giantg Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Mr GiantG thinks that the Caboolture water is really hard (general hardness, 180+). How can I soften it in a cheap way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tech Den Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Rainwater, peat, macropore gold, blackwater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giantg Posted June 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Thanks. We've got an 8' tank, 3' sump, 4' refugium. Any idea how much a treatment would cost per waterchange and where we can get it from? We are locals.... do you sell it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tech Den Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Macropore and Blackwater we do - Macropore may be the better option for you as it would be longer term cheaper. Macropore Gold Cheap enough to recharge. You will get the peat from Bunnings or Masters near you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giantg Posted June 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Thanks Ill grab some peat from bunnings. Do I just trickle the water through between the tank and the refugium? And I'll grab some macropore from you when I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Sorry.... What you find with resins....is they just swap ions.....that's why they can be recharged In my experience.....there is only one thing you can add to hard water that makes it "soft"......for fish(not just get a number) Pure Water.....RO or Rainwater.....after all, that's how it's done in nature Anything else may alter your Gh or Kh but doesn't change TDS.....and that's what needs to be lowered for soft water fish With peat you need sphagnum moss peat....not sphagnum moss and not peat bricks that are decomposed bark+coconut fibres Great for adding tannins and acidifying water.....but only softens slightly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tech Den Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Rainwater is great, so long as you can get it - store it and have enough of it. Same with RO. I use to put tarps out on the clothes line running into 200l buckets and was great when it rained but would not last long. Had RO too but the wastage I was getting and the amount I needed I was not happy with with the end up result. Will have to disagree on the resin though Rod, I've used it - it worked and got results and was happy with it. I am now at a place with lots of rainwater storage and it is great but if you do not have that, it can be little limiting to options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_a Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 It's interesting that you believe the water to be hard. I was doing some research to try to identify the best place to move on the Sunshine Coast to have ideal water out of the tap; what I found is that regardless of where you are on the sunny coast, Unity Water keep all of their supplies very soft, including Caboolture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rex82 Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 That's not hard, I breed discus on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 (edited) Rainwater is great, so long as you can get it - store it and have enough of it. Same with RO.I use to put tarps out on the clothes line running into 200l buckets and was great when it rained but would not last long. Had RO too but the wastage I was getting and the amount I needed I was not happy with with the end up result. Will have to disagree on the resin though Rod, I've used it - it worked and got results and was happy with it. I am now at a place with lots of rainwater storage and it is great but if you do not have that, it can be little limiting to options. No worries....I've provided my unbiased advise based on my experience..... If you believe it's incorrect....that's ok BUT.....if anyone wants to...or are keeping soft water species.....and find a high percentage get internal bacterial infections....particularly dropsy....then you are likely to find as I did, once delicate species become easy IF YOU keep them in REAL soft water....ie RO or Rainwater or move to Melbourne where tap water is soft ...... Hard water(high TDS) won't kill soft water fish quickly.....it slowly destroys their kidneys... I love soft water fish but have limited my collection based on availability of pure water.....and for that reason I have now have lots of fish that are more suited to Brisbane tap water....shellies, tangs,Endlers and cryptoheros... Edited July 1, 2013 by Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tech Den Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 Your an experienced fishkeeper or water keeper Rod and respected by me and many others. My use was back when I was buying it to use it - before I had a store and was good for the L-Numbers and breeding. It did the job that I wanted and was happy with it. But yeah the best and cheapest option is rainwater so get ya buckets out, its just a option if you can not get a hold of rainwater or other options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 I have no experience with L numbers..... And I'm not the Rod that keeps discus... My experience is with dwarf cichlids(West African&Apistos),killifish,wild bettas and Darios Perhaps it's just different fish have difference tolerance/needs But I think you will find resins do just swap Ca+ with Na+.....hence they can be recharged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
