# What can a newbie learn from a local water quality report?



## Paul195 (27 Jan 2013)

Hi 

I have downloaded my regions water quality report. What are the most important parameters of this report and do I need to consider any of this info before starting a tank?

Measurements are given for:

Antimony
Benzo
Bromate
Cadmium
Chromium
Colour
Copper
E. Coliforms
Enterococci 
Lead 
Nickel 
Nitrate
Nitrite
Nitrogen
Odour Dilution Number
Selenium 
Sodium 
Taste Dilution Number 
Total Aluminium 
Total Arsenic 
Total Haloforms 
Total Iron 
Total Manganese 
Total PAH 
Turbidity
Ammonium 
pH
Plate Count at 22 C 
Plate Count at 37 C
Total coliforms
Field Free Chlorine
Field Total Chlorine

Thanks

Paul


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## Palm Tree (27 Jan 2013)

Its all pretty irrelevant, none of it will have any real effect on success of your tanks. I'd just ignore it personally.


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## callmephathead (27 Jan 2013)

Palm Tree said:


> Its all pretty irrelevant, none of it will have any real effect on success of your tanks. I'd just ignore it personally.


Agreed.
I am not an expert but I can't think of it being much use.
While you have the readings you could always check that all the values tested are within acceptable range, it should reassure you that your tap water is safe to drink , and maybe check the pH and  decide if you should use some Calgon in your mashing machine  ...but anything else in the water that could arm your fishes/plants should be dealt with the water conditioner (I use Tetra Aquasafe) you'll use


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## kirk (27 Jan 2013)

Hi,  Since being on here I've stopped using the declorinator.	  I use a big clean 5 gallon drum. A also have a second 5 gallon plastic drum for the old water I take from the tank. I have marked both drums so I remove and replace the same each change. I fill the clean drum to and inch below the line add two kettles of hot water then drop in an air stone and a heater (set to 23)and leave for a couple of hours.			 My plants health has improved considerably and my shrimp have near to correct temperature water avoiding stressing them..		 I also make a lot less mess and have more time to enjoy the tank. This way you could have water ready a day or so in advance. .   Some may not agree but its working for me on a 220 ltr it was a pain mixing measuring and testing water temp on every bucket.


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## Paul195 (27 Jan 2013)

> anything else in the water that could arm your fishes/plants should be dealt with the water conditioner (I use Tetra Aquasafe) you'll use


 
My current understanding is that I must dechlorinate and heat new water to the correct temp. I have some pond dechlorinator in the garage. Will this be ok to use? what else does aquasafe do except dechlorinate? I assume this is not necessary as kap k doesn't add any conditioner?

Also I would be interested how everyone goes about water changes without having to pale buckets of water back in (and making a mess on the carpet). I saw the python water change thingy but don't have a threaded faucet.

Cheers


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## Palm Tree (27 Jan 2013)

I just carry 40l buckets with about 30l of water in, but in my 700l I used to attach a hosepipe to a mixer tap. You could get a water but or big tub and fill it with water the day before your water change and add a heater and air stone though. But I would probably still use water conditioner to be on the safeside. Look up seachem prime and seachem safe, best dechlorinator money can by and best valuve for money imo.


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## callmephathead (27 Jan 2013)

Paul195 said:


> My current understanding is that I must dechlorinate and heat new water to the correct temp. I have some pond dechlorinator in the garage. Will this be ok to use? what else does aquasafe do except dechlorinate? I assume this is not necessary as kap k doesn't add any conditioner?
> 
> Also I would be interested how everyone goes about water changes without having to pale buckets of water back in (and making a mess on the carpet). I saw the python water change thingy but don't have a threaded faucet.
> 
> Cheers



I was told once that aquasafe also binds some heavy metals, including copper and others, which is important for me since I have shrimps...have a look at tetra's website for more info
Tetra Aqua Safe Monthly Water Conditioner | Dechlorinate and Condition
I don't know if it's the best available product but it works for me, I find it in every fish shop and it's very simple to use and there is not much risk to over dose it.
Thanks


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## dw1305 (28 Jan 2013)

Hi all,


Paul195 said:


> I have downloaded my regions water quality report. What are the most important parameters of this report and do I need to consider any of this info before starting a tank?


Mainly totally irrelevant to us, but what the are nitrate (NO3) mean and SD (or max/min?) and pH.

cheers Darrel


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## Paul195 (31 Jan 2013)

Min - Mean - Max

Nitrate
8.9 - 12.375 - 15.7 (mg/l)

pH
7.4  - 7.578  -  7.85


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## dw1305 (31 Jan 2013)

Hi all,


Paul195 said:


> Nitrate 8.9 - 12.375 - 15.7 (mg/l) pH 7.4 - 7.578 - 7.85


Low NO3, so almost certainly a pretty clean supply. The pH isn't very useful without a measure of the carbonate buffering, so it could be either naturally buffered (calcium carbonate rich) or it may have had NaOH added to raise the pH (in which case the dKH may be very low).

Where do you live?

cheers Darrel


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## Ady34 (31 Jan 2013)

dw1305 said:


> The pH isn't very useful without a measure of the carbonate buffering, so it could be either naturally buffered (calcium carbonate rich) or it may have had NaOH added to raise the pH (in which case the dKH may be very low).


Hi Darrel,
are there any consequences to using water with NaOH addition? Does chlorine/chloramine remover neutralise it?
Is it bad for plants/fish? Sorry for all the questions....
Cheers,
Ady.


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## dw1305 (31 Jan 2013)

Hi all,


Ady34 said:


> are there any consequences to using water with NaOH addition? Does chlorine/chloramine remover neutralise it? Is it bad for plants/fish? Sorry for all the questions....


No, not really it doesn't really effect anything in the tank other than the pH. At the most basic level pH is the ratio of H+ and OH- ions, so if you add OH- you raise the pH.The Na+ ions aren't useful either way to fish or plants, although they will raise the TDS a little.

Have a look through this thread: It was written for a fairly sophisticated fish keeping audience, but one that largely doesn't have planted tanks. The OP had water that had a high pH (almost certainly from NaOH addition), but virtually no carbonate buffering:
<http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8904&highlight=NaOH>
"macvsog23" who posts was the late, great Bob Marklew, Bristol fish breeder extraordinaire.

cheers Darrel


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## Ady34 (31 Jan 2013)

Thanks Darrel, ill have a read through that when my brain is willing to accept!


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## Paul195 (1 Feb 2013)

*Supply zone: *Kewstoke and Weston Super Mare (North)

*pH* *pH* 
7.50
*Alkalinity* *mg/l CaCO3* 
171
*mg/l HOC3* 
209
*Calcium* *mg/l Ca* 
68
*Magnesium* *mg/l Mg* 
11.2
*Total Hardness* *mg/l CaCO3* 
215
*Clark° (UK)* 
15
*French°* 
22
*German°* 
12


Prescribed Concentration Values

Antimony 8 < 0.1 0.15 0.3 5 ug/l Sb
Benzo (a) Pyrene 6 < 1 < 1 < 1 10 ng/litre
Bromate 7 < 0.1 0.443 0.6 10 ug/l BrO3
Cadmium 8 0.09 0.143 0.21 5 ug/l Cd
Chromium 8 < 0.1 0.562 0.7 50 ug/l Cr
Colour 24 < 0.3 0.838 1.6 20 mg/l Pt/Co
Copper first draw 8 3 73.2 196 2000 ug/l Cu
E. Coliforms 49 0 0 0 0 cfu/100 mls
Enterococci 8 0 0 0 0 cfu/100 mls
Lead first draw 8 < 0.3 1.163 3 25 ug/l Pb
Nickel first draw 8 < 0.4 1.025 1.8 20 ug/l Ni
Nitrate 8 8.9 12.375 15.7 50 mg/l NO3
Nitrite 8 < 0.007 0.008 0.009 0.5 mg/l NO2
Nitrogen Formula 8 0.181 0.25 0.316 1 mg/l
Odour Dilution Number 23 0 0 0 3
Selenium 8 < 0.2 0.263 0.4 10 ug/l Se
Sodium 8 7.5 10.975 24 200 mg/l Na
Taste Dilution Number 23 0 0 0 3
Total Aluminium 23 < 1 8.348 18 200 ug/l Al
Total Arsenic 8 0.6 0.937 1.1 10 ug/l As
Total Haloforms 6 12.57 19.745 31.34 100 ug/l
Total Iron 24 < 4 11.5 46 200 ug/l Fe
Total Manganese 23 < 1.8 1.948 2.6 50 ug/l Mn
Total PAH (4 dets) 7 0 0 0 ug/l
Turbidity 24 < 0.06 0.087 0.27 4 NTUs
Ammonium 24 < 0.015 0.017 0.018 0.5 mg/l NH4
pH 24 7.4 7.578 7.85 9.5
Plate Count at 22 C 49 < 0 0.959 20 cfu/ml
Plate Count at 37 C 48 < 0 1 15 cfu/ml
Total Coliforms 49 0 0 0 0 cfu/100 mls
Field Free Chlorine 50 0.05 0.435 0.64 mg/l Cl2
Field Total Chlorine 50 0.12 0.541 0.78 mg/l Cl2


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## dw1305 (1 Feb 2013)

Hi all,
Thanks Paul, perfect. Looks like "Bristol Water" from Blagdon Lake etc. the magnesium (Mg) is probably from the "dolomitic conglomerate" on the Mendip catchment. Details are here:<http://a0768b4a8a31e106d8b0-50dc802554eb38a24458b98ff72d550b.r19.cf3.rackcdn.com/geho0405bmod-e-e.pdf> 


Paul195 said:


> Alkalinity mg/l CaCO3 171 mg/l HOC3 209 Calcium mg/l Ca 68 Magnesium mg/l Mg 11.2 Total Hardness mg/l CaCO3 215 Clark° (UK) 15 French° 22 German° 12


So in this case you have quite a lot of buffering, the workings are a bit strange, because we have to go from CaCO3 to CaO:

Ca (RAM) = 40, C = 12 and O = 16, CaCO3 = 40 + 12 + 48(16 x 3) = 100).

100g in 1 litre is a molar solution of calcium carbonate (40% Ca), and 0.1g per litre a millimolar solution.

1 dKH is "One degree German" and defined as 10 milligrams of calcium oxide (CaO) per litre of water. This is equivalent to 17.85 milligrams of calcium carbonate per litre of water, or 17.85 ppm (ppm = mg/litre). 

So for your water: 
Total Hardness mg/l CaCO3 = 215 > 215/17.85 = 12.04 dGH
Bi-carbonate HOC3 = 209 =  2xHCO3 =1 carbonate (CO3) & 1dKH = 10.7145 ppm CO3
104.5/10.71  = 9.75 dKH
Ca = 86ppm (171 x 40%)
Adding the magnesium in as well gives the 215 ppm, MgCO3 RMM = 84 (Mg = 24, C=12, O3 = 48), %Mg =28.5% 

My tap water (Corsham, Wilts - SN13 9AR), so about 40 miles away to the other side of Bristol:
Calcium (milligrams per litre) 119 (298 x 40% = 119)
Calcium carbonate (milligrams per litre) = 298
Degrees German (ºdH) 16.7 (16.7 x 17.85 = 298)

Main difference would be that my water doesn't have any appreciable magnesium.  

Have a look here for some more hardness details: <Degrees German | UK Aquatic Plant Society>

cheers Darrel
.


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