# Vancouver water?



## poiuy704 (Nov 6, 2010)

I'm moving a couple of my daughter's tanks from Chilliwack to Vancouver next week and am wondering about what I need to do for the water before we put the fish in. Our Chilliwack water I have always used straight from the tap to the tank with no issues. I'm assuming from what I've seen on here that won't work in Vancouver. Is filling a bunch of buckets, adjusting the pH and letting them sit for a few days enough to get any thing out of the water that may be harmful or do I need to do more? She has mostly smaller community fish, angels, tetras, catfish etc.


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

As you know Vancouver water is always close to 6.8. If you wanted you could lower your water ph down to around that figure over the period of a week or so.


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Actually best to aerate the water if you're going to do that or just add Prime like I do. Aerating should dissipate the chlorine faster.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

ime I believe buffering is needed as well, seems no matter how low the Ph is out of the tap, it will rise to 7.8 on it's own if not buffered properly. If you haven't read these, they may be helpful:
http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/island-pets-unlimited-42/water-supply-issue-lower-mainland-715/
http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/island-pets-unlimited-42/adjusting-hardness-your-aquarium-7033/


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## Transposon (Sep 19, 2012)

Diztrbd1 said:


> ime I believe buffering is needed as well, seems no matter how low the Ph is out of the tap, it will rise to 7.8 on it's own if not buffered properly. If you haven't read these, they may be helpful:
> http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/island-pets-unlimited-42/water-supply-issue-lower-mainland-715/
> http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/island-pets-unlimited-42/adjusting-hardness-your-aquarium-7033/


Great links!
Very soft water... hmm time to get some carnivorous plants?


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Diztrbd1 said:


> ime I believe buffering is needed as well, seems no matter how low the Ph is out of the tap, it will rise to 7.8 on it's own if not buffered properly. If you haven't read these, they may be helpful:
> http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/island-pets-unlimited-42/water-supply-issue-lower-mainland-715/
> http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/island-pets-unlimited-42/adjusting-hardness-your-aquarium-7033/


My water never rises to 7.8 on its own. I just use unbuffered water from the tap for my discus and the pH is below 7. May be there is something in yoru tank that increases your pH?


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

Fish rookie said:


> My water never rises to 7.8 on its own. I just use unbuffered water from the tap for my discus and the pH is below 7. May be there is something in yoru tank that increases your pH?


could be but not likely, pretty much everything in my tanks has neutral or lowering effects, but after I started buffering my tanks I found this to happen less. Also.. I wasn't saying it happens overnight, I meant over time. Depending to how often and how much water you change, it might not be as noticeable. Being you have Discus, I am going to guess you probably do larger w/c's and more often than I do lol
I honestly rarely test my Ph now. I concentrate more on keeping the hardness levels consistent than anything. The Ph is affected by the hardness or softness of the water. Being lower mainland water has almost 0 minerals in it, this is an important factor for most people here. Having proper hardness levels are indeed important for the fish and also the waters ability to maintain a stabilized Ph level
Here are a few other interesting articles about water hardness and it's importance:

Basic Water Chemistry Part 1: Water Hardness

Expanded Section - Water hardness has a major effect on pH and pH stability. It will affect the toxicity of many common substances, including some fish disease treatments. Information

Water Hardness

http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/addinfo/ph.html


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## Plants'n'cichlids (Oct 13, 2012)

My water in south surrey is about 6.5


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

From what I understand, usually pH will go down, not up, due to overdue water changes. Nitrate and all the waste accumulated in water will bring pH down over time. This is one of the reasons why an alkaline buffer is recommended.
pH might go up if your water gases out CO2 (but this should not happen over a long period of time) or if you have something in your tank like a rock or substrate that can bring it up.
If you test your tap right off the tap you might get a higher reading than if you test it say an hour later and that is usually a result of Co2 released from your water. In this case kH and gH do not change as the mineral in your water do not dissipiate but only your Co2. May be that is why Diztrbd1's water goes up to 7.8 but it should not happen over time as in a course of many days unless he has something lese going on..
My tap in Richmond is about 6.8 with kH and GH close to zero. May be if you slowly aclimatize your fish from your chilliwack water to Vancouver water you will be fine? Not sure what chilliwack water is like...Most tetra, angles..prefer softer and acidic water, don't they?
I am new to this hobby and am just a rookie...so please correct me if I am wrong.


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

given the time of year (raining lots now) the TDS and mineral content of the water will be low. depending on where you are in the system, it could be as low as 3 TDS or as 'high' as 20 which is still painfully low. buffer with KH and GH buffers (there are many) aerate for an hour or two to mix, and don't forget prime, as in general our tapwater will have Copper and in some area Aluminum in solution = VERY bad for inverts and sensitive fish.


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