PH - test results by strip, liquid and tester.

[Delapool]

Just results on PH testing, the family looked bored - no idea why.

Electronic PH tester arrived today and put it to use. My daughter re-checked liquid test colours. My tank is always at the end of the normal PH / high PH liquid test (I'm sticking with that excuse for buying the electronic unit).

Strips:-
Tank ~7
Tap ~7.5

Liquid:-
Tank ~7.4 - 7.6
Tap 8.1

Electronic:-
Tank 7.3
Tap 8.0
(no gas off period on tap, got a bucket standing overnight).

The tester is I think +/- 0.2 but the difference between tank and tap was more than I was expecting, especially as I did a 50% water change last weekend.

 

[mrvincent]

Stability is the best thing in aquarium hobby.

It's normal your tap PH is higher than aquarium water. Aquarium water contains things like nitrates or other waste that lower PH. In addition to this, your tap contains chlorine, which is a base. Removing chlorine via dechlorinator suddenly lower the PH.

Why your aquarium crew seems "bored"... I don't know. What they do that make you feel that they're bored ?

Just post your setup:
Aq size, substrate, fish species, temperature, ammonia nitrites ?, lighting (planted aquarium only), GH? KH?

You can check what is recommanded for you fish on www.aqadvisor.com

 

[Delapool]

Oh I think the kids regard the tank as part of the furniture now. My daughter is still interested a bit but I have to bribe the family with take-away coffee before I can get them into the fish shop.

It's a planted community tank with b/n catfish, yo-yo loaches, live bearers, rosy barbs, neons in a 550 litre tank with led lights. Kh is 40ppm and gh is ~120ppm. Fully stocked although one 3 inch centrepiece fish may be possible still.

 

[mrvincent]

That's 2dKH° that's perfect for most of fishs except cichlids that prefer hard water but survive in soft water.

I'll say don't touch to anything related to GH/KH/PH, you will have more problems than benefits. Thoses values are just ideal if you keep them stable.

I have sames values in my tank (PH 7.2 - 7.5, 2dKH°, 5dGH°) since 1 year and my fishs look thriving.

I hope this help.

 

[jlk]

Just results on PH testing, the family looked bored - no idea why.

Electronic PH tester arrived today and put it to use. My daughter re-checked liquid test colours. My tank is always at the end of the normal PH / high PH liquid test (I'm sticking with that excuse for buying the electronic unit).

Strips:-
Tank ~7
Tap ~7.5

Liquid:-
Tank ~7.4 - 7.6
Tap 8.1

Electronic:-
Tank 7.3
Tap 8.0
(no gas off period on tap, got a bucket standing overnight).

The tester is I think +/- 0.2 but the difference between tank and tap was more than I was expecting, especially as I did a 50% water change last weekend.

Not a big deal having a difference between your tank and your tap! Some people have huge differences (well over a point) and still do 50% water changes regularly without a single issue.

Your tester and the vials basically reflect the same numbers. The high end of the regular ph/low end of the high ph indicates a 7.3-7.4 reading. The tester validated this with 7.3. The high ph test you mention reading 8.1 but I suspect its 8 (the same as the tester).

Its always interesting to see just how inaccurate the strips are and your tests just further validate this. Thanks for posting your results!

 

[Delapool]

Thanks for the information, yes I find the strips deceptive particularly for ph, nitrite and nitrate - interestingly these are all 'read the results after 30 seconds'. Kh is pretty close. Gh I think ok (liquid test was a gift from LFS and may be dated).

The electronic tester is also meant to be calibrated in a neutral ph 7 solution every so often. So I have to chase that up and get some! But it was nice to just put the unit in the water and 10 seconds later get a read out lol.

 

[Delapool]

Tap water after 12hrs is 8.3.

Same tap water with a piece of driftwood (fairly clean, not much water colour) is 8.1. Twice as much water in bucket though.