Using RODI water to lower pH in stocked aquarium

[jlbfish]

Ok so I think I have this figured out. It took some time though.

Water out of tap: 7.4
Water aerated over 24hrs 8.2

28 gallon tank water 8.2

SO when I would get water and set it aside it was sealed airtight. Therefore when I added the water to the tank I was creating a pH difference. Split the difference and say I lowered it by .4 then it would go back up over time (maybe 24hrs) to adjust for the tank level 8.2.

I would assume that could be what keeps killing my cories.

At this point I have 2 options:
1) Attempt to get the tank pH lowered
2) get the water for PWC close enough to pH parameters for the tank.

Do you think that my PWC could have been killing my cories? I did 50% once a week assuming I was adding pH 7.4 to a tank of pH 8.2 (maybe 8.3 it is leaning purple).

That pH is high. But I wanted to check now that i have all the information I can get before I start altering things.

Thanks!

 

[Rivercats]

It very well could have helped your cories to thier demise but in all honesty many wild caught fish are put through so much between the time they are caught, which is an ordeal in itself, and the time they go through who knows how many different places/hands, days of' shipping, finally to a fish shop, then again to an aquarium at someones house. Imagine not only how stressed they are and how hard its been being switched from different water to water and who knows how or if they were fed during alot of this. I just think they were weak by the time you got them and yeah more soft/hard/ph water issues.
Your going to go crazy. BUT what you can do now that you have a handle on your water issues is... use RO water to "cut" your tap water to bring it down to the ph of your tank normally. When was your last cory loss? If its been a couple weeks and no more have died maybe the remaining stronger ones are finally acclimating to your water. So two choices, either leave things alone and let the strongest ones survive or get some RO and mix your tap with RO to the tanks PH. The almond leaves will help but if you want to match WC water refill to the tank then go RO.

 

[jlbfish]

Yup I'm going to go crazy! LOL wait no too late. I'm there :/

My tank is 8.3'ish and the tap is 7.4 straight out.

I am mostly just trying to STOP their demise. I pulled another one out last night :/ I did a partial water change on Tuesday so..... That one was from the tap *7.4* BUT I wasn't concerned because it was right around 20%.

My biggest concern is since I got them I have lost 1 per water change (which is why that tank is over due for a change and the pH is climbing). I started with 11 and got them in September.

I can clean the tank now I have gassed out enough water to clean the tank but it is still hard to tell which way to go. I have lost one per water change so that seems to lead more to pH swings than HIGH ph. I suppose I will clean it today and go from there.

Thanks SO Much for the help. If I lose more I will go to the fish store and get some RODI and try to get them down. I have 5 left

 

[Rivercats]

Check your chain food stores. Up here a couple different ones actually sell RO really cheap. You can initally buy empty gallon jugs and then just keep bringing them back for refill. Call around and compare prices at both food and fish stores.

 

[jlbfish]

The LFS RODI is .25 a gallon. I'll definitely compare other prices though cheaper is better

 

[Rivercats]

Hey that is a really good price! When I decided to change the 220g to planted I bought a little countertop RO unit. My tank was too big to do the buy RO route. Using RO isn't too bad once you find how much RO to tap water you need. Just monitor your GH/KH/PH when using it as we had talked about.

 

[jlbfish]

Yay glad it is a good price! The grocery store closest doesn't have it.

I am going to change the water today and see how it goes with this higher pH. I am still considering dropping but at least for the water going into the tank it is in the same range.

Thanks again so much! I guess my thread fins and neons hare hardier than I thought. Or..... The Hasbrosus is way more delicate than I thought. LOL