Question: Dealing with Soft Water

[achiinto]

Now I think I figure out the reason why my water is changing so terribly. I suspect my local water supply has somehow changed the water to much softened. Everyday when I test the water for PH and Ammonia, I started noticing that the newly added PH7.8 water will change to PH6.4 over night. I agree that I have some decaying plants and some wastes at the tank bottom, however, if the water is hard enough, this should not happen.

I am thinking to make the water harder by adding limestone pieces to the tank, because I prefer more stable PH whenever I change water. Most website suggests to add limestones to a filter system. However, as I am keeping newts that can easily escape or some species that prefer calm water, I don't use filter and simply relied on biological filter.

Local aquarium store owner suggested that if I simply add limestone to a calm water tank, I will be risking to have a tank that is partially alkaline and partially acidic. And I can guess that this will be harmful to the newts/axolotls.

Another possible way is to evenly spread the limestone gravels to the aquarium, so that the water will evenly become hard, suggested by the local aquarium owners. Do you think this will work? I worry that this might risk the newt/salamander swallowing it into the stomach; especially for axolotls,

Anyone has any experience or insight regarding this? Thanks

 

[Jennewt]

This is nonsense: "a tank that is partially alkaline and partially acidic". If you mix alkaline water and acidic water, you get something closer to neutral. This is NOT a problem. Limestone cannot somehow make the water alkaline only in some parts of the tank. This stuff dissolves VERY slowly, and the water certainly mixes around faster than that (even without a filter).

Whatever you try, let us know how it works!

 

[achiinto]

This is nonsense: "a tank that is partially alkaline and partially acidic". If you mix alkaline water and acidic water, you get something closer to neutral. This is NOT a problem. Limestone cannot somehow make the water alkaline only in some parts of the tank. This stuff dissolves VERY slowly, and the water certainly mixes around faster than that (even without a filter).

Whatever you try, let us know how it works!

Thanks Jen, I guess I know why the water is turning soft. My recent home renovation involve replacing the entire pipe system on the upper level. I guess that removed many accumulated minerals in the pipes. Guess that has to do with the softness.

I should have done more frequent and small water change before to control the acidity of the water. Now trying to make it more alkaline, which every water change causes the remaining acidic water ammonia level go rocket high. It is just crazy.

 

[Jennewt]

In my experience with soft water, it's very difficult to change the pH with water changes. I tried doing 10-20% changes daily, and after a couple of weeks the pH was still low.

The pH shouldn't have a direct effect on the ammonia level. It will make any ammonia more toxic, but I don't think it will effect the reading you get from an ammonia test.

 

[achiinto]

I am wondering that the root cause of the problem is old tank syndrome. However, I also observing the same pattern of PH drop in newly established tank. Very awkward.

The actual situation is that my GH is high, very high. So the water is actually hard. However, my KH is basically at zero. Tap water came out is moderate in KH, so that means the carbonate buffer is used up to neutralize acid. And once KH is low, PH started to drop. When PH dropped very low, the nitrogen cycle collapsed and ammonia just building up. This is typical of old tank syndrome which is the first time I have experienced it.

However, I don't understand why newly established tanks will have KH drop as well. I am now setting up my tap water aside for 24 hours to test the changes. Maybe my tap water has some problems after settling down.

I am also trying to use baking soda on all tanks to buffer up the KH. These few days have been very tiring with all the water changes. I guess my newts/salamanders are all stressful as I do.

However, I also learned a few things.
1) The PH drop stimulates breeding behavior to a few species. When it drops, Warty newts started to show breeding behaviors. It is possible that it impacts Spanish Ribbed Newts as well. I read that it is natural for the newts when Rain started to fall, it diluted the KH in the habitat which make the water more acidic.
2) When PH goes up, toward 7.5 and up, Warty newts seem to refocus on food/hunting.
3) Don't let your tank PH go lower than 6.5. At least try not to. I heard that when PH is very low, nutrifying bacteria will start to die off.
4) When PH is low, ammonia is less toxic. But when you add the PH up by 1 degree, the ammonia toxicity will go up by 10 times. (read from somewhere).
5) An out of water resting platform is very useful even if your newts never go on land for more than a few years already. My Cynops got up to the platform all together, This told me ahead of time that there is problem in my water.

Now, I can only hope that the Baking Soda can solve the problem, I can find the true cause of the water problem and that no more animals will die from this.

Playing with water is dangerous and not fun. This is the first time that I got myself more involved in chemistry than biology in this hobby.

P.S.- good news. Don't know why, I got close to 100 SRN larvae during all this water chaos.