# Toronto's Water Hardness



## Largesse

Just wondering about Toronto's tapwater hardness and ways to manage the hardness of the water.

*http://www.toronto.ca/water/faq.htm*
See Paragraph: What is Toronto's 'water hardness' and how does it affect me?

I used this formula multiplication of .056 or .058 to convert from ppm to DH. If this is correct, then on average, the water I should be getting is soft water. (6-8 dH). I need a harder water quality, so what should my options be?

I was informed by someone to put boiled eggshells in my filter or in the substrate. Is this correct, or bad information?

J.


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## wtac

Eggshells are fine but, IMHO, a PITA to prep as that's alot of eggs to eat to be of benefit . Easier to use oyster shells or crushed coral. Menagerie may carry bulk oyster shells @$2/lb.

JM2C/HTH


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## Largesse

*Thanks*

Wilson, thanks for the tip.


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## moon

I use chic grit. Much cheaper than other substrates and available in farm outlets.


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## Pablo

Toronto tap is not 8dGH. More like 20+ most of the time. The kH is about 6-8 on average. Tap averages 7.2-7.8pH depending on your location, time of year, etc.


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## Largesse

*Thanks*

Pablo,

Thanks for the info.

J.


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## sunjwd

Looking at the web page from City of Toronto, I see that they do add ammonia with the chlorine sometimes. Does this mean that leaving water to sit in an open container for a few days (to let the chlorine evaporate) is not enough since there will still be chloramines in the water? Does this mean that we have to use a dechlorinator in Toronto?


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## KnaveTO

I have been pre-testing the water prior to getting my tank and have received the following readings for the Water

ph - 7.2
NH3/4 - 0
NO2 - 0.25
NO3 - 0
dGH - 8
dKH - 5

These readings have been staying standard. I live in the downtown core near Menagerie so the water would be similiar to theirs

As for a dechlorinator, you should always use one for Toronto water. Unless you are 110% sure that you are using a natural source of water (well or other underground source) always use a dechlorinator.


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## Pablo

8dgh is wrong. Don't forget the cheap tests only check calcium and magnesium, and even those on a good quality test read waaay over 30dgh. I don't know if perhaps your test is faulty or was misread, misused, or simply is misreading.

Everything else is about right. Don't forget after you gas the water out it will change its pH slightly as well.


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## Burtess

8 dGH is what I get as well (7.84 actually - 140ppm). This corresponds to what is on the Toronto site. I am in Hamilton but it is still Lake O water.

Pablo, why would you say this is incorrect? This is surface water, not ground, so it makes sense that it is not that hard.

Burt


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## Pablo

Tell that to the limestone bottom (CaCO3) of lake ontario


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## Pablo

Tell that to the limestone bottom (CaCO3) of lake ontario 

Im tellin ya its not 8dGH (that's only like 160ish ppm of hardness). We have something like 400+ppm

remember those cheap drop tests only do calcium and magnesium- and not all forms thereof


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## Burtess

Well if you are blaming the limestone bottom of Lake O as the major contributor to total hardness then the cheap test kit that only measures Ca and Mg hardness should reflect that, no? 

Total hardness (GH) is defined as the sum of the calcium and magnesium concentrations, both expressed as calcium carbonate, in milligrams per liter. This is what the normal, over the counter test kits measure.

Please specify what test kit and/or information you have to indicate the total harness of Lake O water to be 400+ ppm.

Maybe you are refering to TDS and not GH, as this would be higher?

Burt


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## Pablo

yes I'm referring to TDS but GH is actually TDS divided by 20ish. Expressing GH as calcium+magnesium carbonates is a common error and has come about because those tests only check those two. As far as I know.


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## Glouglou

*GH*

The gh test read what we need to know of the general hardness and the principal salts that compose general hardness. Even with the best equipment hardness will be (This is an approx that can have big difference in reality, but, show the general state of "normal" water )

General hardness is

Ca= 56.2%
Mg= 24.7 %
Na= 9.4 %
others salt 9.7 %


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