# letting tap water sit to lower KH/pH?



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Your water is perfect for African lake cichlids or live bearers. If you want a wider variety, ro is the way to go.

Gh is just calcium and magnesium. You'll need to add macros & micros.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

kH is carbonate CO3-, and can't be removed/lowered by letting it air out. Neither can GH (Ca and/or Mg) be lowered. pH may lower if the tap is low in CO2 so letting it sit for a long time (greater than 48 hrs) can result in atmospheric CO2 to dissolve into the water. But, pH can rise if the tap is high in CO2 and letting it air out will incrase pH. If you are using drop testers for the kH and GH, then the amount of each drop can change with the angle of the drop bottle, resulting is different results. So it's most likely user error which is causing the variable readings.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I am surprised to see such a large change in GH or KH. As Solcielo suggests, I am afraid this is user error somewhere. 

To really affect this water go buy a gallon of RO or distilled water and try some blends. 
As hard as your water is I think I would start with 50/50 for the most durable of community fish, and 75% RO + 25% tap for soft water fish that still need softer water. 
If you can get the KH under 5 degrees I think the pH will drop somewhere into the low to mid sevens, and if you can get the KH to 3 degrees you can probably drop the pH more with peat moss. 

Otherwise, keep fish that are accustomed to such water:
Rift Lake Cichlids
Live bearers
many Rainbows
For some brackish water fish salt itself is optional, as long as the mineral level is high.


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## parkerjaxmollymo (Jul 1, 2014)

I actually have a community tank, rainbows, tetras, corry's, and a molly that I've had forever! I've taken my water to have it tested, and am struggling to find plants that will thrive in my water conditions:/



Solcielo lawrencia said:


> kH is carbonate CO3-, and can't be removed/lowered by letting it air out. Neither can GH (Ca and/or Mg) be lowered. pH may lower if the tap is low in CO2 so letting it sit for a long time (greater than 48 hrs) can result in atmospheric CO2 to dissolve into the water. But, pH can rise if the tap is high in CO2 and letting it air out will incrase pH. If you are using drop testers for the kH and GH, then the amount of each drop can change with the angle of the drop bottle, resulting is different results. So it's most likely user error which is causing the variable readings.


I have used both test strips and drop tests, and finally took my water to a LFS. Our neighborhood is required to have a water softener and I pull the water before it goes through the softener. So the RO unit is the way to go then..


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## JoeRoun (Dec 21, 2009)

*Curiouser and Curiouser I Am*

Hi

I am rather curious.

Will you call your water provider and ask to speak to one of their chemists? Let them know you are a hobbyist and are curious about these results.

Or share your location with us, or pm me with your town, I will not share it with anyone.

What are the numbers from your softened water? Using softened water you will have to add some stuff back in and worst case you are only adding 70-ppm Na (Sodium) or so. 

If the GH fell by 4-dGH that isn’t hardness that gave that reading and your water is actually fairly soft. 

Best guess is you live in farm country (or your water comes from farm country) and they are seriously manipulating the water chemistry to avoid high levels of chlorine and the fines that come from there by-products.

Respectfully
Joe
FBTB


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## parkerjaxmollymo (Jul 1, 2014)

JoeRoun said:


> Hi
> 
> I am rather curious.
> 
> ...


PM coming soon with details...


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## JoeRoun (Dec 21, 2009)

*Oh My*

Could have been interesting...


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