I hope this is the correct place to post this question. I am trying to do a 55g tank for angelfish, blue rams, etc. I have very hard water, so I mix 1/3 tap, 1/3 distilled, 1/4 RO drinking bottled water. The gh is 7-8. Kh-6-7. My live ph meter is hard to read, but I thought it was 7.4-7.6. Ammonia, nitrites-0. Nitrates-20 or under. I recently put a purigen in the filter. I started worrying the would get harder because the purigen would absorb the driftwood a tannins. I finally purchased a ph HIGH RANGE liquid test today (it was the only liquid test I was out of). It read 8-8.2. My kh/gh are still 6-8. How is this possible? My tap water is only 7.8! After mixing with RO, I just don't understand how it's higher! My fish seem fine, and in fact I think my rams are mating http://youtu.be/fHQu-2CbSEA . Can someone please hell me understand! The only chemicals ever used in this tank were dr. Tim's one and only, and prime. I understand that if the fish aren't freaking out, I should do nothing. But, I just want to understand.
Help with my water please....
- Thread starter Kelly5978
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
All fish except very sensitive ones will acclimate to most all water. Never use chemicals to try to alter ph as they usually last about 24 hours before the ph rebounds again. It is far better to have a stable ph than try to adjust it.
You Kh and Gh readings are more important than Ph IMO. As long as your Kh/Gh are both at least 4 your good. If Kh falls below 4 that means your buffer is getting low and you Ph can become unstable and take a sudden fall.
Your fish should be just fine in your water unless you plan on keeping discus or certain other delicate wild caught fish.
You Kh and Gh readings are more important than Ph IMO. As long as your Kh/Gh are both at least 4 your good. If Kh falls below 4 that means your buffer is getting low and you Ph can become unstable and take a sudden fall.
Your fish should be just fine in your water unless you plan on keeping discus or certain other delicate wild caught fish.
Ok. Thanks. I have driftwood in the tank, and they started acting funny after I put the purigen in my filter (which soaked up the tannins). So, I was worried it got harder on them. They are slightly clamping. Also, why is my kh/gh/ph so high? Gh of my tap is 15!!!! So, the RO water is helping...being it down to 7-9. But, my ph out of tap is 7.8. My tank (only a 1/3 tap mixed with RO) is 8. How is this possible?
If there is anything, rock, substrate, decorations in the tank that is leaching calcium/buffers into the tank it will raise levels.
I'm not a chemist but if the kh in your tap water is low that can lower ph reading. Plus in order to get a true ph reading from tap water you have to fill a cup, aerate or stir it off and on for 24 hours to let it gas off. Then take your ph reading. This will be the true ph of your tap water.
I'm not a chemist but if the kh in your tap water is low that can lower ph reading. Plus in order to get a true ph reading from tap water you have to fill a cup, aerate or stir it off and on for 24 hours to let it gas off. Then take your ph reading. This will be the true ph of your tap water.
Similar threads
