I currently am using spring water with my betta because I have 1.0 amonia in my tap water. I was wondering if I switched him from spring water to tap water and added prime if he would adjust well to the change. i have never used treated tap water with a betta.

I'm not sure about the ammonia part, but when I took my nephews 1 1/2 year old betta a few months ago, they always had him in bottled water, but I use tap so what I did was (I had him in a one gal) I filled up the tank half way with bottled water and put him in, then every few hours I'd add some tap water. I did this I guess over a 12 hour time period and he has adjusted well. Other than the problems he came to me with, he's been fine, but we do not have ammonia in our tap water.

Thanks Kristysweets. I may try it. I still have half a bottle of spring water left. I may try a half and half mixture this time when I change his water and then do a total tap water next time.

Yah, I would gradually mix more and more tap water in with water changes because the properties are really different. Just be sure to treat your tap water with prime before adding it to the tank. There's actually an equation on how much prime you should add to detoxify ammonia....I'll see if I can find it.

Gradually mix it and observe his behaviour in case of stress.Just take it slow he'll get used to it.He'll be fine once you have totally changed over.

thanks Blue . I am getting ready to change his water tomorrow after I get back from my nephew's birthday party ( he is going to be 17 I just don't know where the time went it seems like yesterday he was a little kid-not little anymore he is 6ft 3) I think he is getting an artificial plant too. I think his live bamboo is trying to die on me. Leafs are browner

thanks Kissy if you can find that info it would be great. I am sold on prime. I used it all the time when I had goldies. Great stuff.

Good news on my bamboo plant. It figured out Saturday that it was algae growing on my plant and making it look black. So when I changed the water I made sure to gently wipe it off with a paper wet cloth and all the algae came off and it is green again doing great. Yippie

How is Ginseng adjusting to his new water regime Kris?

BTW I'm glad the Bamboo is doing well now

Thanks MrBumblebee. Actually I have not tried it yet. I found some more spring water that was cheaper than Ice Mountain that was just as pure for only a dollar a gallon. I got some Cystal Gyser from the dollar store. I tested it and it had ph 7.4 , amonia 0, nitrite 0, and nitrate 0. I had use house brand spring water from Wally World before, but after I tested it and found out that particular brand had 5.0 nitrates in it. Not good for spring water. I may eventaully go to tap water with prime. I am so glad my bamboo plant is not dying. Ginseng almost got a fake plant untill I figured out what was wrong. The plant is doing great. I think he likes the live one so I am so glad I don't have to replace it.

Glad to hear that both ginsing and the plant are doing well On my bottle of prime, it says its suggested dose (2 drops per gallon) detoxifies .6 mg/L. I'm not sure how to convert that to ppms.

yup I will probably use the 2 drops per gallon too. Thanks

Hey Kris, I just learned something new and important from awrieger. 1 mg/L = 1ppm.

So if 1 drop detoxifies .3 mg/L, 4 drops per gallon will be enough to safely detoxify the ammonia in your tap. Are you still planning on upgrading him to a tank with filter? If you do, you won't need to do so many large water changes so the increased amount of prime won't be so bad.

Evetually he will get upgraded but not at the moment. I am having financial difficulties , so he may have to wait to move.