GH question

[Larry]

When I take the reading for GH using my hot water ( have a water
softener installed) the GH is 6. Using the cold water the GH is 1.
After leaving the hot water to cool the GH is 6. Can anyone explain
this?

Secondly, for the fish I have keyholes, yellow lab. gold ram,
minor tetras, rasporas and corys, should I be using hot water cooled
down when I do the water changes?

TIA,


Larry

[David C. Stone]

In article >, Larry
> wrote:

> When I take the reading for GH using my hot water ( have a water
> softener installed) the GH is 6. Using the cold water the GH is 1.
> After leaving the hot water to cool the GH is 6. Can anyone explain
> this?

There's probably a lot of scale in your hot water system, which
partially dissolves to raise the hardness. I bet you carbonate
hardness is up as well. How long has the water softener been
in-line, and what sort is it? If it's an exchanger type, it's
quite possibly exhausted and needs regenerating or replacing.

> Secondly, for the fish I have keyholes, yellow lab. gold ram,
> minor tetras, rasporas and corys, should I be using hot water cooled
> down when I do the water changes?

My understanding is that the water you put in should be close to
the temperature of the water you're taking out, especially if it's
a large water change.

[Larry]

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 15:48:54 -0500, "David C. Stone"
> wrote:

>In article >, Larry
> wrote:
>
>> When I take the reading for GH using my hot water ( have a water
>> softener installed) the GH is 6. Using the cold water the GH is 1.
>> After leaving the hot water to cool the GH is 6. Can anyone explain
>> this?
>
>There's probably a lot of scale in your hot water system, which
>partially dissolves to raise the hardness. I bet you carbonate
>hardness is up as well. How long has the water softener been
>in-line, and what sort is it? If it's an exchanger type, it's
>quite possibly exhausted and needs regenerating or replacing.

It's the type with the long cylinder (think it contains resin of some
sort) with the salt container off to the side.
>
>> Secondly, for the fish I have keyholes, yellow lab. gold ram,
>> minor tetras, rasporas and corys, should I be using hot water cooled
>> down when I do the water changes?
>
>My understanding is that the water you put in should be close to
>the temperature of the water you're taking out, especially if it's
>a large water change.

I wasn't very clear on the second question. With regards to the GH,
if I used hot water cooled down my GH will be closer to 6. If mix the
hot and cold my GH wlll be clsoer to 1. (like I usually do)

All the best,

Larry

[Elaine T]

Larry wrote:
> On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 15:48:54 -0500, "David C. Stone"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>In article >, Larry
> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>When I take the reading for GH using my hot water ( have a water
>>>softener installed) the GH is 6. Using the cold water the GH is 1.
>>>After leaving the hot water to cool the GH is 6. Can anyone explain
>>>this?
>>
>>There's probably a lot of scale in your hot water system, which
>>partially dissolves to raise the hardness. I bet you carbonate
>>hardness is up as well. How long has the water softener been
>>in-line, and what sort is it? If it's an exchanger type, it's
>>quite possibly exhausted and needs regenerating or replacing.
>
>
> It's the type with the long cylinder (think it contains resin of some
> sort) with the salt container off to the side.
>
>>>Secondly, for the fish I have keyholes, yellow lab. gold ram,
>>>minor tetras, rasporas and corys, should I be using hot water cooled
>>>down when I do the water changes?
>>
>>My understanding is that the water you put in should be close to
>>the temperature of the water you're taking out, especially if it's
>>a large water change.
>
>
> I wasn't very clear on the second question. With regards to the GH,
> if I used hot water cooled down my GH will be closer to 6. If mix the
> hot and cold my GH wlll be clsoer to 1. (like I usually do)
>
> All the best,
>
> Larry
>
>
If your fish are healthy and the tank pH is stable, keep mixing hot and
cold like you've been doing. All the fish you've listed except the
yellow lab prefer soft water.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[NetMax]

"Charles" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 13:12:21 -0500, Larry > wrote:
>
>>When I take the reading for GH using my hot water ( have a water
>>softener installed) the GH is 6. Using the cold water the GH is 1.
>>After leaving the hot water to cool the GH is 6. Can anyone explain
>>this?
>>
>>Secondly, for the fish I have keyholes, yellow lab. gold ram,
>>minor tetras, rasporas and corys, should I be using hot water cooled
>>down when I do the water changes?
>>
>>TIA,
>>
>>
>>Larry
>
>
> Something does not make sense here. If I understand correctly, your
> gH 1 water is very soft. why even have a water softener in the house
> at all. Especially one that is making the water harder.
>
> Can you check with your water company to find out what they think is
> in the water. It may be that your test kit is giving you funny
> readings.
>
>
> --
> Charles
>
> Does not play well with others.

I think his source water is over 6dgH and then it goes through a whole
house ion exchange-type water softener using resin and brine rinse.
Ordinarily the water should be 0-1 dgH after this but the output of
Larry's hot water tank is 6dgH. It sounds like the hot water tank ran
without a water softener for a long time and accumulated some scaling,
which the now very soft water is leeching back into the water.

Larry, if you want your water harder, install a faucet before the water
softener. It will be cold water, so when doing water changes, add the
water very slowly (you can also mix a small bit of very hot water to
bring it up to temperature). By adjusting the ratio of unsoftened (raw)
water to softened water, you can get a variety of different parameters.

In the winter, when my well water is harder, I typically use 1 raw w/c
(water change) for every 3 softened w/c. In the summer, I might
alternate 1 for 1 or go straight raw (to reduce the salt levels in the
tanks, from the softener). Note that I have fish which like hard water
though. hth
--
www.NetMax.tk