[Jeffreynmandy]

I have county tap water at my house. My in laws next door have well water. I can choose either as a water source for my tank.

The well water seems to have high ph, up to 9 almost, but my tap water is loaded with chloramine. Even after I treat it, it still shows ammonia readings for days.

They both keep my fish happy, but it want to maximize my plant growth with high light, co2, and fertilizers.

Which would be the better route? Isn't lower ph needed for co2 to work correctly?

I'm buying a gh kh test kit tomorrow to see just how much co2 I'm getting.

Does anyone have suggestions on witch source to choose, and some tips to get the parameters where they need to be?

Any help,is appreciated.

 

[Careful]

Honestly I would go high pH (as long as there isn't anything else wrong with it) over ammonia in the water as long as your fish can handle it. High pH is bad for some fish but ammonia is bad for all fish.

 

[PlantedRich]

I suspect the reading on ammonia is misleading you. It is my understanding that test kits will show ammonia after water is treated with Prime. I don't follow the discussion closely but I have an idea that the prime breaks the bond of the chloramine, deals with the chlorine part and binds the ammonia part into a safe form but one which still shows on our hobby grade testing. Maybe ammonium which is a good plant fert rather than ammonia which is not good. I see frequent postings on the worry it gives people.
Can others who watch this closer add some to the little I remember?

I find we can often do too much when we begin to study our tanks. If there is not a problem we can create one by overworking the situation. If things are rocking along good, I would not change that due to testing of any sort. High GH and KH is not a problem for many of us. Mine is often above 18 grains or 300PPM. Upsetting a stable tank can be a very long road.

 

[Diana]

pH approaching 9 is too high for the soft water fish. Even the ones that have been bred in captivity for many generations can handle harder water than their ancestors evolved in can have problems when the pH is that extreme.

a) Use the hard water, but keep fish that thrive in it.

b) Post the GH and KH and lets see if something can be done.

c) If you want to keep and perhaps breed the more delicate soft water fish, then you will have to do something about whichever water source you want to use.