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Re: Topping off (was: Lowering pH when adding hard water nutrients...)



William Beckerman writes:


<< OK this may fall under the heading of dumb newbie question but... When I   
kept reef tanks, I always topped off for evaporation with R/O water to   
keep the water chemistry from building up. Water changers were away done   
with reconstituted R/O (R/O right, salt etc). Why isn't it this way in   
fresh water? Many of the post seem to indicate that they top with tap   
water or aged mixed water, or is just covered by big water changes every   
week? >>

Salt water fish live in a very huge body of water which remains,  by virtue 
of its volume, virtually stable as far as the dissolved solutes (salts and 
other minerals).  They have not had to maintain the kind of adaptability that 
fresh water fish have.  They are far more sensitive to fluctuations in the 
salinity, pH, KH, GH, conductivity, and whatever else there is than are fresh 
water fish.  Fresh water hobbyists simply don't have to be as fussy about 
their water as salt water hobbyists do.  I personally don't have the 
motovation to do this.  When I am having trouble getting a given pair of 
freshwater fish to spawn for me, then I go through all the hoops until I get 
what I hope is ideal water for that particular species.  Otherwise, I don't 
sweat it.
Bob Dixon
Cichlid Trader List Administrator       º o
http://cichlidtrader.listbot.com               0
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