After trying several different chemicals for my tank, one forum member suggested salt which has worked well for me. I've been reading a lot of Q&A's where suggestions about water dechlorinators are made. I buy gallon jugs of drinking water from the store, just regular spring water or generic drinking water...is this a bad thing? Should I still use a chemical (Cycle ot StressZyme) with it? The only issue I'm having so far with the salt/bottled water combination is my nitrite levels are high, everything else is PERFECT! My tank is only a month and a half old, so I'm holding out hope that the older it gets the nitrites will go down.
To make a long question short, is bottled water OK for my tank?
Full Version: Bottled Water...
can you please try to place the topic in the right section...
as for the bottle water it is ok but the fish wouldn't get all the nutrients that come from regular water
as for the bottle water it is ok but the fish wouldn't get all the nutrients that come from regular water
Where is the right section?
QUOTE(luvbender @ Nov 23 2007, 03:36 PM) 
Where is the right section?
Tanks & Equipment
since your talking water for your tank
as alex has said this only for new members posting to talk about themselves if you look at the main board just think about what your topic is for instance this is a question about water so you would presumably go to the water quality section
Is your tank still cycling? Does the bottled water test zero across the board before adding to your tank? You have to be careful about buying bottled water. Check the KH/GH too, becuz if it's soft, it's likely gone through RO for its purification process - which means it's going to be missing electrolytes and other minerals the fish need. I have been where you are now.
Hello Luvbender and welcome to Koko's.
Sorry about the unwelcoming and unhelpful reponses from our two 15 year olds!
Wait till I get my hands on you, boys
To try to help you, could I ask the reason you're using bottled water? Is it just because you're worried about chlorine? If so, this poses no problem as it's easily removed by conditioners like Prime and Amquel.
Bottled water is generally a bad idea as it lacks the minerals needed by Goldfish for their health. It is also likely to have very little in the way of carbonates which means that your tank is at risk of PH crash. But, there are some circumstances where people do use it - like Lola who just posted, has said. This is usually because there is something troubling in the main water source which is hard to remove.
But before I blab on any further, tell us why you're using it and also try testing it for PH, KH and GH. Then run the same tests on your tap water and post back the results.
By the way, how much salt are you using? Tell us how you are dosing.
Look forward to hearing back.
Sorry about the unwelcoming and unhelpful reponses from our two 15 year olds!
Wait till I get my hands on you, boys
To try to help you, could I ask the reason you're using bottled water? Is it just because you're worried about chlorine? If so, this poses no problem as it's easily removed by conditioners like Prime and Amquel.
Bottled water is generally a bad idea as it lacks the minerals needed by Goldfish for their health. It is also likely to have very little in the way of carbonates which means that your tank is at risk of PH crash. But, there are some circumstances where people do use it - like Lola who just posted, has said. This is usually because there is something troubling in the main water source which is hard to remove.
But before I blab on any further, tell us why you're using it and also try testing it for PH, KH and GH. Then run the same tests on your tap water and post back the results.
By the way, how much salt are you using? Tell us how you are dosing.
Look forward to hearing back.
opps..I'm sorry
:
:
If you are going to use bottled water make sure you use water that says it has gone through the reverse osmosis process (R.O.). Spring water isn't always filtered with R.O. (not that I've seen) but if it says R.O. or reverse osmosis on the lable then that is what I would use. I've used it for my cichlids and never had a problem. My pH at home is 8.2 which is too high for the German blue rams I had so I needed the R.O. for them which has a neutral pH of 7.
sorry i was just helping out it was just an explanation on where to post, Luvbender if you have any more questions i will be more than happy to help you answer them 
and pixie no don't spank with the koko's stick i am good boy do you wuv me now right lol
and pixie no don't spank with the koko's stick i am good boy do you wuv me now right lol
Yes Dan and FishC, I do 'wuv' you right now! 
Does that routine work on your Mom, too? 
And Bijou - don't forget that GF do better with a higher PH than 7.00 - neutral. This doesn't really provide enough of a buffer and also, the benefical bacteria thrive at a higher PH, too.
Does that routine work on your Mom, too? And Bijou - don't forget that GF do better with a higher PH than 7.00 - neutral. This doesn't really provide enough of a buffer and also, the benefical bacteria thrive at a higher PH, too.
Just noticing some of your other threads and thinking it might help you to read
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/cycle.html
this will explain the the nitrogen cycle which has to take place in order to process your fishes waste.
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/cycle.html
this will explain the the nitrogen cycle which has to take place in order to process your fishes waste.
QUOTE(Pixiefish @ Nov 26 2007, 05:28 AM)
Yes Dan and FishC, I do 'wuv' you right now! Does that routine work on your Mom, too?
Does that routine work on your Mom, too? yes i does work sometimes but not always being 15 my mum looks right through the puppy dog eyes routine lol
QUOTE(Pixiefish @ Nov 25 2007, 12:28 PM)
And Bijou - don't forget that GF do better with a higher PH than 7.00 - neutral. This doesn't really provide enough of a buffer and also, the benefical bacteria thrive at a higher PH, too.
Oh yes. I did forget that we are talking about GF and not tropical fish. Sorry, I've got a lot of tropicals and I'm used to giving advice about them, not GF.
Hello PixieFish!
Yes, I was feeling a little harshed there for a minute, but thanks for setting everything right.
The reason I started using bottled water is because we have very hard water at my house. However, I have started to use the tap water again (I just wanted the very best for my Booger (aka Big O)).
What I'm doing is 2-3 WC's a week. I fill a gallon jug with tap water, add a half a cap of Water Conditioner, 4 drops of Stress Coat, and a half teaspoon of salt (maybe less, but just a little) and I let that set until the next water change. I always have a gallon at room temp for the WC. Before I asked about the bottled water all I would do is add a little salt to the bottled water...that's it! I'm sooooo confused! My water seems fine except for the high nitrite levels. Nitrates, chlorine, ph, ammonia and alkalinity are all in check. I've been using Cycle to get the nitrites down, half a cap, on the filter every week.
I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say about my water regimen. I'm just trying to do what's best for the fish and easiest for me.
Luvbender
Yes, I was feeling a little harshed there for a minute, but thanks for setting everything right.
The reason I started using bottled water is because we have very hard water at my house. However, I have started to use the tap water again (I just wanted the very best for my Booger (aka Big O)).
What I'm doing is 2-3 WC's a week. I fill a gallon jug with tap water, add a half a cap of Water Conditioner, 4 drops of Stress Coat, and a half teaspoon of salt (maybe less, but just a little) and I let that set until the next water change. I always have a gallon at room temp for the WC. Before I asked about the bottled water all I would do is add a little salt to the bottled water...that's it! I'm sooooo confused! My water seems fine except for the high nitrite levels. Nitrates, chlorine, ph, ammonia and alkalinity are all in check. I've been using Cycle to get the nitrites down, half a cap, on the filter every week.
I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say about my water regimen. I'm just trying to do what's best for the fish and easiest for me.
Luvbender
luvbender when you say hard you mean your ph right if so goldfish thrive in the 'harder' water which is the alkaline side of your ph the healthy ph range for a goldfish can be anything from 6.8-8.2 i hope this helps you out.
regarding your high nitrites it sounds like your tank is still cycling if that is the case you should try to do water changes everyday as that is the only thing to help keep the nitrites in check try to keep them under 0.25ppm anything higher than that is extremely toxic to you fish. when you salt your water you are using aquarium salt? just checking from memory it should be 1 teaspoon per gallon of water but i may be incorrect when pixie comes back she can help you out more
regarding your high nitrites it sounds like your tank is still cycling if that is the case you should try to do water changes everyday as that is the only thing to help keep the nitrites in check try to keep them under 0.25ppm anything higher than that is extremely toxic to you fish. when you salt your water you are using aquarium salt? just checking from memory it should be 1 teaspoon per gallon of water but i may be incorrect when pixie comes back she can help you out more
I'm hoping you've managed to read the link I posted as this will help you get to grip with the basics. It can seem overwhelming at first, but if you sit tight, it will all start to stabilize and then you can begin to enjoy your fish.
OK- well let's start at the beginning.
First of all, can you answer a few Q's just so we know where we're up to?
What is your tap PH?
Do you have a decent test-kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH? (Strips aren't good - drops are best)
How much does your tank hold?
What kind of filter do you have?
How many fish and how long has the tank been running?
It sounds as if you're midway through cycling if you are having nitrite spikes. When a tank is new there is no beneficial bacteria present in the water to process your fishes waste. These bacteria can take up to 6/8 weeks before there is enough of a colony to maintain a safe environment for your fish. Consequently, the ammonia (which your fish excretes as waste) can quickly climb to deadly levels. Only changing water will reduce these levels. After ammonia has been present for a while, you see nitrites start to appear - and again, changing water is the only way to keep the fish within safe parameters. Nitrite is particularly dangerous as it binds to the red blood cells, preventing the uptake of oxygen.
So, the most important thing for you to be doing at the moment is testing your water for ammonia and nitrite every day and changing water accordingly. Your aim is to keep the levels from climbing above 0.25.
Let's say your tank reads 1.0ppm for either amm or nit - a 50% water change will still leave 0.50ppm, which is too high. So a 75% change will bring it to 0.25ppm. Do you see? - the amount you need to change is governed by the water results rather than a fixed schedule of 'x' gals every 'x' days. Eventually you will start to see nitrates appear and once your ammonia and nitrite read zero you will have a fully cycled tank.
Now let's talk about the PH. Harder water is actually preferable for GFish and the beneficial bacteria also thrive. BUT, ammonia quickly becomes very dangerous at a higher PH so you must take extra care not to let it rise. Bottled water is no good for goldies as it lacks the minerals necessary to keep your fish healthy.
If you want to add salt to help your fish over the nitrite phase, you must pre-disolve aquarium salt (kosher or pickling will also do) in a little tank water at a dose of 1tsp per gal. So, if your tank were 20 gals, you would need 20 tsp (or 6tbs +2tsp) to raise it to a level of 0.1%. Whenever you change water you must add back salt ONLY to what you have removed. ie if you make a 10 gal water change, then you will need to add 10 tsp to dose the new water you put back.
It is very helpful to keep a written log of everything you do at this stage - it helps you keep track of your cycle, your salt levels and anything of note that is going on in your tank.
Post back with the answers to the above questions and let us know if there is anything you don't understand so far.
OK- well let's start at the beginning.
First of all, can you answer a few Q's just so we know where we're up to?
What is your tap PH?
Do you have a decent test-kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH? (Strips aren't good - drops are best)
How much does your tank hold?
What kind of filter do you have?
How many fish and how long has the tank been running?
It sounds as if you're midway through cycling if you are having nitrite spikes. When a tank is new there is no beneficial bacteria present in the water to process your fishes waste. These bacteria can take up to 6/8 weeks before there is enough of a colony to maintain a safe environment for your fish. Consequently, the ammonia (which your fish excretes as waste) can quickly climb to deadly levels. Only changing water will reduce these levels. After ammonia has been present for a while, you see nitrites start to appear - and again, changing water is the only way to keep the fish within safe parameters. Nitrite is particularly dangerous as it binds to the red blood cells, preventing the uptake of oxygen.
So, the most important thing for you to be doing at the moment is testing your water for ammonia and nitrite every day and changing water accordingly. Your aim is to keep the levels from climbing above 0.25.
Let's say your tank reads 1.0ppm for either amm or nit - a 50% water change will still leave 0.50ppm, which is too high. So a 75% change will bring it to 0.25ppm. Do you see? - the amount you need to change is governed by the water results rather than a fixed schedule of 'x' gals every 'x' days. Eventually you will start to see nitrates appear and once your ammonia and nitrite read zero you will have a fully cycled tank.
Now let's talk about the PH. Harder water is actually preferable for GFish and the beneficial bacteria also thrive. BUT, ammonia quickly becomes very dangerous at a higher PH so you must take extra care not to let it rise. Bottled water is no good for goldies as it lacks the minerals necessary to keep your fish healthy.
If you want to add salt to help your fish over the nitrite phase, you must pre-disolve aquarium salt (kosher or pickling will also do) in a little tank water at a dose of 1tsp per gal. So, if your tank were 20 gals, you would need 20 tsp (or 6tbs +2tsp) to raise it to a level of 0.1%. Whenever you change water you must add back salt ONLY to what you have removed. ie if you make a 10 gal water change, then you will need to add 10 tsp to dose the new water you put back.
It is very helpful to keep a written log of everything you do at this stage - it helps you keep track of your cycle, your salt levels and anything of note that is going on in your tank.
Post back with the answers to the above questions and let us know if there is anything you don't understand so far.
Hello...
My bad, I know, I know...strips are bad. In the morning I'm going straight to the store for a water testing kit. The drop type. When I started forking out the cash for my new hobby, it started flowing like water through a siphen. The drop test kits were soooo expensive compared to the strips. But, like I said I will get the right kind tomorrow and report back to you my results. Thank you for taking this time with me.
FYI - My tank is a 10 gallon "Eclipse" (are you familiar with that brand?) with one happy, HAPPY, chocolate colored Oranda. I just love him when he throws me kisses! He so has my heart. =) And the tank has been set up for about 6 weeks. I've been through 4 fish in that time and Booger is the only one who has stuck around for long. When I get my 20 gallon for Christmas (from my Mommy), I plan on buying the zebra thingy's to set up the tank with. Then will be 2 more fancies...a panda and a moor. Provided I can get it right with Booger and he doesn't die.
My bad, I know, I know...strips are bad. In the morning I'm going straight to the store for a water testing kit. The drop type. When I started forking out the cash for my new hobby, it started flowing like water through a siphen. The drop test kits were soooo expensive compared to the strips. But, like I said I will get the right kind tomorrow and report back to you my results. Thank you for taking this time with me.
FYI - My tank is a 10 gallon "Eclipse" (are you familiar with that brand?) with one happy, HAPPY, chocolate colored Oranda. I just love him when he throws me kisses! He so has my heart. =) And the tank has been set up for about 6 weeks. I've been through 4 fish in that time and Booger is the only one who has stuck around for long. When I get my 20 gallon for Christmas (from my Mommy), I plan on buying the zebra thingy's to set up the tank with. Then will be 2 more fancies...a panda and a moor. Provided I can get it right with Booger and he doesn't die.
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