I am pleased to announce I have figured it out.

[enrgizerbunny]

I have finally figured out a way to use my tap water without aging it! 1/2 tsp potassium carbonate per 5 gallons of water. Water changes have become less of a chore indeed!

 

[Laser]

What exactly does this do for the water?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

What exactly does this do for the water?

Neutralizes the dissolved CO2 in my tap water and brings the pH up very very close to the tank pH. Previously I had to draw 25 gallons into a tub and aerate it for at least 8 hours.

 

[sealife]

So you do not use a water ager or dechlorinater?

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[enrgizerbunny]

So you do not use a water ager or dechlorinater?

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What is a water ager and how does it work?

Don't have use for dechlorinator as I have well water.

 

[Mebbid]

Whats the ph of the new water after it ages if you add this in?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Whats the ph of the new water after it ages if you add this in?

~7.6
Tank pH is 7.4

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[Rivers2k]

Or you could just use prime. you can dump it strait into the tank and fill your tank with python connected to your sink.

ph difference of .2 makes no difference at all it would be better just to keep it at 7.6

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Or you could just use prime. you can dump it strait into the tank and fill your tank with python connected to your sink.

ph difference of .2 makes no difference at all it would be better just to keep it at 7.6

Go back, read it again.

My tap pH is less than 6, but if aerated long enough it will rise to 7. Adding the potassium carbonate instantly raises the pH to 7.6, which is close enough to not matter.

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[Rivers2k]

Go back, read it again.

My tap pH is less than 6, but if aerated long enough it will rise to 7. Adding the potassium carbonate instantly raises the pH to 7.6, which is close enough to not matter.

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Sorry The only numbers you gave was 7.6 and 7.4. I don't see where you said 6.

If your tap water is less than 6 you need to report it. Drinkable tap water has to be a minimum of 6.5 .

What type of fish are you dealing with?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Sorry The only numbers you gave was 7.6 and 7.4. I don't see where you said 6.

If your tap water is less than 6 you need to report it. Drinkable tap water has to be a minimum of 6.5 .

What type of fish are you dealing with?

I should have specified, I'm on a well. Kissing gourami, bn pleco, and a rainbow shark. Eventually I'm going to add 5 angels after I change to sand substrate.

My water is actually very pure once you remove the CO2. The GH test is complete after one drop.

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[Rivers2k]

Well that changes things (pun intended) you do have more work then the rest of us. For your fish anyways. I am a big fan of well water for people. I grew up on well water I can taste the difference.

 

[Delapool]

I have finally figured out a way to use my tap water without aging it! 1/2 tsp potassium carbonate per 5 gallons of water. Water changes have become less of a chore indeed!

Out of interest are you going to using this with planted tanks?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Out of interest are you going to using this with planted tanks?

Yes. Why?

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[Delapool]

I have a suspicion here that dosing kh buffers can drop ferts out of the water and not sure that is a good thing. Would be interested in how your tank goes.

During the week I added a kh buffer (calcium carbonate) to the tank as I thought I might have leaf curl from calcium deficiency. Just out of curiosity, I added it to a medicine cup which had my dry ferts mixed up (green colour). The buffer turned the solution orange (maybe oxidising iron?) and a white powder formed on cup bottom. The ferts are meant to be chelated but it must of been too much buffer for them to handle.

My impression has been that you either need low ph, chelated or organic matter to help make elements available to plants and that ph in the upper 7's isn't helpful (just off reading), so now I'm wondering if adding buffers is a good idea. I have read posts saying soda bicarbonate is fine with plants though so all a bit confusing!

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Calcium carbonate isn't readily soluble in water. The powder in the bottom was likely the calcium carbonate (also known as limestone). Some of it dissolved, but most just settled in the bottom.

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