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