Does Everyone Here Use Austin Tap?

[Jeffrey Wang]

I've been wondering if people just use austin tap water for their tanks or RO or some other filtered water. The pH water that comes out of the J east dorms on campus is near 8-9.0 and ~200TDS according to the probe.

[Chris Donatus]

I start with tap and distilled (I know) plus some black water extract then top and refill changes with ro (automatic)... I try for very very soft water for my S.A. fishes tho.

On Jan 10, 2014 9:21 PM, "Jeffrey Wang" <jfry...@gmail.com> wrote:

I've been wondering if people just use austin tap water for their tanks or RO or some other filtered water. The pH water that comes out of the J east dorms on campus is near 8-9.0 and ~200TDS according to the probe.

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[Charles Neal]

I use tap here. I'm north Austin near Pflugerville. I'm 6.9 here not sure what the TDS is

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On Jan 10, 2014, at 9:21 PM, Jeffrey Wang <jfry...@gmail.com> wrote:

I've been wondering if people just use austin tap water for their tanks or RO or some other filtered water. The pH water that comes out of the J east dorms on campus is near 8-9.0 and ~200TDS according to the probe.

[Christopher K. Brown]

Hi Jeff!

I'm here just south of Sunset Valley and I have the same liquid concrete as you do and I can breed fish & grow plants just fine with it.  

Is there something about the water that's troubling you or is there something else weighing on your mind?  

--
"You are much better off with no numbers than meaningless ones.  The minute you believe numbers uncritically, that is, without understanding how they're calculated and how well they measure whatever they're supposed to measure, you will generate a breed of employee who will produce numbers and not results.  Your data-processing system will then serve not to describe reality but to lie about it."

-Micheal S. Montalbano

[Jeffrey Wang]

I'm just used to water in Houston that's OK to use out of the tap. Having pH that high just bothered me a little bit.

Do you find yourself having to dose Mg? I haven't had to add any Ca but for some reason the plants respond well to a little extra magnesium. Do you guys think the water in J East goes through a softening system that takes out Mg and Ca?

[Christopher K. Brown]

Funny you mention that.  There is in plants an ideal ratio of calcium to magnesium.  It's 4:1or 5:1 or thereabouts.  Get that ratio out of whack and too much calcium will inhibit the uptake of magnesium and likewise, too much magnesium will inhibit the uptake of calcium.  This is most likely what's happening.  

If J East is using a water softener, they either need to replace it or get their money refunded from the vendor if it's coming out of the tap with those readings.  

An off the shelf acid buffer will address the problem.  I suggest a phosphate based one like Seachem Discus Buffer (not to plug them or anything).  This is how I've dealt with the problem and hey!  Extra phosphorous!  Everybody wins!

-Chris

[Jeffrey Wang]

So have you been using the phosphate buffer successfully with planted tanks? I just experienced a kH/pH crash. Turns out the tap here comes out only with 3dkh and yet 8dGH (8.6ph) using calibrated kits and a pH probe. Went to 0kH and down to 4.3pH. I'm thinking I might really need a phosphate buffer this water's out of whack.

[Christopher K. Brown]

Sounds like J East just replaced the filter.  Now you're getting really soft water and out of whack readings.  This is what happens when people fight their water.

I like the phosphate buffers because they leave us with extra phosphorus for the plants and they buffer for a really long time.  I can still hit pH neutral even with top offs straight from the faucets.  The plants and the animals don't mind one bit.  I've been doing it for years now.  

[Michael Meleck]

I have been keeping fish here in Hyde Park for two years without any problems. I have never tested the water, but I have been able to breed cory cats, RCS, rice fish and apple snails. Plants grow very well. Like someone already said, it's hard to fight the water. I learned this when I lived in Los Angeles. I stick to what does well with what I have, but I do love low maintenance. I am fortunate that I can get all my fish from AquaTek and I know they are on the same water as I am and they just use Prime as I do so most of the fish have little problem acclimating.