Soft water in the aquarium what to do. Water hardness in an aquarium: how to increase, decrease. How to reduce water hardness
In the literature on aquaristics, the formulations are often used: "hard water", "soft water". So what does this mean?
Hardness of water- this is the proportion of mineral salts contained in it, as a rule, calcium and magnesium salts. Determine the total, or carbonate, hardness, and constant, or non-carbonate. Total hardness is the sum of temporary and permanent hardness. The unit of measurement is degrees. In domestic sources for aquaristics, German degrees of hardness dH are used. Very soft water is water with hardness from 0 to 4 °, soft - from 5 to 8 °, medium hardness - from 9 to 16 °, hard - from 16 to 30 ° and over 30 ° - very hard. As a rule, aquarists use water from the mains, the hardness of which is variable and is determined by the time of year, the amount of rainfall and the geography of the place of residence. For example, water hardness in Moscow is from 4 to 12 °, 2-3 ° in St. Petersburg, 12 ° and higher in Odessa.
Permanent and temporary stiffness. What it is?
The constant or non-carbonate hardness of water depends on the dissolved sulfates, calcium and magnesium chlorides, etc. This can only be eliminated by distillation of water or by chemical means. While temporary or carbonate hardness is determined by the content of calcium and magnesium bicarbonates.
How to increase water hardness?
A slight increase in the hardness of the aquarium water can be achieved by placing pieces of marble or shells in the water. In this case, it does not rise immediately. Note that the softer the water, the faster its hardness increases.
A faster method is to add solutions of calcium chloride and magnesium sulfate (magnesia) sold in pharmacies. So the addition of 1 milligram of a 10% solution of calcium chloride increases the hardness of 1 liter of water by about 3 °, and 1 milligram of a 25% solution of magnesium sulfate will increase the hardness by 4 °. The simultaneous use of calcium chloride and magnesia will give a closer to the natural ratio of calcium and magnesium ions in the aquarium water.
How to reduce water hardness?
There are several methods for reducing water hardness. The simplest is boiling and freezing. To reduce the hardness by half, you need to boil the water for 30 minutes. It will decrease even more when frozen. The freezing procedure includes the following. Water is poured into a shallow container. After half of the volume of water freezes, the residue, in which the dissolved salts remained, are drained. And the ice, practically free of salts, is melted. The resulting water will have a significantly lower hardness.
What is pH?
The active reaction of hydrogen ions (pH) is one of the main characteristics of the physicochemical state of water. It is determined by the number of hydrogen (H "1") and hydroxyl (OH ~) ions contained in water. The medium is considered neutral if the pH is 7, acidic - below 7 and alkaline - more than 7.
As a rule, dissolved salts, which determine the hardness of water, also make it alkaline. At the same time, organic matter (waste products of fish and plants) and dissolved carbon dioxide have an oxidizing effect on water.
The acidity of the water in the aquarium should be suitable for the needs of the fish and plants it contains. The health and even life of aquarium inhabitants depends on the correct value of the acidity index. As a rule, this indicator ranges from 6 to 9. The homeland of most aquarium fish is reservoirs where the acidity of the water is neutral or slightly acidic (pH 6 - 7). At the same time, cichlids of African lakes Malawi and Tanganyika prefer slightly alkaline water (pH 7.5 - 8.0). In saltwater aquariums, alkaline acidity is best in the 8.2 - 8.4 pH range. Some fish can withstand large fluctuations in pH values, others can only live in water with a fairly stable acidity. In an aquarium, the pH value can fluctuate even during the day. This is due to the biological and chemical processes taking place in the aquarium. Tap water, standing for a day, as a rule, has a pH value close to neutral.
How do I change the pH of my aquarium water?
To change the pH, an acid or alkali is added to the water. But not every acid and alkali is suitable for this purpose. To acidify the water in the aquarium, it is preferable to use phosphoric acid (sulfuric and hydrochloric acid are unsuitable ;-)). First, the acid is diluted with water (adding acid to the water, and not vice versa), and then added dropwise to the aquarium, observing the pH level.
The water in the aquarium can also be acidified with peat extract or alder cones decoction. To prepare a decoction of alder cones, pour one tablespoon of cones with a glass of boiling water and keep on fire for 5-7 minutes. The cooled broth is added to the aquarium at the rate of 1 glass per 10 liters of water.
Usually, the water in the aquarium is acidified only when breeding certain types of fish. There is no need to change the pH in a decorative aquarium.
Different alkalis can be used to alkalize water, but it is better to use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) at the rate of 0.2 - 0.5 grams per 1 liter of water. The baking soda must be dissolved in a separate container and then added to the aquarium. Alkalinization of soft and very soft water does not give a permanent result. In aquariums where part of the water is systematically changed, the pH value is usually greater than 7, and alkalization is not required.
How to prepare peat extract?
To prepare the peat extract, several pieces of peat are boiled in an enamel bowl. The amount of peat and the volume of water in which it will be digested does not matter. Then, after cooling, filter the resulting broth through cotton wool 2-3 times. Peat infusion is prepared in the same way as a decoction, but the peat is not boiled, but insisted. For every 100 liters of water, 0.5-1 liter of broth or infusion should be added. To match local peat with tropical peat, some hobbyists add a few grains of coffee, a pinch of tea, a eucalyptus leaf, as well as a few alder cones and some oak bark.
The broth or infusion is added to the water until it acquires a light amber hue.
What is ppm?
The salinity, or mineralization, of water is expressed by the proportion of salts dissolved in it. Their concentration in grams per liter is called ppm (° / oo).
What is Redox Potential?
Redox potential, or redox potential, is a characteristic of the chemical and biological activity of water. In an aquarium, it has significance as a characteristic of the saturation of water with organic substances, that is, the pollution of the aquarium. The redox potential is measured using a special electronic device - a pH meter. Redox potential is defined in arbitrary units from 0 to 42. It is usually impossible to measure it at home.
In a newly equipped aquarium, it has a size of 30 - 34. At the same time, most of the floating in the water column, as well as small-leaved plants with a weak root system (peristolis, hygrophila, kabomba, etc.), develop well. This may indicate a high value of the redox potential. Further, the value of the redox potential decreases little by little. An indicator of this is the good growth of Echinodorus and Aponogetons. In older aquariums, when the redox potential is even lower, Cryptocorynes thrive. When cryptocorynes also begin to develop worse, it means it's time to clean the soil, partially replace the water. It may be necessary to improve filtration by installing a bottom filter.
What is "old water"?
Over time, the waste products of fish and plants accumulate in the aquarium, which, decomposing, enrich the water with organic acids. In the absence of a filter or a rare water change, this process is accelerated. The water becomes yellowish and acidic. This water is called "old".
T. Vershinina, N. Meshkova
Very often, having decided to take up aquarium hobby, amateurs carefully choose a container for a home reservoir, think over where to place it, what fish and plants to fill. However, they completely forget about the main and most important component of this entire system - water. Typically, aquariums are filled with the most readily available water, most commonly tap water. Few people think about its parameters. And if he thinks, then only about whether she is suitable for fish. However, plants are no less demanding on water, although they react more slowly to its quality.
In this article, we will touch upon one of the important parameters - stiffness. After all, it depends on it not least whether the aquarium will become the way it was conceived or not.
What is the water hardness in an aquarium?
It is considered the second most important water parameter after acidity. The possibility of keeping and breeding fish and plants depends on it. It affects the rest of the properties of water.
This parameter is determined by the presence of some minerals that are dissolved in water. The total stiffness consists of two parts:
Constant (GH)... It is paramount as it determines the softness or hardness of the water and its suitability for the inhabitants of the aquarium. GH determines the concentration of Ca ++ and Mg ++ ions in water. Boiling leads to the destruction of hydrocarbons and the precipitation of calcium and magnesium.
The hardness that remains after boiling is called constant. It is measured in degrees of hardness. And all tests are released in them.
Variable or carbonate (KH)... It is determined by the concentration of carbonates CO3- and bicarbonates HCO3- in water.
Water hardness in the aquarium is normal
The value of water hardness in the life of the inhabitants of a domestic reservoir is great:
- magnesium and calcium salts are involved in the construction of the skeleton and skeletal system of fish;
- in molluscs and crustaceans, they provide the hardness of the shell or carapace;
- rigidity contributes to normal life and the development of the genitals;
- it affects the success of plant growth and development, etc.
Hardness can be of different degrees of intensity: 0-4 - very soft, 5-8 - soft, 9-16 - medium hardness, 17-32 - hard, 33 and more - very hard. Tap water, as a rule, has a hardness of no more than 20.
The hardness of the water in the aquarium should be within certain limits, usually this range is 3-15 degrees.
It is better if for each specific species the indicators are close to the natural conditions of native reservoirs.
For example,
- hard water is required, since in soft water their shells collapse;
- will feel good at 10,
- neon at 6,
- and fern at 10-14 degrees, etc. This information can be found in the recommendations for the care of a particular species.
It should also be borne in mind that the inhabitants of the aquarium absorb calcium, so its amount in the water will gradually decrease. Maintaining rigidity at the same level is easier if the soil is pebble or coarse sand. And, of course, regular measurements will be required.
How to determine the hardness of the water in an aquarium?
The main ways are as follows:
Chemical reagent Trilon "B"
This is a very accurate method, but its drawback is that it is too complicated for people who are not very interested in chemistry, and not everyone wants to acquire additional chemical equipment at home.
TDS meter
He's a conductometer, he's a salt meter. The method is very simple. However, this electronic device does not measure the hardness itself, but the electrical conductivity of water, by which it is only indirectly possible to judge the hardness.
Test strips
They have been specially developed for measuring the water hardness in aquariums. Simple and easy to use. There is an option where a reagent is added to the specified volume of water and the hardness is judged by the changed color. All calculations are made according to the instructions included in the kit. There is only one drawback to this method - such sets are difficult to buy, since they are rarely on sale.
Laundry soap
This is the most readily available, cheapest and most accurate method at home. It is based on the property of soap: it is difficult to dissolve in hard water and gives foam with an excess of calcium and magnesium salts.
How the research is done:
1. Grind the laundry soap (1 gram) and carefully add it to a small amount of heated distilled water (sold in car dealerships).
2. Pour the resulting solution into a glass and add distillate so that its height reaches 6 cm for 60% soap and 7 cm for 72% soap. Each centimeter of such a solution contains as much soap as is required to bind salts, the amount of which is 1 ° dH in 1 liter of water.
3. Fill a 1 liter jar halfway with water from the aquarium.
4. Pour the prepared solution into it little by little, stirring constantly. First, flakes will appear on the surface, and then a persistent soap suds, which indicates that all the salts in the water are bound.
Evaluation of the result. Count how many centimeters of the solution have been poured into the water. 1 cm bound in 0.5 l of water 2 ° dH salts. That is, if 4 cm is poured, then the hardness is 8 degrees, etc. If the entire solution is poured, but there is no foam, then the hardness is higher than 12 degrees. Then dilute the water for research with distillate twice, repeat the analysis, multiplying the results by two.
The results may have an error of 1-2 degrees, but this is not critical and will not lead to disease or death of the inhabitants of the aquarium.
If the water hardness at the disposal of the aquarist does not match the hardness needed to maintain the aquarium inhabitants, then it can be changed. But this should be done smoothly so as not to cause stress or other problems in pets.
How can I increase the hardness of my aquarium water?
1. Mix aquarium water with harder water.
2. Boil water for about an hour. Better to take enamel dishes. Then cool it down and carefully drain the two upper parts of the volume. Pour the lower third, rich in calcium salts, into the aquarium in portions, controlling the hardness by measuring.
3. Place pieces of shells, marble or limestone in the aquarium to increase the overall hardness by 2-4 degrees. The disadvantage of this method is the inability to control the level of rigidity. It is more preferable to filter the water in the aquarium through a layer of crushed marble, decreasing or increasing the amount of water passing through the filter.
4. Add 1 tsp of baking soda. 50 liters of water to increase the variable hardness (KH) by 4 degrees.
5. Add calcium carbonate at the rate of 2 tsp. for 50 liters of water to increase the constant (GH) and variable (KH) hardness by 4 degrees.
6. Add to the water a 10% solution of Ca chloride (available at the pharmacy) and magnesium sulfate (prepare yourself: dissolve 50 g of bitter salt, receiving 750 ml of solution) in equal proportions (1 liter, 1 ml each). The hardness will increase by about 4 degrees.
7. Pour magnesium in a 25% solution (1 ml per 1 liter of water). This will raise the stiffness by 4 degrees.
How do I lower the hardness of my aquarium water?
This is much more difficult to do. The methods are as follows:
1. Add distilled, melted or pure rainwater.
2. Boil water, cool it without stirring, and drain 2/3 from the surface. Add this upper water to the aquarium.
3. Freeze. Pour water into a low container, such as a basin. Put in the cold. After half freezing, break through the ice, pour out the unfrozen water, melt the ice. Add the resulting water to the aquarium.
4. Run the water through special filters (osmotic and deionization).
5. Filter the water through peat added to an external or internal filter or placed in a bag in a container with water to settle. First, the peat for the soil needs to be boiled. In some spawning grounds, peat is used as soil.
The yellow tint of water that it gives can be removed by filtration through activated carbon.
6. You can add a decoction of alder cones. But the hardness from it decreases slightly and the composition of the water may change, which is not good in all cases.
7. Use Trilon-B and EDTA according to the instructions.
8. Plant elodea, egropil and hornwort.
Now you know what the hardness of water in an aquarium is, how important it is for its inhabitants, you have an idea of how to measure and change it. We hope this information will help you create your dream aquarium. Good luck!
The text of this section is based on, with the permission of the authors, an article from Mikluha's Aquasite (c) Michael Dubinovsky a.k.a Mikluha.
All drawings and photographs in this section (c) Michael Dubinovsky a.k.a Mikluha.
PH measurement
As mentioned above, the acidity of the water, measured by pH, is an important parameter in the aquarium. Different fish prefer different pH values. Knowledge of this parameter is essential when making a diagnosis of fish. If your fish suddenly get sick, check the pH value of the water first (along with ammonia).
The simplest pH test is based on the use of color-changing reagents and litmus tests - phenolphthalein, etc. (remember the chemistry course at school?). There is a huge variety of aquarium tests. You can also buy these reagents separately (remember that they have an expiration date, so don't buy a 100 liter barrel for life). such tests are easy to use and accurate enough - you don't need to know the pH value better than 0.1-0.2. All the same, in an aquarium, as in nature, daily fluctuations in pH occur. Fish and plants emit carbon dioxide at night and the pH drops, depending on the carbonate hardness of the water. In the daytime, on the contrary, plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and this leads to an increase in the pH value. Daily fluctuations of 0.5-1 units are quite acceptable. You should have a test that measures pH values in the 5.5 - 8.0 range for most fish. African cichlids need a test that measures higher pH values.
Various companies produce many types of aquarium tests.
Another way is to use electronic testers. They are of two types: some are designed only for measuring pH (you immerse it in water and it gives out a pH value - pH tester, pH meter), the second can give a signal to control a device (for example, to control the supply of carbon dioxide), they are constantly in the water (pH controler).
The advantages of such devices include:
- speed of obtaining results
- accuracy (average accuracy - 0.05 - 0.1 pH units)
- the ability to continuously monitor the change in pH and receive a control signal. Some can be connected to a computer.
But they also have their disadvantages:
- High price
- The need for their periodic calibration, and quite often. They are usually calibrated to two points (one neutral pH = 7, the other pH = 4 or pH = 10). In this case, it is necessary to have a fresh solution for calibration (they have an expiration date).
- You must either have a meter with automatic temperature compensation or calculate the corrections to the result yourself, depending on the water temperature,
- The service life of the electrode - the main part of such a meter is about a year for continuous operation (of course, it depends on the type of electrode),
- They must be thoroughly rinsed before use and the electrode must be kept moist.
In general, using them is quite a hassle and it doesn't make sense for a novice hobbyist to buy them.
Hardness of water
Hardness is the second most important parameter in an aquarium, along with acidity. The hardness of water is determined by the presence of dissolved minerals in it and largely determines the rest of the properties of water. Despite the huge amount of all minerals dissolved in water, only a few determine its hardness - it so happened historically that the most important application was the ability of soap to lather in water. Hence all the definitions. Even some methods of measuring stiffness are based on this. Water hardness is divided into two parts - constant (GH, general hardness) and variable (carbonate), KH, carbonate hardness). It is sometimes said about the general stiffness, which is the sum of these parts.
The division of hardness into these two parts is determined by what mineral salts remain in the water after boiling the water (constant hardness). A fairly practical definition. Salts that determine carbonate hardness - precipitate, because, for example, for calcium:
Ca (HCO 3 ) 2 <->CaCO 3 + H 2 O + CO 2
Carbon dioxide evaporates on boiling, and the equilibrium shifts to the right. In this case, poorly soluble calcium carbonate precipitates, forming white deposits on the walls of the kettle. Similarly, plaques are formed on the walls of the aquarum when water evaporates (since calcium carbonate dissolves well with the addition of acid, it is good to clean such plaques with vinegar).
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Constant hardness (GH) is determined by the concentration of Ca ++ and Mg ++ ions in water. Constant hardness is measured in degrees of hardness (dGH, dKH) or in mg / l CaCO 3 : 1 degree of hardness equals 17.8 mg / l CaCO 3 This hardness is most important because it determines how soft or hard this or that water is: It determines the suitability of the water for fish, plants, the development of eggs, etc. |
Carbonate hardness is determined by the concentration of carbonates CO 3 - and bicarbonates HCO 3 - in water (mainly bicarbonates are present in aquarium water, since carbonates are present in significant concentrations at high pH> 9). It characterizes the buffering ability of water to resist changes in pH - over time, the pH value decreases due to the presence of organic matter in the water. In the aquarium, this term and the concept of buffer capacity (alkalinity) are used interchangeably, since all aquarium KH tests are based on the titration method, i.e. the color of the solution changes when a certain amount of acid is added to it, which binds all free buffer ions. The number of drops of acid determines the KN value. Since the acid does not "distinguish" which ions (carbonates, bicarbonates, etc.) are involved in neutralization, it is impossible to find out the KH value in its pure form. And this is not necessary, since it is this ability of water that is always interested. Usually, in the absence of phosphates, boron salts in high concentrations, alkalinity is almost completely determined by KH.
Another confusion arises from the fact that it is often said about the total hardness, equal to the sum of a constant and a variable (carbonate), as a constant, meaning by GH - total hardness. However, the aquarium tests measure the constant hardness separately, referring to it as GH.
Increase in hardness - change their values smoothly, otherwise you can stress the fish and other problems:
- KH- one teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in 50 liters of water will increase the KH by about 4 degrees dKH,
- Gh- two teaspoons of calcium carbonate in 50 liters of water will simultaneously increase KH and GH by 4 degrees. Therefore, by varying the components, it is possible to select the required stiffness values. You can also add Ca / Mg sulfate, which will not cause an increase in KH, but will lead to an increase in the concentration of sulfate ions, which is not very good.
Reducing stiffness - a much more complex problem:
- Using distilled water sold in stores. Or rainwater, if you are sure of its purity. Never use condensate from the air conditioner - it contains a lot of toxic salts and metal oxides; all kinds of bacteria settle in the condensation unit with pleasure.
- Filtration of water through special filters - osmotic filter and deionization
- Filtration of water through various commercially available resins. The disadvantage of this method is that usually only one resin is used (anions or cations are removed) and they are replaced not with hydrogen ions H + and OH - ions, but with other ions - for example, Ca, Mg ions with sodium, which is not very good for plants. Therefore, it is not recommended to use household water softeners (for example, for a pool).
- The easiest and most convenient way is to filter water through peat. For this, peat is added to the filter (external or internal). Another way is to add peat (for example, poured in an old sock) into a container where water settles. For some fish. requiring very soft water for spawning, peat can be used as substrate. The disadvantage of peat is that it stains the water with a yellowish tint (which can be removed by filtration through activated carbon). In addition, it is better to boil peat.
Other parameters of water - conductivity, oxidation potential, etc.
In addition to the main parameters, there are other parameters that can be used to characterize water. They are rarely used in the aquarium, so they are described very briefly.
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) is a value that shows the total amount of all dissolved salts and other solids in water. This value most accurately shows how much water differs from water "composed only of molecules of water itself", for example, the quality of distilled or obtained after osmotic filtration of water can be characterized by this parameter. TDS measurement value - concentration in mg / l. TDS is measured in several ways. The first is to evaporate the water and measure the weight of the residue. It is unlikely that this method is available to the aquarist due to the need for high-precision instruments. The second way is to use electronic TDS meters that look similar to pH meters. Such meters are imprecise because they actually measure the ability of water to conduct electricity, and not all ions carry an electric charge and different ions have different charges. In addition, there are usually difficulties with the calibration of such meters. The conductivity meter is the best instrument.
Conductivity is a quantity that measures the ability of water to conduct electricity. This ability is determined by the presence of positively and negatively charged ions, their mobility, temperature, etc. Most inorganic salts dissolved in water increase the water's ability to conduct electricity. Conductivity is the reciprocal of resistance and is measured in siemens. It is denoted either S or mho (ohm - written in reverse order). The conductivity of absolute pure water, where only H + and OH - ions are present, at room temperature is approximately 20 MOm / cm (0.05 mkS / cm). In reality, the conductivity of distilled water will increase rapidly due to the dissolution of carbon dioxide in it. The conductivity is measured with a special meter, which essentially measures the current in the water that has filled a cell with standard electrodes. Basically, you can use a megohmmeter specially calibrated with electrodes placed in the container at a certain distance. This measurement is useful for determining the quality of osmotic filtration and de-ionization. On average, tap water has a conductivity ranging from 50 to 1500 mkS / cm
There is an approximate relationship between TDS and conductivity:
TDS mg / l = 0.64 mkS / cm
This relationship is empirical and may not be much different for your hydrogen water supply.
Approximate relationship between the concentration of table salt and conductivity:
1 mg / l NaCl = 1.9 mkS / cm
Redox potential (ORP). If you describe this parameter in one sentence, then it turns out that this value characterizes the quality of your aquarium water, its purity. A low ORP means there is a lot of organic matter in the water.
As everyone went through in school, there are two types of reactions - oxidative and reductive. The former include those as a result of which the molecules “lose” electrons (for example, the nitrate cycle, as a result of which ammonia is converted into nitrates), the latter include reverse reactions, for example, the reduction of the nitrate molecule back to ammonia (this is done by plants in the process of “obtaining "nitrogen). Atoms such as oxygen or chlorine are in dire need of electrons and therefore are oxidizing agents. Others, such as hydrogen and iron, have extra electrons and are reducing agents. The difference between the charges of oxidizing agents and reducing agents in water is called the redox potential. Simple enough, although it seems terribly incomprehensible. If there are more oxidants in the water, then the potential is positive and vice versa. ORP is measured in millivolts.
Decomposition of organics in water is an oxidative reaction. The accumulation of organics in water leads to an increase in the concentration of reducing agents and decreases the ORP value. The higher this value, the more oxidants (mainly oxygen - you hardly use chlorine in the aquarium) are present in the water, the more organic matter can be decomposed and the cleaner the water. On the other hand, a high ORP can be harmful to fish and other organisms as it can destroy living cells. The optimum value is between 250 and 400 mV. The ORP value depends on many factors and can fluctuate in the aquarium, for example, the ORP decreases as the temperature rises and the pH decreases.
ORP is measured with special meters, similar to pH meters (meters with different electrodes using different comparison solutions give different results). You can increase the ORP of the water by regularly changing the water, cleaning the aquarium, blowing air, and using ozone.
Oxygen and carbon dioxide
The main gases dissolved in water are (as in the atmosphere) - oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. the most readily soluble is CO 2, the relative solubility of carbon dioxide is about 70 times higher than the solubility of oxygen and 150 times higher than the solubility of nitrogen. Nitrogen practically does not affect the life of organisms in the aquarium, except for blue-green algae, which can assimilate it. The table shows the saturation levels of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide in water (the saturation level shows the maximum amount of gas that can dissolve in water, but not the equilibrium level, which, for example, for carbon dioxide at room temperature is about 2 mg / l).
As can be seen from the table, the solubility of carbon dioxide is hundreds of times higher than the solubility of oxygen. The main processes in which oxygen and carbon dioxide are involved are:
- Respiration of fish, which breathe, like all of us, oxygen and emit carbon dioxide.
- Breathing and photosynthesis in plants, Plants use oxygen to breathe. In doing so, they emit carbon dioxide. Usually it is believed that the process of plant respiration takes place in the dark, but this is not the case. It goes on all the time, including in the light, simultaneously with the process of photosynthesis, in which carbon dioxide is absorbed and oxygen is released.
- Bacteria and other microorganisms consume oxygen. It is often forgotten that all the processes of decomposition of organic matter in the aquarium, including the necessary bio-filtration in the aquarium.
- Other chemical processes, for example, when soil decays, hydrogen sulfide H 2 S is released, which requires oxygen for its oxidation.
Oxygen, along with water temperature, is a factor determining the metabolism of fish. For example, when water temperatures are above 15 ° C, oxygen, not temperature, is the limiting factor for metabolism. Oxygen consumption depends on the type of fish, the structure of the gills (how efficiently the fish can extract oxygen from the water), etc. More active fish need more oxygen, larger ones, as is clear, also (although consumption is not proportional to weight - a fish weighing 10 grams consumes an example of 1.3 mg oxygen per gram of weight per hour, a fish weighing 500 grams - only 0.25). With an increase in temperature, oxygen consumption increases sharply, for example, an active goldfish consumes at a temperature of 15 ° C - 0.16 mg of oxygen per gram of weight per hour, and at a temperature of 30 ° C - 0.43 mg).
Fish living in nature in water poor in oxygen have adapted to such conditions, for example, labyrinth fish, which in nature live in any puddles, can "swallow" air. On the other hand, many fish, such as the African cichlids from Lake Malawi, require oxygen-rich water.
On average, care should be taken to keep oxygen levels below 7 mg / L in the aquarium. Fish living at a low oxygen concentration are more susceptible to diseases, fry are lagging behind in development, etc. With a lack of oxygen, the fish begin to capture air from the surface, and then carbon dioxide poisoning occurs. Fish that die from asphyxiation usually have a wide open mouth, "protruding" gills, which have a pale tinge (although similar symptoms can occur in other diseases).
Despite popular belief, carbon dioxide does not displace oxygen from water. The level of dissolved carbon dioxide in water depends on many parameters. An excess of carbon dioxide leads to poisoning of fish, which fall into a coma and die.
The easiest way to maintain high oxygen levels and low carbon dioxide levels in your water is to aerate and stir the water with pumps. In this case, oxygen dissolves in water, and carbon dioxide escapes into the atmosphere. It should be ensured that there is no greasy or bacterial film on the surface of the water, which hinders gas exchange. Try not to raise the water temperature high, higher than necessary for the normal functioning of this species of fish. At high temperatures, the solubility of oxygen in water decreases, and the demand for it increases.
Another way is to grow plants that absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Paradoxically, in bright light, plants are able to release more oxygen than it can be dissolved in water - oxygen bubbles will rise from the plants
Of course, it is possible to dissolve oxygen in water from a cylinder, but this method is complicated, since it requires a special reactor and control. Otherwise, you can poison the fish with an excess of oxygen. Therefore, this method is not considered.
Heavy metals in water
Heavy metals contained in tap water are toxic to all organisms, even those that are necessary in small doses for successful plant growth (zinc: copper, nickel, etc.). Even if the content of metals in the water meets the maximum permissible standards for humans, such water can be dangerous to fish. This is especially true for copper and zinc, which are not toxic to the human body in reasonable concentrations.
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The table shows the comparative MPCs (Maximum Allowable Concentrations) for humans and fish. Sources of metals in water, in addition to the polluted river, from where the water enters the water supply system (in any case, it is not recommended for anyone to live downstream of a large chemical plant, as well as to keep fish), are, for example, copper pipes. Unlike fish, we are not in water all the time and metals in drinking water, getting into the digestive system, are usually bound by organics (food). On the other hand, metals enter the body of fish in a variety of ways. |
Metals are toxic because they are capable of "attaching" to organic molecules, disrupting the functions they perform. For example, mercury combines with the -SH group, which is found in most proteins.
Metals are especially toxic to fish fry. For example, the maximum copper concentration, above which the mortality of trout fry increases, is 0.010-0.017 ppm. The maximum concentration of lead, when exceeded, occurs "deformation" of fry of trout is 058-0.12 ppm.
Also, metals can be toxic to plants at high concentrations, even though they are required at low concentrations for normal plant growth. For example, iron is most often overdosed, which is added as fertilizer to the water, while the leaves turn brown and become stained. Symptoms are similar to those of phosphorus deficiency. Slow-growing plants, for example, cryptocorynes, which do not have time to "process" an increased concentration of iron, can especially suffer.
The toxicity of metals depends on many parameters of the water:
Preparing tap water
The main source of water for an aquarium is tap water, which is treated in one way or another at the waterworks so that bacteria do not spill jelly from the tap. Leaving aside all sorts of exotic methods of water disinfection, such as ozonation (at least, I have not seen such waterworks), water is disinfected with either chlorine or chloramine. Chlorine, used in the traditional way to disinfect water, easily volatilizes when the water is stirred. It is enough to settle the water overnight in a wide container for the chlorine to evaporate. And if you change a little water in the aquarium and the jet is sprayed into separate drops, then you can pour directly into the aquarium.Another way is to use dechlorinators (either commercial ones that are sold in aquarium stores, or use sodium thiosulfate) or activated carbon
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A more modern way of water disinfection is the use of chloramine, which consists of ammonia and chlorine. Chlorine is unstable, it quickly combines with organic molecules, losing its strength and forming carcinogenic substances. Therefore, chlorine is bound by ammonia. Chloramine is more poisonous than chlorine because it easily penetrates the bloodstream through the gills. Unfortunately (for aquarists, but not a waterworks), chloramine is fairly stable. To neutralize it, you need to either use a commercial product, or use one of two methods (before experimenting on fish, get a test that measures the concentration of chlorine in water - for example, for swimming pools):
The best way to find out how the water in your plumbing is disinfected is to ask at the waterworks. If you are keeping an aquarium with expensive fish, it’s better to spend the money and buy a commercial product for water disinfection. If you change a lot of water, then it must be allowed to settle. A day is best. Since the water in the water supply is under decent pressure, more air is dissolved in it than in water at atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, when water is poured into the container and heated, the dissolved air begins to evolve in the form of bubbles on the walls of the aquarium, etc. If you plant fish in such water, this can lead to blockage of blood vessels. Another problem with tap water may be that the tap water does not match what you need for the aquarium, or the presence of metals, organics, nitrates or phosphates that cause algae growth. Changing the parameters of water - acidity and hardness is described in the relevant sections. If you have other unwanted components, then it makes sense for you to think about filtering the water through various filters - osmotic or deionization. Or buy such water. It should be remembered that in the water filtered in this way it is necessary to add elements that provide the required values of acidity and hardness. The best way to find out the parameters of your tap water (which may change depending on the season) is to contact the waterworks. Distilled waterDistilled water can be used as a component for preparing aquarium water. You can't keep fish in such water. Such water is simply "none". It contains no minerals, electrolytes, etc. Fish in such water will feel bad - due to osmotic pressure, water will "flow" into the fish (since the concentration of salts inside the fish is higher than in aquarium water). so she will have to constantly remove excess water from the body .... but how do you feel when you have to run to the toilet every minute? Despite the widespread belief that distilled water has a pH of 7, this is only true the first moment after preparing such water. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves in water and lowers the acidity of water, which lacks carbonate hardness. The acidity of such water can be equal to 5-6. which is unsuitable for many fish. It is necessary to add a solution of the necessary salts to such water, which you can buy at an aquarium store or make yourself. It is best to use distilled water to prepare aquarium water, for example by mixing it with tap water to reduce the hardness. Distilled water can be purchased at the store. Do not confuse it with various types of bottled drinking water that is not distilled. It is best to store distilled water in the refrigerator because, unlike tap water, it does not contain disinfectants. Osmotic water filtration (reverse osmosis)If you have hard water flowing from the tap, and you want to hold and, moreover, breed discus fish that love acidic and soft water, then you will have to think about how to prepare the appropriate water one way or another. There are several methods:
Osmotic filtration is based on the property of water to penetrate through a porous membrane impermeable to solutes. Typically, liquid penetrates from a lower concentration region to a higher solute concentration region. For example, for this reason, freshwater fish have to constantly remove excess fluid from the body (where the concentration of salts is higher than in the surrounding water) and marine fish to drink water. If the increased pressure on one side of the membrane is artificially maintained, the equilibrium will shift. This is the principle behind the operation of a reverse osmotic filter. Figuratively speaking, water is pushed through the membrane, while mineral salts remain. Unlike deionization, osmotic filtration is a mechanical process that filters other substances, such as organic molecules and even bacteria. There are two types of membranes:
When installing such a filter, in addition to the initial cost, it is necessary to pay attention to the following circumstances:
As practice shows, osmotic filters, when used correctly, give very clean water, the cost of which is much less than the purchased one. Remember that filtered water is so "pure" that it must be mixed with tap water or the necessary minerals must be added. Deionization of water (de-ionization)These filters use reactive filter media. They replace ions dissolved in water with others. One filler filters positively charged particles - cations, replacing them with hydrogen ion H + (cation resin), the second replaces anions with negative charged OH - ions. The combination of two filtration stages forms a water molecule. this filtration takes place as long as there are enough ions in the filler for replacement. Once depleted, the resin can be charged again using lye and acid. However, it is better not to do this yourself. Some resins, especially those recommended for use in conventional aquarium filters, substitute positive sodium ions for cations. The same principle is used for softening pool water and laundry. This resin can be restored in a strong salt solution. However, the increased concentration of sodium ions (which is not taken into account in determining the hardness and therefore does not increase it) can be harmful for some delicate fish and not very good for plants, blocking their absorption of certain trace elements. Better to use two fillers - for filtering cations and anions. Sometimes both fillers are mixed together. Such a filter will be much more difficult to charge as it will need to separate one resin from the other before regeneration. In principle, such filters produce cleaner water than osmotic filters. For example, they are good at filtering silicates, which is needed in a coral reef aquarium. The service life and performance depends on many factors, especially the mineral content of the source water. With very hard water, the filler may "be asked to regenerate" after 100-200 liters. To extend the service life of such a filter, it can be installed after the osmotic filter. Basic water parameters (briefly)The basic water parameters are briefly reviewed here without any explanation. In most cases, it is enough to know the name of these parameters and how to measure them for a successful aquarium maintenance. Just accept them as something that you need to control - for example, how do you know that there must be a certain voltage in the outlet, although a lot of people have a poor idea of what voltage is. But this does not prevent them from successfully using electricity. pH - characterizes the acidity of the water. Should be in the range of 6-7.5 for most fish (values are given in the table). The most important chemical parameter of water. Tests that are sold in aquarium stores are used for the measurement. Over time, due to the accumulation of organic matter in the water, the pH value decreases, so it must be monitored regularly. You can change this value by adding baking soda (to increase) or using specialty chemicals sold at the aquarium store. Remember that fish are able to adapt to other pH values (within reasonable limits) as long as the pH changes smoothly.
Optimal water parameters for different fish
The table shows the acidity and hardness values for some fish species. Many fish are able to adapt to other waters, for example discus can be acclimated to harder waters. But if you want to get offspring from fish, then it is better to ensure the water parameters are optimal for this type of fish, they can usually be found in the reference book. Remember that fish do better if the water parameters differ from optimal (of course within reasonable limits), but are stable. Therefore, do not try to drastically change them. If you do this, then do it little by little, no more than 1-2 degrees of acidity per day. On the other hand, try to find out what kind of water is flowing from your tap. This will make your life easier. It is much easier to increase the hardness of the water (for example, for cichlids from Lake Tanganyika), the opposite is more difficult - you need water filtration through ion-exchange resins, etc. Therefore, think at the beginning if you can do this for a long time before starting discus if you have artesian water flowing from your tap, which resembles Tanganyika. |
Today I wondered - how to reduce the hardness of the aquarium water? Everyone knows that some types of fish need soft water, and some need hard water. Likewise, many plants require soft water for proper growth. Based on what kind of inhabitants in your aquarium, you need to maintain a certain level of water hardness. Let's figure it out ...
At the moment, the following methods of reducing the hardness of water are known: boiling, distillation, the use of ion exchange resins, dilution and reverse osmosis. Some of these methods of lowering the hardness of the aquarium water (boiling, ion exchange resins and distillate) have been known for a long time. But will we get any noticeable benefit from this? Some parameters may be unstable.
If you start to reduce the hardness of the water, then you significantly reduce the ability of the water to repair itself, that is, its buffering capacity. At the slightest change in the balance in the aquarium, and this happens every day (it's all the fault of water changes, day and night changes, food leftovers), the pH level will jump in different directions, and if there is no buffer, then the pH level fluctuations will be noticeable. When decreasing the hardness, you must take into account the most important point - the water must regenerate itself, especially hard water. Here's a simple example: dilute tap water 50/50 with distillate, you get a pH of 6.5 or lower. Do a pH test in a couple of hours and the pH will return to its original value, only the change in the level of the active reaction of the medium will not occur linearly, but in a slightly different way.
If in your hometown the water from the water supply system is very hard or poor in mineral salts, which is not at all suitable for aquarium fish, then you will have to take a number of special measures. If you know that the water in the aquarium from which you just got the fish is soft and in yours it is hard - soften it at least a little. Each of the methods described above should be applied as long as you do not pour water into the aquarium.
The easiest way to reduce the hardness is to add distilled water. By adding soft water, you will reduce the overall water hardness in your aquarium. But here you may encounter certain difficulties - sometimes a decent amount of distillate is required, but it also costs money. Distilled water has a hardness of approximately two German degrees. If the already distilled water is passed once more through a distiller, you will get a bidistillate, the hardness of which will be approximately half a German degree.
But there are also negative aspects to this. In such water there is no dissolved oxygen necessary for fish breathing + the level of minerals in it is so scanty that the simplest physiological processes simply cannot pass. Therefore, if you want to use such water, you will have to intensively aerate the aquarium with the addition of remineralizing salts.
If you need to reduce the hardness of the water in the aquarium by tens of liters, then it would be more logical for you to use ion exchange resins. You will treat water using ion exchange columns and various resins in the compartment. There are a huge number of them, but not every one can be used to change the rigidity. However, I would like to advise you to buy a special installation that softens water from our water supply. This is a small container in which the grains of the ion-exchange resin are located, through which two tubes (outlet and inlet) pass. One pipe needs to be connected to the water supply, and the second will already give out water softer than it entered. The productivity of this installation is approximately - tens of liters per hour soft.
At first, you will receive the purest distillate from this apparatus, and then the hardness will gradually increase, since the capacity of the ion-exchange resin will become much less effective. Such treatment of aquarium water only softens it, but does not demineralize it. It turns out that the installation will partially remove minerals. Only thanks to the ion exchanger will you be able to change the constant hardness that is used to obtain water for spawning aquariums.
Another fairly effective way to get soft water, which I also use, is to use a reverse osmosis system. These systems are not cheap, but durable. For example, I use a reverse osmosis filter for both an aquarium and tap water for drinking and cooking. There are several pre-filters in the installation, which I change once every 3-4 months, but the membrane itself is not changed so often - once every 3-5 years.
How to use. For each water change, I simply add 10-15 liters of water purified with osmotic filters to the aquarium. Let me remind you that I have an aquarium of 60 liters, respectively, changing 30% (10 liters. Tap water and 10 liters. From "osmosis") The beauty of reverse osmosis is that it eliminates almost all impurities. But as in the distillate, there is not enough oxygen here, and even with mineral substances it is a little tough. Therefore, as I already wrote, I mix water from "osmosis" and water supply.
There are many controversies and questions on this topic, which can even get confused sometimes. You can often hear that melt water or rainwater can be added to the aquarium. No question, it is very soft, but there is so much industrial waste in it that you will immediately deposit it in your bank. Even a small concentration of this rubbish can harm the ecosystem of your home jar.
There is another simple, but, in my opinion, laborious way to obtain soft water - the use of freezing. To do this, you need to take out a shallow large container with water in the frost and freeze it so that 1/3 or ¼ of the water remains in the center not frozen. What is not frozen, you will need to drain, and melt the frozen and pour into the aquarium. The hardness of such melted water will be approximately 3 German degrees. It turns out that the frozen liquid is trying to get rid of the excess of dissolved salts. These salts are pushed back to the center of the container and are the last to freeze. There is a very important nuance here - you cannot overlook the key point.
By boiling, you can reduce the hardness of the water, but not the amount of minerals. If you boil water for half an hour, then the hardness after boiling will almost halve. But from the point of view of the content of useful microelements, boiled water is considered dead, and the carbonate hardness decreases markedly. After boiling, the water is cooled to room temperature, and then poured using a hose into the upper layers of the aquarium. You are unlikely to achieve a decent reduction in stiffness in this way, but due to its simplicity and availability, you can use this method.
Another option for reducing the hardness of the water is to plant elodea, hornwort, charophyte and egropil plants in the aquarium. Calcium is deposited on these plants in the form of a crust, which can be washed off with ordinary running water from the tap.
I want to notify you right away, you can find information on the Internet that it is highly discouraged to use water in an aquarium that has been passed through a reverse osmosis system. Say, it is harmful and so on. I disagree with this statement, tk. I use this SUCCESSFULLY myself and I know that many scapers also use water passed through the reverse osmosis system and there are no problems. Both fish and plants feel great for me.
You can familiarize yourself with all the methods in more detail on the network and choose which method to use.
1). Reducing water hardness.
Some fish require softer water, so aquarists need to know the most practical ways to reduce hardness, which are:. dilution,. boiling,. distillation,. softening through ion exchange resins,. reverse osmosis.
Methods for reducing the hardness of water have long been known (dilution with distilled water, the use of ion-exchange resins in the preparation of water, simply boiling water). But do these time-consuming operations provide tangible benefits? - Parameters will be unstable again. By significantly lowering the hardness of water, you thereby “kill” its buffer capacity for self-restoration. With a slight imbalance in the aquarium (and this happens almost every day: this is facilitated by decaying food residues, water changes, and finally, day-night drops), the pH of the water will tend to one way or another, and since there is no or almost no restraining component ( buffer), then these changes in pH will be quite noticeable.
In addition, an important feature of water should be taken into account - its ability to heal itself. This is especially true for hard water. So, for example, diluting tap water with a pH of 7.5 by 50% with distilled water and thereby lowering the pH to 6.5 or even lower, you can be sure that after a few hours the pH will be close to the original 7.5. Moreover, the transition will take place not according to a linear law, but somewhat differently.
If the tap water is too hard or is so poor in mineral salts in the area where the aquarist lives that it becomes unsuitable for the fish they wish to keep, a number of measures can be taken. If you know in advance that you will have to take fish from very soft water into very hard water, then it is best to soften this hard water at least a little. Either method is usually used before the tank is filled with water.
The most common way is to dilute the original water with distilled water. By adding soft water, you will reduce the hardness in the aquarium. But often the amounts of distilled water required are too large. Where can I get it? Ready - in a pharmacy or at battery charging points. Distilled water is practically pure H2O and has a hardness of up to 2 ° dH. The water recycled through the distiller is called bidistillate (0-0.5 ° dH). In such water, there is no dissolved oxygen, which fish breathe, as well as the minimum level of mineral content required for certain physiological processes. Therefore, before use, water of this type must be intensively aerated and special remineralizing salts must be added (they can be purchased at pet stores).
When it is necessary to constantly soften tens of liters of liquid, it is much more practical to do this using ion exchange resins. Water treatment, in the presence of ion exchange columns, using a combination of different ion exchange resins. There are many ion exchange resins, but not all of them can be used for this purpose. It is best to purchase a special installation for softening drinking water. It consists of a container in which grains of ion-exchange resin are poured and to which two tubes are connected - inlet and outlet. The inlet tube is connected to the water supply, and softened water runs from the outlet in a thin stream. The capacity of such an installation reaches tens of liters of water per hour.
At first, you will get an almost pure distillate, then the hardness of the outflowing water will get higher, since the softening capacity of the ion exchange resin will decrease. Such treatment only softens the water, but does not demineralize it, that is, selectively removes minerals from it. Permanent hardness can be eliminated at least in part only with the help of an ion exchanger. Such installations are used to obtain soft spawning water.
If you have osmotic filters with membrane purification, you can try to get soft water yourself, but this is a rather troublesome event that requires special equipment and, again, knowledge, and osmofilters are not affordable for everyone. Reverse osmosis literally removes all impurities. In such water, there is no dissolved oxygen, which fish breathe, as well as the minimum level of mineral content required for certain physiological processes.
Rainwater and melt water are not suitable at all. It is certainly mild, but it is so saturated with industrial emissions that even small amounts of it can poison your pets to death.
There is a fairly simple way to get soft water: freezing. This requires frost and a shallow large container. Tap water is poured into a container, taken out into the cold (a balcony is quite suitable in winter) and frozen so that about 1 / 3-1 / 4 of it remains liquid in the center (like in an ice vase). Unfrozen aqueous residue saturated with salts is poured off, and the ice is melted. This water has a hardness of up to 3 degrees. Frozen water, as it were, tries to get rid of dissolved salts. They are pushed back to the center of the bucket and freeze last. The main thing here is not to miss the moment.
In large cities, there is another source of water suitable for an aquarium: drinking water in plastic bottles. And if economic considerations do not stop you, feel free to use it, unless it belongs to the mineral category (this is indicated on the label).
Boiling, which reduces the hardness but not the mineral content. When boiled for 30 minutes, the hardness is almost halved. Boiling makes the water “dead” in terms of the content of beneficial trace elements and drastically reduces the carbonate hardness. The water is boiled in a sufficiently capacious container, then it is allowed to cool to room temperature and the upper 30% of the volume is carefully drained with a hose. A significant reduction in rigidity in this way cannot be achieved, but its simplicity and availability are undeniable. Then, with constant aeration, using means of the pH-minus type, the desired pH value is achieved.
Peat contains humic acid, resins, wax, salts. It lowers and stabilizes the pH value while decreasing the water hardness.
To receive soft-water fish - inhabitants of black tropical waters, it is best to insist on the leaves of Indian almonds for artificially prepared water, add peat extract to it (these two agents will lower the pH a little more), or a decoction of alder cones or use conditioners.
Special water softening chemicals (available at your pet store) effectively soften water. They irreversibly bind the salts that make the water hard. It is assumed that their effect is simply to soften the water, while the content of minerals does not change.
To reduce the rigidity in the aquarium, acrylic resins in crystalline form are used, placed in bags, they are dipped on a string into the aquarium or placed in a filter. Within 1-2 days, depending on the volume and its quality, the hardness decreases. Used resin can be restored by rinsing the bag in clean water and placing it in a solution of sodium chloride (2 tablespoons per 0.5 liter) overnight. After rinsing the bag in clean water, it is ready to be used again.
To soften the water, use aquarium plants elodea and hornwort, egropil, and charovye plants. Calcium is deposited in the form of a crust on these plants, which is then washed off with running water.
Please note: It is absolutely not recommended to use distilled water and water after reverse osmosis in the aquarium. By definition, distilled water has essentially no hardness. This means that adding even a little acid will significantly change the pH level (ammonia from fish waste). Due to its imbalance, distilled (or any essentially pure water) should never be used directly in the aquarium. It is necessary to add the appropriate salts to such water to increase the total and carbonate hardness before using such water in the aquarium. In the case of very soft and acidic water, it is more difficult for aquarists to constantly monitor the pH indicator regularly to see if the water is acidic. For the complete success of keeping any fish, it is desirable for them to raise the carbonate hardness and reduce the acidity, bring it to neutral. This is much easier to do than softening hard water.
Some fish species (discus, cardinals) prefer soft water. While they can survive in harder water, they are unlikely to breed in it. Thus, you will be forced to soften the water despite the problems associated with it. Household water softeners soften water using ion exchange technology. That is, they remove calcium and magnesium ions, replacing them with sodium ions. While this theoretically makes the water softer, most fish won't feel the difference. That is, fish that prefer soft water also dislike sodium, and for them, such water softeners are not suitable. Therefore, ion exchange water softeners are not suitable for aquarium use.
Pet shops also sell water softeners. They use the same ion exchange principle. There is a resin cartridge in the aquarium, which picks up magnesium and calcium ions and releases sodium ions into the water. After a few days, the cartridge is replaced with a new one, and the old one is reloaded with new or regenerated resin. These settings are too small to work consistently for long periods of time and should not be used in an aquarium for the same reason as described above.
Peat softens the water and reduces its hardness. The most effective way to soften water with peat is to infuse the water for 1 to 2 weeks in a container containing peat chips. For example, take an appropriately sized plastic container. A large amount of peat (4-5 liters), boil in water to remove bacteria, and so that the peat drowns, and place the resulting porridge in a large container of water. It is necessary to aerate the water. After 1-2 weeks, the water will be softer and more acidic. Use this water in the future when changing the water in your aquarium. Peat can be purchased at the pet store, but it is expensive. It is more profitable to buy peat intended for gardening work. Read the instructions on the packaging carefully. Do not use peat containing fertilizers or other additives.
Some aquarists use peat as a filter medium, but this method has its drawbacks. Firstly, peat is easily clogged, so the addition of peat reduces the filter's efficiency. Secondly: peat can be dirty, and as a result, the water in the aquarium will become cloudy. Thirdly: it is difficult to take the exact amount of peat required to soften the water. Using the wrong amount of peat results in unpredictable aquarium water quality. Finally, when performing water changes, the water parameters in the aquarium will change for several days, until the peat returns the parameters to their place. Using water infused with peat for the replacements ensures that the water parameters of the aquarium do not change when the replacements are made.
Hard water can also be softened by adding distilled water, or R / O water. R / O (reverse osmosis) water is purified water obtained using the R / O module. Unfortunately, R / O modules are too expensive ($ 100- $ 500) for most hobbyists. R / O water can also be purchased at some pet stores, but for most people, the expense and concerns aren't worth it. The same goes for store-bought distilled water.
If you use water in everyday life, passed through a household filter, and the performance of the latter is such that it will allow you to spend part of the “production” for the needs of the aquarium, then such water, of course, may do. Why “maybe”? Yes, because it is not the fact of passing water through the filter itself that is important, but what happens to the water in this case. Now there are many household filters on sale, but most of them are able to retain only large mechanical suspension and are completely indifferent to dissolved substances. At the same time, there are devices with membrane purification, which are able to remove all (or almost all) of the salts dissolved in water from water. But even such water is of little use for an aquarium. It is, of course, possible to correct the salt composition of water, but this is a rather troublesome business, moreover, it requires at least minimal knowledge in the field of hydrochemistry and various kinds of reference books with special formulas and tables.
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