Dale Henderson wrote:
My tap water has an ammonia level of about .25ppm (and a nitrate level
of 5ppm) from what I've been reading this is enough to be toxic to
fish. So my question is what should I do about it. My aquarium is in
the middle of a fishless cycle right now when I add 2ppm ammonia its
it's gone in 24hrs. So should I just use tap water and leave it to the
bacteria to take care of it. Or should I find another source of water.

My water comes from a private well and as far as I can tell there is
no chlorine. But the water is very hard with a high alkalinity and a
pH of 8.2. So what can I do to soften the water and maybe bring down
the pH.

I'd add a 1/4 dose of AmQuel to deal with the ammonia. Even very small
amounts are toxic at pH 8.2. As far as softening, consider keeping fish
suited to your hard water like livebearers and African Cichlids.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com