Substrate Experience for Low Tech/Light Tank

[Caliban07]

I meant paying not posing, it was a predictive text mistake. You seem really hostile all the time. Calm down, I'm trying to help you, lol.

With respect, it's starting to get difficult to keep up with all the different tests. Those colours on the ph picture you shown me have no values to match the colors. What is the yellow one? ph value.

If you removed 50% tank and did 1:1 mix and added it to 50% of remaining tank water I don't think it will alter a great deal. You would then have to monitor it over the course of the week. Rather the worrying too much about how much it is changing, observe the fishes behavior and response. If the seem unfazed continue to do these changes and eventually it should stabilise.




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[Delapool]

My low tech low light tank has plain o sand. Love it.

I make diy Osmocote root tabs and that's about it.


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

Any difference between sand and gravel for growing plants? Starting to think of pulling up the fine gravel substrate here and replace with something better for plants. Only the lfs do not carry any of these great sounding substrates.

 

[hjsvt]

I meant paying not posing, it was a predictive text mistake. You seem really hostile all the time. Calm down, I'm trying to help you, lol.

I am very sorry. I didn't mean to sound so hostile. I do really appreciate the help. There is no excuse but I'm just frustrated and tired of the "RO water isn't necessary for freshwater lines." But we've had that conversation already. Again, I'm sorry.

The picture I attached with the last message was all API High Range pH. The RO water is off the scale hence the yellow but at least you can see the color it creates. The middle one is 8.2 by my eye and the far right is 8.0 by my eye.

If you removed 50% tank and did 1:1 mix and added it to 50% of remaining tank water I don't think it will alter a great deal. You would then have to monitor it over the course of the week. Rather the worrying too much about how much it is changing, observe the fishes behavior and response. If the seem unfazed continue to do these changes and eventually it should stabilise.

OK, I'll give this some consideration.

In an effort to try to keep some well water in the mix, I tested my RO tonight. pH 6.4, GH <1 KH 2, I added acid buffer to remove 4 dKH. Retest = pH <5, GH<1 KH<1. Then I added one gallon of well water. I had a gallon I had sitting out for I'm not sure how long (no agitation) that I tested first. pH 8.2, GH 17 KH 15, I mixed the buffered RO with the well water and tested it again. pH 6.8-7.0, GH 8, KH 6. I'm going to see what it tests in the am and if still the same I'm going to add the air stone and see what happens over a couple of days. If I can maintain these parameters I think I'm going to consider using this mix for PWC. This should still give the benefits of the well water but hopefully with lower more stable pH. That's where I'm at tonight.

Thank for the help and suggestions.

 

[aqua_chem]

For the record, that's probably high enough to where I would probably consider softening it as well. You're really starting to limit yourself that high. But also, your filter is causing most of the problems, as previously pointed out.


Can you get water before it passes through your water softener?

 

[hjsvt]

For the record, that's probably high enough to where I would probably consider softening it as well. You're really starting to limit yourself that high. But also, your filter is causing most of the problems, as previously pointed out.


Can you get water before it passes through your water softener?

Thank you! I really appreciate the support on my thoughts that I was bordering the too high pH zone. I do agree on the filter. I think I have figured out a potential solution that still uses unsoftened well water mixed with buffered RO water. Yes I do have access to the well water before the softener. It's a little bit of a pain but doable and we are discussing having some simple plumbing done to provide better access and also make the cold water kitchen faucet supply unsoftened well water too. I think after all my research I'd rather be drinking the unsoftened water too!

Thank you so much for the feedback. It makes me feel a little less crazy!