Tank Setups • Hard water looking for ideas?

[pharrix]

Water surface looks terrible. Tested my ph and it has dropped from where my water was when I got into cichlids. Use to register at 9.1 possibly 9.2 now its down to 8.2 in my storage tank and 8.6 in my aquarium water I have added nothing to the water and nothing in the tank to raise the ph.

Just pictures of my storage tank.

[vann59]

That's a pretty high pH for tap water, but it's not a problem for African cichlids. Did you rule out the white stuff being from the bio media? If you don't pre-rinse your bio media, it will do that. It's 'dirty' with dust when you get it.

[pharrix]

I wish It was that easy.. no bio media in the storage tank.

I'm on well water.

I'm going to install an ro until this week.. I can't take it anymore.

on top of this issue, My sump decided it wanted to crack on me last night.

[vann59]

An RO unit will give you good clean water, but you will need to harden it and raise the pH for Africans. CA, or SA would be fine with RO water, but not Africans.

[pharrix]

right, apparently have to add a chemical to make the water right for fish, not sure if I understand it.

I knew the water would be alot softer once it goes through the ro unit.

thanks for your advice.