wandj

Why would you pay $900 for one? GSaquaticinc is selling 8" ones for CAN$325? Are you interested? Am I incorrect about this? Go to thier website.

Hi. I have one of those fanshy smanshy farm/acreage water softeners. Typical water softener salt. If I don't soften, I have so much Ca and Mg that I get white, flaky and heavy crud forming everywhere...especially my heaters. I know I can use peat, lava rock medium and driftwood and I have. But have not seen any results yet. I will try puttin peat in my Fluvals for sure. And thanks for the pH explanation. Now it all makes sense. I read somewhere that there is little O2 in well water...cuz it's in the ground. So now I know why the pH rises after sitting...O2 is entering/CO2 leaving. Mystery SOLVED. Thanks. I found my test results. I did them about a month or so ago. My Zebra tank dissolved O2 according to my meter is 7. I assume that's good. One of those new Milwaulki meters. (Probably spelled that wrong) If I used my RO unit, the pH is 6.9 GH is (using my softened water) 40ppm My raw (well water) GH is 220ppm My softened water kH is 430ppm mg/L My well water is 370ppm mg/L Calcium of my softened water is <20 (very low) I had done an experiment with peat. I soaked some in a pail for a 3 days. Starting pH is 8.5 of course. At the end, it went down to 8.2 So it does work. However, if I have a tank that has been lowered to 8.2 by whatever (peat, driftwood), I would have to be very careful with water changes right? No? Anyway. So there ya have it. I would like to meet Mr. Roberts. Would like to meet the guy who raised my fishies. As for the Zebras, I hope they don't mind my wonky water. But I thought they would like the softened water over my well water no? Also have 3 x 150 Watt heaters in that tub.

Oh, more tank parameters: I am on well water. Out of the ground it is hard to very hard. 10 grains. I also have a lot of sediment...looks like coal flakes. If I don't filter my water, I get ANTS coming through the pipes! (GROSS) My well is punched through Limestone, so that explains my high pH and kH. Anyway, I soften my water so it is soft in my Zebra tank. kH is VERY high. Thus, my pH 8.5 NEVER budges. Like I said, this tub is 85 gal...maybe 70 actual water cuz it's not to the very top. I tried mixing in over half RO water to lower my pH. Total waste of time. It didn't move. So I hope the Zebra is as adaptable as they say...and will breed too! So anyway, in Zebra tank: pH 8.5 Water: soft <20 kH: over 430ppm Temp: 85F No iron or other metals that I know of. My well water goes through an earth aggregate sediment filter, then the softener. What I can't figure out, is if I measure my pH immediately out of the tap, my pH is 7.6!!! I only wish it would stay there, but after a few hours sitting in a glass (or a couple of days sitting in a big bucket) the pH ALWAYS rises up to 8.5 and stays there. My LFS could not explain this, and I have no idea why this happens. When I got my water tested by a pro when I got my water treatment equipment, the pro said my pH was 7.6. And it's NOT my test kits. I have a wide range and high range pH test-tube tests and I bought the very expensive battery powered pH meter. All 8.5 in older water. Getting off topic, but have always wondered about this. Hmmm Anybody out there have any ideas?

Argh. Have to re-do this. I previewed my post, and clicked back to correct something and it was all GONE. Have to do this all over again! Oh, and HI DAVID!! The website he listed is where I got my Zebras from. At CAN$40 each! They were sold to me in a September "sale" as young adults. Half are monsters and half are smaller. Got some very big males. Very healthy and beautiful!! :smilebig: I am sure I got Mr. Roberts stock...some of it. I got 24 of them...all that were available at gsaquaticinc. I cleaned them out. Their water was ph 7.8. This will shock you, but I put them in my water that is pH8.5!! And if they breed, you will all know as I have proven I have a big mouth and the world will hear! I acclimatized them for 4 hours by dripping...mostly cuz I knew my pH was a concern. They would not eat for the first 3 days. (I've only had them a week I think) Just last night, I put in a whole block of blood worms and a few shrimp pellets. This morning, ALL food was gone! And I found some poo! Tank set up: You will be shocked at what I'm doing. Because I keep running into delays getting my fish room built, I resorted to going down to my Farm Mart in town and picked up an 85 gal LIVESTOCK tub. It is safe for fish. It is black and oval in shape. I have: 3 x 4plus Fluvals 2 large sponge filters 4 x air curtains Tons of decorations. Clay caves, reptile caves, rocks, etc Piece of Mopani wood but I know I don't need it. Also, because my tub is black, (I have an opaque plastic lid) and if I cover it with a blanket, my Zebras COULD be in 24 darkness. But I don't think I need to do that and doubt it's that good for them anyway. No other fish or anything in this tub. Tub cycling since Aug 1. I have it so that the current flows around the tub. The middle of the tub is calm and bare...this is where I can put food down and it doesn't drift away. I can tell if it's there in the morning if they are eating or not. And like I said, this morning there was NOTHING! Not even a trace. At first, they all just hid anywhere...behind my filters, lowest points possible. Now I see the males have selected their caves. When I fed them last, one big male poked his head out and watched me. Cool. I have much more to tell, but I don't want to bore anyone and have to go anyway. I can provide more info if you ask. I even got a little guy that has unique markings...instead of a band of black across his head, he looks like a racoon! Neat.

Hello. I think I just bought 24 of Mr. Robert's fish. The shop (in Edmonton) I bought them from said they had to pick them up from their breeder (Roberts) in Edmonton. They said he has raised over 1000 fry. So it must be him. They said he was very busy. I just got these fish last week, so he must still be close by and raising them. And they are very beautiful I might add!