Kinetix
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
My Toronto municipal tap water fluctuates between 7 and 8.6- so there are days when filling up the tank is an easy option, and there are days when it isn't.
Most of the time, it's on the alkaline side of 7. Since I had plastic plants in my 20G tropical, it's made sense to use Proper pH 6.5 buffer to bring it down... then I decided that plastic plants are ugly, and as you know, phosphate buffers and plants don't mix.
As a result, I've realized that it's pretty crucial that the water goes into the tank right from the start.
I looked at a few filtration setups sold at the hardware store. One thing that I realized that they all had in common was the main filtration was always activated carbon. I already have a filter in my home that uses activated carbon- the Brita.
This morning, I decided to experiment. I took a pH sample of the tap water- today 7. I filled a Brita pitcher using the same source, and took a reading. I was amazed that my pH had dropped to 6 (or lower- my test kit doesn't go any lower).
That means that using the right proportion of straight tap water to carbon filtered water, I can match my preferred pH of 6.5-7.
This whole thing does raise a few questions though:
-Why do tap water filter units cost at least $70 at the LFS?
-How come aquarium books tell us to use pH adjusters and buffers rather than just run tap water through a pipe filled with activated charcoal?
-How come the carbon filter pack in my filter doesn't have the same effect on my water?
-Does anyone else here filter their tap water using a homemade device?
Most of the time, it's on the alkaline side of 7. Since I had plastic plants in my 20G tropical, it's made sense to use Proper pH 6.5 buffer to bring it down... then I decided that plastic plants are ugly, and as you know, phosphate buffers and plants don't mix.
As a result, I've realized that it's pretty crucial that the water goes into the tank right from the start.
I looked at a few filtration setups sold at the hardware store. One thing that I realized that they all had in common was the main filtration was always activated carbon. I already have a filter in my home that uses activated carbon- the Brita.
This morning, I decided to experiment. I took a pH sample of the tap water- today 7. I filled a Brita pitcher using the same source, and took a reading. I was amazed that my pH had dropped to 6 (or lower- my test kit doesn't go any lower).
That means that using the right proportion of straight tap water to carbon filtered water, I can match my preferred pH of 6.5-7.
This whole thing does raise a few questions though:
-Why do tap water filter units cost at least $70 at the LFS?
-How come aquarium books tell us to use pH adjusters and buffers rather than just run tap water through a pipe filled with activated charcoal?
-How come the carbon filter pack in my filter doesn't have the same effect on my water?
-Does anyone else here filter their tap water using a homemade device?