# Problems with soft water.



## fishanvil (Feb 21, 2007)

Hi Folks,

Great forum you guy's have created here.

I am having real problems getting stable buffered water out of our supply. We are on rain water tanks.

I've read just about every thread on water chemistry but still having problems.

Out of our water tank, our water registrers 0° KH and a very low PH. 

I have used Sera mineral salt, Seachem alkaline buffer and even baking soda trying to get some buffering and a PH on the low side of 7 (Tetras and Clown Loaches).

All of the above additives drive the PH of our water sky high before I get even a low alkilinity reading (I'd be happy with 3° if I could get it).

I have been able to acheive a PH around 7 but the KH is always <3°.

I do 10% water change weekly and a 20% monthly as I don't like to change the Clowns water too radically.

:chair: This week I had a really low PH reading and stupidly I did a 25% water change and raised the PH in the tank up to 7+ (using sera mineral salt).

That idiotic move killed two of my young Clowns in < 24hrs and my older clowns are very stressed. Today I changed 10% of the tank water with water straight out of our water tank to lower the PH (slightly!).

Can anyone advise on how I may be able raise the KH (and GH) of my water to between 3 and 6° whislt maintaing a PH 6.8 - 7?

Thanks,

Shaun.


----------



## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Why are you using rain water?


----------



## Kyoberr (Dec 6, 2006)

Sorry, I don't have an answer, but Damon, I think he means that the collected rainwater is all they have to use right now.

By the way, welcome to FF, it sounds like you know more about fish than I do which wouldn't surprise me.


----------



## fishanvil (Feb 21, 2007)

Yep, rain water is all we have, no town water up in the hills.

We filter our water through a mechanical filter and activated carbon before use.

All particles larger than 5 microns are removed (we are mainly intersted in removing bacteria and parasites for drinking).

Cheers, S.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Get a TDS pen and a bucket of "cichlid salts" (seachem or kent). Add to your target hardness, then adjust the pH. Also try Seachem "regulator" products instead of the "buffers". They have phosphates in them, but are more stable with low harness than carbonate buffers. Our water is very soft here in atlanta and the seachem "alkaline regulator" target 7.1-7.5 holds it around 7.0. So try the neutral regulator.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Also try the Seachem site or contact them. A sales rep. gave a talk to our club and he really helped me understand this stuff.


----------

