]

This has been discussed quite a bit:

site:ukaps.org hard water - Google Search

There are different opinions on it and my own have changed somewhat over the years. I can't disagree that a beautiful planted tank, without limitation of plant Sp (with perhaps some very specific exceptions) is entirely possible in hard water, however to do so I think everything else would need to be EXTREMELY on point.

My simpler view nowdays is that hard water is easier with plants that like hard water, and likewise if you want to try some of the more difficult soft water loving plants it's easier to adjust your water with RO than it is to persevere in trying to grow them in hard water.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

hard water is easier with plants that like hard water, and likewise if you want to try some of the more difficult soft water loving plants it's easier to adjust your water with RO than it is to persevere in trying to grow them in hard water.

That is the one for me, <"horses for courses">. I use rain water, <"rather than RO">, but I understand that isn't an option for everybody. If I used our hard tap water? I'd just keep different fish and plants.

Basically I'm going to <"grow plants">, and keep fish, that like <"what I have to offer">. I know it is the <"path of least resistance">, but it allows me to concentrate on the things I like (like UKAPS).

cheers Darrel

 

[Mat H]

Hi all,

That is the one for me, <"horses for courses">. I use rain water, <"rather than RO">, but I understand that isn't an option for everybody. If I used our hard tap water? I'd just keep different fish and plants.

Basically I'm going to <"grow plants">, and keep fish, that like <"what I have to offer">. I know it is the <"path of least resistance">, but it allows me to concentrate on the things I like (like UKAPS).

cheers Darrel

Yes I spent years just seeing what plants did and what didn't work in my hard tap water and particular set up, though there wasn't much of an effort from me on other aspects of a planted aquarium if I'm honest, it was all very low tech other than some half hearted attempts.

I've now got a decent handle in mixing sufficient rain or R/O water to the tap to make most things possible now and in a manner that isn't to stressful or hard work.

Your many posts on rainwater didn't fall on deaf ears!

The little hopper (filter) is of my own devices due to a less than ideal roof, and whilst I haven't got a first flush mechanism (unless I run outside as it starts to rain) I get rain water I'm comfortable using in tanks - though it required a complete gutter clear out to get the tds really low.

Not quite up to your set up I know, but it's working and I have an R/O filter as back-up.

 

[George Farmer]

I have hard water - same as @Aquarium Gardens. We need more CO2 than folk with softer water, and growth on some species can be challenging. However, the trade off in terms of saving time, water, energy and cost makes the decision quite easy not to use RO.

 

[Andy Pierce]

The AG tanks are beautiful and I think they do go pretty aggressively with the CO2 injection. That said, fish and shrimp all look happy so seems all good.