# Port Moody tap water



## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

installed an undersink water filter to remove chlorine for the tap that I will be using for water changes. Then I bought the API Freshwater Master Test Kit and their GH/KH test kit. Time to test the tap water for a baseline!

Shock of shocks, the water in my kitchen tap had a pH of 8.4! I recently installed an undersink water filter to remove chlorine on this tap. The pipes feeding the tap are all the new pvc or whatever it is, not the old copper pipes. So I tested the tap water in my bathroom, which is still on copper pipe, and the pH was 8.2. Weird. This morning I decided to retest, and the kitchen tap was 8 and the bathroom was 7.8. It's a new API kit and a very simple test, so either it is not that accurate or there can be quite a variation in the pH of water coming into the house.

The GH and KH of both is 2 dKH (35.8 ppm).

All municipalities are required to produced an annual water quality report, available on-line. It is detailed enough that you can find out the closest monitoring station to where you live (and get the test results for that location), where the water comes from, and if you are above or below a rechlorination station. The water in my house is gravity-fed from the Seymour reservoir. Depending on where you live in Port Moody, you will get water from either the Coquitlam or the Seymour reservoir. Port Moody _buys _water. In 2012, the City purchased approximately 4.8 million cubic metres water from Metro Vancouver (Seymour reservoir). There is a regular testing station 1/2 a block from me. The water coming to my house does not go through the extra rechlorination station installed at Ioco in 2008, this station only feeds water to a few select areas identified as needing extra chlorination. The City of Port Moody aims to maintain free chlorine residual concentrations between 1.50 mg/l and 0.20 mg/l.

pH was not listed in the 2012 annual report. In the 2011 report, pH ranged from 7.35 to 9.42 (Zone III reservoir), pH 7.09 to 7.86 upstream of Ioco rechlorination station, and pH 7.01 to 9.13 downstream of this station. So quite a range within the city and within each water source.

The Fraser Health Authority has asked all municipalities to include the following message in their annual reports:
Anytime the water in a particular faucet has not been used for six hours or longer, "flush" your cold-water pipes by running the water until you notice a change in temperature. (This could take as little as five to thirty seconds if there has been recent heavy water use such as showering or toilet flushing. Otherwise, it could take two minutes or longer.) The more time water has been sitting in your home's pipes, the more lead it may contain. Use only water from the cold-tap for drinking, cooking, and especially making baby formula. Hot water is likely to contain higher levels of lead. The two actions recommended above are very important to the health of your family. 
They will probably be effective in reducing lead levels because most of the lead in household water usually comes from the plumbing in your house, not from the local 
water supply.

I tested the pH again after flushing the pipes as above, and the pH of both the kitchen and bathroom water sources remained the same as prior to flushing.

So I think when I am doing water changes I will test the pH of the tank water, and the pH of my source water, and adjust accordingly before putting it in the tank rather than running water in straight from my dechlorinated tap. Any comments on this plan?? Overkill?? Most people I have talked to just run it straight into the tank, but I wonder if the water of higher pH will be absorbed and balanced quickly in the tank, especially during larger water changes.

I am new to this so input would be appreciated!


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## GaryR (Sep 16, 2012)

Super fascinating. I'm in heritage woods. I haven't tested my PH for over a year. I can't remember the last time I tested source water, but in 2013-02-19 the water in my freshwater tank was 6.5.


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Try doing your pH tests after your tap water has had a chance to "settle" overnight or after it's been aerated. When it has had a chance to outgas, that should be your true pH reading. Gases in your tap water could be giving you a temporary higher pH reading.

All my tanks are in the basement now, I have 2 water barrels, one for the softer water fish, one for rift lake cichlids. I allow it to heat and aerate at least overnight to stabilize water parameters, but I wouldn't have any hesitation to use straight tap water for up to 50% water changes for my soft water fish. Lots of splashing when filling up the tank will help outgas the tap water.


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

http://www.portmoody.ca/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=1699 This is the link for the 2011 Annual Port Moody report which lists pH
http://www.portmoody.ca/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=5754 This is a link for the 2012 report, I couldn't see pH in this one


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

I am going to test both kitchen and bathroom water again for pH, GH and KH after letting a sample sit overnight. Will get back to you tomorrow with results! Thanks.


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

OK so I tested the pH of the water out of the kitchen tap after sitting overnight. The pH was between 7.2 and 7.4. So possibly a stupid question - does this mean that the pH of water straight from the tap is ACTUALLY 8.4, or does it just read 8.4 due to the gases? In other words, as far as the fish are concerned, can I add water straight from the tap? Just wondering if I should run out to buy a food-safe pail to store water.

The GH and KH were between 1 and 2 - adding one drop of the test solution gave the correct colour - no colour change.


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

I don't know how to respond your question - the pH for all intents and purposes is 8.4 per your test kit, and if you remove gases, it will settle to a more neutral pH. It probably would cause some stress to your fish if you drop it in your tap water (I would be stressed too). How large of a water change are you doing? Anything up to 50% should be fine. Gases (including chlorine) can dissipate by splashing the water you're adding to your tank. Just avoid having your fish covered in air bubbles during your water change. Otherwise, I wouldn't overthink it and continue with your water changes. 

IMO, a more important factor is a consistent KH & GH. I add some KH buffer and GH boosters in all my tanks and allow the pH to settle where it be - as long as it's consistent, then the pH should be consistent.


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