UntimelyLord
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2017
- Messages
- 235
In my 30 gallon tall, I changed my regular aquarium gravel out with Flourite about five days ago. I've been testing the water every day to look out for a mini-cycle, and so far, so good (ammonia and nitrites at zero) but I seem to have a problem with my pH and KH changing! I chose Flourite as a substrate because it claims to not change pH, and I have an established tank.
All tests with API test tube kits.
Before substrate change: pH 7.8, KH 9 dKH, GH 21 degrees (same as source water)
3 days after substrate change: pH 7.6 (I do not have KH and GH for this as I thought the slight color change was just my eyes seeing things, the color chart is so close, and I also wasn't looking out for a pH change)
4 days after substrate change: pH 7.4, KH 4 dKH, GH 18 degrees
8 hours after 50% water change: pH 7.6, KH 6, GH 20
The substrate change is the only change in the tank. The tank is low light low tech planted.
I found a thread from 2004 in which someone had the same problem. There don't seem to be many cases of this happening, though.
Flourite changes water parameters - General Aquarium Plants Discussions - Aquatic Plant Central
Hopefully more water changes will take care of it. Seems weird, though. I hope it's not possible for the Flourite to "store" KH and then release it back into the tank later, as I've read can happen with some nutrients?
All tests with API test tube kits.
Before substrate change: pH 7.8, KH 9 dKH, GH 21 degrees (same as source water)
3 days after substrate change: pH 7.6 (I do not have KH and GH for this as I thought the slight color change was just my eyes seeing things, the color chart is so close, and I also wasn't looking out for a pH change)
4 days after substrate change: pH 7.4, KH 4 dKH, GH 18 degrees
8 hours after 50% water change: pH 7.6, KH 6, GH 20
The substrate change is the only change in the tank. The tank is low light low tech planted.
I found a thread from 2004 in which someone had the same problem. There don't seem to be many cases of this happening, though.
Flourite changes water parameters - General Aquarium Plants Discussions - Aquatic Plant Central
Hopefully more water changes will take care of it. Seems weird, though. I hope it's not possible for the Flourite to "store" KH and then release it back into the tank later, as I've read can happen with some nutrients?