checking water parameters

[BigJohnW@webtv.net (John Wubbolt)]

Hello all
I just did something tonight i hadn't done in quite some time.  I
actually checked my tap water for pH and hardness.   The reason for
doing this was that a friend who i recently gave some fish to at our
last Montreal Aquarium society meeting mentioned to me that before he
put the fish into his tank that he checked the water the bag that the
fish were in before adding them to his tank.  He wanted to see how
different my water was compared to his.   When he mentioned to me that
the water in the bags were a pH of 6.2 and only 20 ppm he said he wished
he had water like that.  

Well my point here is, sorry for going on and on, that i always thought
my tap water was a pH of 7.0 and 60 ppm hardness.   Of course the last
time i checked it was during the summer months before i moved.   I only
moved 1.5 miles down the road and was on the same town water system so I
didn't think it would have changed.  But then realizing that our town
water actually comes from the local Raquette River and run through a
water filtration plant, I didn't take into account that water in the
winter might have different make up then the water in the summer dry
months would have.  

So I guess from now on i'll have to check my water more often.
Question here for everyone?   Can water get too soft for apistos and can
it be too acidic for them?   I know with water like this with no
buffering capabilities, it can drift down pretty quick in planted tanks.
I've been getting quite a few spawns lately and wasn't sure if it was
due to water conditions or me doing better water changes then during the
summer time.    Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.   With water
like this i should be keeping more discus then I already do.   Anyone
looking for great water, there's lots of places for rent in town!!!!

John



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