BigJohnnyTwoToes
New Member
Hello Everyone!
Starting my first planted tank build. I live on well water which has a very low pH due to high CO2. I used to run it through a DIY co2 degasser stage before my RODI system when making top off water for my reef tank. Id prefer to not use my CO2 degasser and my RODI unit, I want to use water straight from the well for convenience. There are no contaminants or heavy metals etc, I test it every 6 months and it's always the same. Here are some of the relevant parameters from the last test:
PH: 5.8
KH: 2.3 dKH (42ppm)
GH: 2.4 dGH (43ppm)
Nitrate: 3.3ppm
Calcium: 11.1 ppm
Magnesium: 3.79 ppm
Pretty sure any gentle surface agitation would raise the ph fairly quickly. So maybe ould just "age" the water in a bucket with an airstone or pump prior to water changes. Do i need to adjust kh and gh before I fill up the tank/for water changes? Planning to keeping low-mid plants and fish as well as neocardinia shrimp if possible. Want some pockets of aquasoil but the whole thing capped with coarse and, similar to how this guy mdfishtanks on YouTube builds. I plan on providing low to medium light and no co2. I have one beautiful piece of manzanita burl driftwood and want to build up the scape with some stones. Haven't decided which though/if my well water should influence which I get. Same thing for aquasoil im inbetween tropica and SL aqua soil, not sure which is more appropriate/if there is even a difference/maybe there is a better option.
My question is, how should I approach the substrate/rock and water preparation for this tank. What is the ideal ph /gh/kh for the plants and animals mentioned? Just like reefing there are so many ways to do it and no single right answer, so just looking for some perspective from experienced people.
Any help would be greatly appreciated .
Thanks!
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Starting my first planted tank build. I live on well water which has a very low pH due to high CO2. I used to run it through a DIY co2 degasser stage before my RODI system when making top off water for my reef tank. Id prefer to not use my CO2 degasser and my RODI unit, I want to use water straight from the well for convenience. There are no contaminants or heavy metals etc, I test it every 6 months and it's always the same. Here are some of the relevant parameters from the last test:
PH: 5.8
KH: 2.3 dKH (42ppm)
GH: 2.4 dGH (43ppm)
Nitrate: 3.3ppm
Calcium: 11.1 ppm
Magnesium: 3.79 ppm
Pretty sure any gentle surface agitation would raise the ph fairly quickly. So maybe ould just "age" the water in a bucket with an airstone or pump prior to water changes. Do i need to adjust kh and gh before I fill up the tank/for water changes? Planning to keeping low-mid plants and fish as well as neocardinia shrimp if possible. Want some pockets of aquasoil but the whole thing capped with coarse and, similar to how this guy mdfishtanks on YouTube builds. I plan on providing low to medium light and no co2. I have one beautiful piece of manzanita burl driftwood and want to build up the scape with some stones. Haven't decided which though/if my well water should influence which I get. Same thing for aquasoil im inbetween tropica and SL aqua soil, not sure which is more appropriate/if there is even a difference/maybe there is a better option.
My question is, how should I approach the substrate/rock and water preparation for this tank. What is the ideal ph /gh/kh for the plants and animals mentioned? Just like reefing there are so many ways to do it and no single right answer, so just looking for some perspective from experienced people.
Any help would be greatly appreciated .
Thanks!
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk