Water question

Question
QUESTION: Dear Ron,

Would you be willing to entertain a question about the best water to use for a freshwater tank, and the use of salts?  If so, here goes:

I have two freshwater tanks:  55 gal and 10 gal.  Both are well-cycled, tend to get high in nitrates, and water changes of 10%-20% seem to stress the fish out terribly and cause some deaths.

I have been using tap water treated with Amquel.  I live in Palo Alto, California, which has some municipal water supply.  I have not been adding salts.

Today I decided to test the tap water, both untreated and then treated with Amquel.  These are the results I got:

Untreated water:
Temp = 74
pH = 8.4
Ammonia = 0.75
Nitrate = 0
Nitrite = 0
GH = 0 (!)
KH = 3 drops

Treated Water (used 10 drops of Amquel per 1 gallon):

Temp = 76
pH = 8.4
Ammonia = 0.5
Nitrate = 0
Nitrite = 0
GH = 0 (!)
KH = 3 drops


I am very concerned about this water quality.  First, the ammonia levels seem very high to me.  Second, the pH is rather alkaline.  Third, why 0 GH?  (I think there may be something wrong with my GH testing liquid, but not sure.)

I am considering changing over to purchased water -- spring, or distilled, or purified.  Do you have any thoughts on which type would be best?  Are there any particular minerals I should be careful about in these waters?  Or should I stick with the tap water, treated?  What about salt?  Necessary or not?

Many many thanks.  BTW -- if these questions are too basic to pose to someone who has your tremendous level of expertise, and if you don't want to answer them, I understand perfectly, but would appreciate you letting me know so I can ask them of someone else.

Cheers,
Julie


ANSWER: Hi Julie,
  What kind of fish are you trying to keep?   If you are trying to keep East African cichlids, they will love the pH.  It is perfect for them, which is why many people in the South bay keep African cichlids.  

I can't explain the GH.  Generally I find most test kits pretty unreliable.  

Personally, I would go with the tap water treated with Amquel.
If you want to add salts, and are keeping something like East African cichlids, I would buy one of the prepared mixes to add.  You can if you really want to, buy all the individual salts and mix your own, but I don't feel that is a good use of time (unless you enjoy that sort of thing). Some people do, I don't.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Ron,

Thank you so much for the response.  I am actually keeping platys, fancy tailed guppies, dwarf gouramis, a pleco, praecox rainbow, etc.  No cichlids.  Have had ich problems (dealing with now).  For some reason, though, water changes cause so much stress.  The ammonia in the tap water doesn't cause concern?

Again, many many thanks for entertaining my question.

Answer
Hi Julie,
  Yes the ammonia does cause some concern (a) if it is actually there (see my comment about test kits) and (b) if you are drinking it.

  As for the fish, the Amquel should handle it.  Be sure to add the Amquel to the water before putting the water in the tank.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>