Water supply issue in the lower mainland

[Dietmar]

Ok, I concede, there are some heavymetals in the water. But at a TDS of say 15 ppm, thats not a lot of dissolved minerals. Not all of those parts are heavy metals, but some sure could be.
Your water is not delivered to your house in copper pipes. In the house itself, older homes have copper plumbing, but the new ones all have plastic, with just the last couple of feet could be copper. The faucets are brass and that has copper in it.
I'm sure some plumber could tell us the codes in effect now. I know in Van you can only use silver solder for the copper joints.
Just for information, if you drink water from the faucet in the morning, let the water run for a min. to replenish all the water in the pipes. All the static water in the pipes all night have been leaching copper out of the pipes as well as lead from the brass and older solder joints. And never drink nor cook with hot water.

[dsouthworth]

I know this is about water hardness.
But also about the water. What's the verdict on chloramine? Do we have it? I'll always dose my prime for it but it would be nice to know.
It'll obviously vary from city to city. Anybody from surrey(newton) know the answer to this?

[Rastapus]

Actually there is a lot of copper in our water systems, leading to the homes as well. I recently helped a neighbor find a leak in his line from the shutoff at the road to the house, all copper. It is not just copper lines in the buildings but ones leading to them.

[Dietmar]

The water lines that are parallel to the road, buried, are not copper.

[dsouthworth]

The water lines that are parallel to the road, buried, are not copper.

No, but the line that goes from that line, to the house probably will be, same with water lines in the house.

[discus fanatic]

Grant,

I am very interested in what you are saying about maintaining proper GH and KH levels.

I plan to use Replenish to help with the GH.

I am currently using Seachem Discus Buffer and Seachem Neutral Regulator to set my pH level.

Do you think I can use any of the above products with the Seachem Alkaline Buffer to set the pH and help with the KH or am I better off just switching to Seachem Acid Buffer?

Also, with our water being so soft and deplete of minerals, do you think there is any harm with adding the recommended levels of Seachem Replenish, Seachem Alkaline Buffer and Seachem Acid Buffer to a weekly 50% water change or would you recommend that I add them only after testing for GH and KH levels.

Thanks for your help.

[Dietmar]

No, but the line that goes from that line, to the house probably will be, same with water lines in the house.

Older homes yes, newer homes not.

[Rastapus]

Grant,

I am very interested in what you are saying about maintaining proper GH and KH levels.

I plan to use Replenish to help with the GH.

I am currently using Seachem Discus Buffer and Seachem Neutral Regulator to set my pH level.

Do you think I can use any of the above products with the Seachem Alkaline Buffer to set the pH and help with the KH or am I better off just switching to Seachem Acid Buffer?

Also, with our water being so soft and deplete of minerals, do you think there is any harm with adding the recommended levels of Seachem Replenish, Seachem Alkaline Buffer and Seachem Acid Buffer to a weekly 50% water change or would you recommend that I add them only after testing for GH and KH levels.

Thanks for your help.

For sure I would add those products based on the existing levels in your aquarium. If you maintain a low GH and KH for your discus the pH may be fine on its own without adding another buffer. Many hobbyists keep their GH and KH around 3 degrees and don't adjust their pH and their discus are fine. The discus we import from Germany have a pH of 7.6 as an example and they are beautiful discus.