rubadudbdub
Member
- Joined
- 27 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 143
Hi folks
I have a fluval spec 19l set up about 18m ago with tropica soil. Tap water is pH 7.5, kH 4-5, gH 8, which has been used in the tank since it was set up. Tank water recently had gH up at 15. Not sure if it was ferts and lack of water changes, or maybe some crypt melt (possibly from the rain water) releasing ions raising GH?
I wanted to keep some killifish (and play around with rain water) so have been doing water changes with rain water to lower kH and GH. I've also got an almond leaf and some alder cones in the tank.
Yesterday after a water change kH was 1-2, next day its back at 4.
Can the buffering action of tropica soil work the opposite way? Ie into a water column with low KH release bicarbonate (I presume) from an old soil that's ability to buffer to a lower pH has been exhausted?
I should perhaps stop thinking about this as from reading about the F gardneri 'misaje' I picked up, they'll probably be happy with kH of 4. Covid induced boredom is making me wonder about these things 🙂
I have a fluval spec 19l set up about 18m ago with tropica soil. Tap water is pH 7.5, kH 4-5, gH 8, which has been used in the tank since it was set up. Tank water recently had gH up at 15. Not sure if it was ferts and lack of water changes, or maybe some crypt melt (possibly from the rain water) releasing ions raising GH?
I wanted to keep some killifish (and play around with rain water) so have been doing water changes with rain water to lower kH and GH. I've also got an almond leaf and some alder cones in the tank.
Yesterday after a water change kH was 1-2, next day its back at 4.
Can the buffering action of tropica soil work the opposite way? Ie into a water column with low KH release bicarbonate (I presume) from an old soil that's ability to buffer to a lower pH has been exhausted?
I should perhaps stop thinking about this as from reading about the F gardneri 'misaje' I picked up, they'll probably be happy with kH of 4. Covid induced boredom is making me wonder about these things 🙂