Hi,

I’m going to be setting up a tropical community tank. However, we have a water softener. Is that going to be a problem? I’m pretty sure our water is saltier than it would be normally.

Thanks!
Isaac

What is GH and KH? How do I test for them? What levels should I be looking for on those and for the Ph?
You say guppies + mollies are ok. How about cherry barbs and dwarf gouramis? These are the other fish I’m interested in.

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all i have in my house for my fish is expired tap water. it still looks clean. it’s only been expired since the 17 of december last year. could use it without harming them?
oh and is it OK 2 use tap?

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Hello all. I own a fresh water aquarium with a little goldfish in it. I need to replace the water because it is fairly dirty. However, I left tap water out before I emptied the tank, much to my dismay, the cleaning lady threw out the water thinking it was uninportant. I need to re-fill the aquarium, but only have Dasani bottled water on hand. Can I use that? If not, what can I use? I cannot go out to purchase anything.
Thank you so much in advance =)
Thank you all for your help. I did use Dasani and my fish is swimming around happily, apparently with no problem, so that’s good. no signs of dying or having a disease.

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So I seriously think there’s something wrong with my neighborhood water, cause I’ve been running tests, and they’re not really great. I’ve added small tetras and clown loaches (I believe that’s how they are spelled) and they all died :(, except for the regular fish I have in the tank, they are alive, well and eating normally… So I think they are just used to the water…

Like that PuR water contraption? I really want a solid way of doing this, instead of finding a place that has good water, but have to spend a boat load of money for it and trying to avoid using too many chemicals?

THANKS!
EDIT

I’ve been using water conditioning stuff, even the "natural bacterial conditioners" and nothing is working… that’s why I’m looking for filter systems.

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I recently cleaned out and changed the water in our goldfish tank. Normally I use spring water in the tank, but last night I filled it with city tap water. I had heard that if that water is left to sit for about 24 hours before the fish are added that the chlorine will be gone enough to be safe for the fish. Is this true? How lond should I wait until I put the goldfish back in?

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I found that my tank is going through the nitrogen cycle and im going to start changing water.
when we change the water, does putting chemicals like the water conditioner affect the cycle?
The man in the pet store told me to put some everytime i changed water.
He did not tell me anything about the nitrogen cycle.
am i supposed to put anything in the water or just put the tap water and leave it as it is?
Would the tap water affect anything?
There is fish inside my tank.
Thank you!

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Recommended or not? Is this a good way to dilute the chemicals in the water so they don’t become too harsh on the fish, yet remain effective enough to balance the ph, nitrites, and ammonia levels? I would like to just add chems, kinda of intravenously thru the filter behind the media. And does this effect my bio wheel permanently? Can the bio wheel regenerate bacteria anyway and remain effective?

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No money for dechlorinator. Our tap has alot of chlorine. No money to buy distilled water + thats bad for the fish. Will fiiltered spring water work? without a dechlorinator?
This spring water also goes through a ton of filteration processes?
O gosh… i will GET the money.. but i dont have it at the TIME …. ill get it soon. it just depends when i get paid.

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I jus set up my aquarium but no fish are in there but the heater and filter are runing the tank is very bubbly is that normal? i have addedt the required things i onli got it today can i turn the filter off?
Good answer but would it be okay when changin the filter to have it off but it creates alot of bubbles which are sticking on it an the heater is this okay?

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I have a 10 gallon tank, with a filter and heater. I was wondering if the water is supposed to be crystal clear like when I first put the water in the tank with the water conditioner & bacteria fighter? Or is it supposed to be slightly cloudy all of the time? I’m on day 4 of the cycling proccess, and I’m supposed to go to Petco for the fish on Friday, so I don’t want the fish to die or anything in my water. Right now it’s slightly cloudy, but the right temperature. Thanks!

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I had fish for quite a long time, but it was constant buying because they never stayed alive long. I gave it up, and now i got a new tank and want to start again. I’m thinking of things to do differently, and maybe thought distilled water (pure H2O) might be a better idea to fill my tank with. Help?

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If you fill a glass with water from my tap (well water) the water is crystal clear. When you let it sit for an hour or so it starts to yellow, and gets and oily film on top. If you let it continue to sit for more hours/overnight it gets filled with little orange balls of goo that float all around in it.

We already have water delivery because of the water being smelly and softened with a softener which the landlord claims is a "purification system" that "makes the water delicious" … well we never believed that one!!

So what can be making the water get so nasty after it sits around? He’s added more chemicals/salts to the water system, but it actually seems worse since he did that.
We don’t drink it, we don’t give it to the cats or fish, and we don’t water plants with it. It makes our heads scaly and skin dry, and turns all the bathroom fixtures orange. It is happening through the whole house.

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I have a 12 gallon. Im not sure how long i should let the water go through the filtering system before i can put fish in. plzzz help
I know that it has to be cholorinated. I just need to know how long the tankmust be going before it can establish healthy bacteria.also I have two goldfih which are what im going to put in it.

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Ok, i have a 10 gallon tank with heater, slightly high ph (well, really at the highest amount for a beta and tetras-7.4), a thermometer, a filter, 1 beta, and 4 (well, NOW four) neon tetras. 2 days ago, i bought 5 neon tetras. they were to go with my beta that i currently had in the 10 gallon tank. the water is pure, i clean it approx. every 4-5 days. when i first got my tetras and put them in, they were fine. yesterday, i noticed the beta was sometimes swiming right next to them, but they were out in the open and he was "stalking" in the plants. occasionally they would swim together in the open, so i figured it was ok. half the time, this one neon tetra (he was a tad longer and slimer than the others, and had more potent coloring) would separate from the others, sometimes swiming side by side with the beta. this morning, i was feeding my fish when i realized only 4 were swiming around in the tank. i couldn’t find the last one! my mom went fishing around the tank with her hand when…
…she accedentally uprooted two plants. when she was re-planting them. she saw a tetra floating around with no tail at the surface. my little "rebel" was dead! he must of been held down by the plants. he definetely wasn’t floating b4. non the less, we think the beta bit off his tail. now, the other fish always stay in a school, but occasionally separate. ever since, ive noticed they are a more aggressive. the beta is always "stalking" in the plants, though it looks as if he is looking for food. but, just now i saw he looked for food right beneath the tetras, and i tapped the tank so that the tetras would see him. then he tried to take a little nip out of them one, but he got away. i really want my fish to stay safe, what should i do???

p.s. i also got these fish from petco, so i still have a warently on the 5 tetras if i should by new to keep the quantity high. thx!
i let my tank go through the cycles and all that already.
oh and also, for the part of the question saying what is wrong with my fish, my beta has this large lump (about the size of his head) right behind his gills.
did i forget to say the dead neon had NO TAIL!!! (when he was found dead , of course.)
im still waiting for answers…desperately!

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i have a 29 gallon tank with pool filter sand as substrate (pure no chemicals) water here is 7.0 ph. im interested in lively fish such as cichlids. i prefer to be understocked to adequate rather than overstocked. what common cichlids can i get from stores and how many can i get? experienced answers only please.
please experts only half of these are ridiculous
and please read the question im asking about cichlids…

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