New Water Parms

[Purrbox]

Well I just tested at the new location (Cedar Rapids) and got the following results:
PH = 8.0
KH = 50 (2.8 dKH)
GH = 140 (7.84 dGH)
NH3 = 1.2
NO2 = 0
NO3 < 5
PO4 = .25

With the exception of the Ammonia and PH, all parameters appear to the same or better than for the water in Ottumwa.

Now I just have to figure out whether I should consider continuing to mix RO Water with the tap water to help the parameters or to deal with it in another way. In Ottumwa the GH was sky high (300ppm/16.8dGH) so I was mixing 1/3 RO with 2/3 Tap to get the hardness a bit more friendly for my fish and plants. Even if I bump it up to a 50/50 mix, I'm not sure if this would be sufficient to get the NH3 into safe levels. Let's see 50% water change 50% dilluted with RO would be .3pmm, which is better but still not good. Sigh, time to go browse and see what ideas I can find.

EDIT

Well I just discovered that Prime detoxifies Ammonia in addition to doing everything else that my water conditioner does. Looks like I'm about to be converted. Hopefully one of the local stores will have it in stock, since I need to do a water change today.

 

[dskidmore]

You also don't really need to worry about that ammonia unless you're doing a large water change.

1.2 at 10% is only .12, an amount your system should be able to metabolize. The standard prime dose will detoxify 0.6 mg/L Ammonia. If you're dosing according to the new water volume, that cuts the mg/L added to the tank down to .06. If you're dosing according to the tank volume, you'll detoxify it all.

If you were doing a 50% water change, then you'd be adding 0.6 mg/L to your aquarium, without prime, a number to worry about; with prime dosed to tank volume, should be just fine.

More than 50% water change, then you need to double dose according to tank volume.

 

[malkore]

That's a very high pH for such a low Kh. Something besides carbonate hardness is buffering or altering the pH.

 

[Purrbox]

Well I just got back from the most recommended LFS in the area. No Prime. However they did have AmQuel which also detoxifies Ammonia, so I picked up a small bottle which should work until I can order some Prime online.

Overall I was very impressed with the LFS, unfortunately they were lacking when it comes to FW Plants and Supplies. Guess I'll have to stick to online for most of that stuff.

Malkore - I take it that this means that my CO2 results are going to be totally messed up then? That sucks. I was a bit iffy on the PH reading. Did the first test with Low Range PH and it was at the top of the chart. So I did a second test with the High Range PH, the color was rather off so I retested. Got the same color and did my best to match it to the chart.

 

[dskidmore]

CO2 results - I found a second testing method that works with other buffers. You let a sample stand overnight and test the pH, that's assumed to be ambient CO2 levels, then blow into it with a straw and test pH again, that's assumed to be a high (60ppm?) CO2 level. You can then calculate the scale for pH to CO2 conversion without knowing KH or any other buffer values.

Details and science: http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/co2-meter.html

 

[Purrbox]

Well, I just retested some tap water that had been sitting out for awhile and it looks like the PH is actually 7.4 and not 8.0. Not sure if I messed up the first time around since I was tired, or if letting the water sit out for a couple days made a difference. With these new results, does it still look like something else would be buffering the PH?

Thanks for that link dskidmore. It's nice to know that if needed you can still calculate the CO2 even with other buffers present.