Re: checking water parameters

[Kathy Olson <kathy@thekrib.com>]

John,

Hi, we noticed this with Seattle water as well.  Soft water, tap pH close
to 7 (high 6's)but drops rapidly depending on what is in the
tank (ie Bogwood, oak
leaves etc.).  ppm is about 10-20.
In the summer the water parameters change....the water is harder, and a
little more alkaline.  Discovered this doing some routine checking oh two
or so years ago.  We figured it was because the water sat around in the
resevoir in the summer, but was more likely direct rain runoff in the
winter.   Someone else had it much rougher, moved 25 minutes across
town...they don't keep discuss anymore.

But back to the point, yes we notice a seasonal variation. I haven't run
into problems with the apisto's.  Now in Erik's high light grow out
tank....the plants turned white when the calcium dropped too low.  So he
adds Calcium Carbonate and Magnesium carbonate....makes me shudder every
time....but he spawned the wild caught tetra's we brought back from the
Rio Negro.....so it still works.  There must be something else in that
clean water that triggers the spawning.  Oh yeah...in my tanks....the
snails loose their shells...especially noticeable right now.  I have had
one big snail I was saving for a friends puffer for over a year, he is an
inch in size, but I have stepped up water changes now, and he just lost
his shell and became apisto food.

Enough rambling...

Kathy



On Mon, 14 Feb 2000, John Wubbolt wrote:
> 
> 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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