VikingMummy2015
Seedling
Hi.
I’ve recently discovered that my tap water has gone from regularly being 6.4-6.6 to now being 7.4-7.6. However, I only have a kH of 1-2 (API kit, 1 drop is a faint yellow).
I have always known about the low kH so always do two water changes per week (roughly 20-30% each time) to keep it stable (tank pH has always been 6.4-6.6 for the past 2 years). Except now that the tap pH has changed and I have huge pH swings over 24 hours. i’ve already lost a honey gourami, and the pH is the only explanation.
I just can’t get all my tanks behaving the same way and it’s stressing me out trying to keep them all healthy!
T1: Tropica soil, redmoor wood, 29L, lightly to moderately planted (dwarf sag, Amazon swords, Anubias, java fern, salvinia) housing a Betta and a Nerite snail. Roughly 40% water changes twice weekly, pH holding at 6.4-6.6 even after water change with 7.4 tap water.
T2: 57L Fluval, Tropica soil, dragonstone, smaller amount redmoor, moderately to well planted (hellanthum tennelum, lobelia, bacopa, hygrophilla, crypts, ludwigia, bucephelandra, salvinia and Anubias) housing 8 cherry barbs and 2 honey gourami. Dose every other day with Aquascaper liquid ferts 1ml. pH holding around 7 between water changes.
T3: 54L, Tropica soil and black sand (all pond solutions, previously in what is now T1) with dragonstone. Moderately well planted (staurogyne repens, ludwigia, lobelia, crypts, bucephelandra, rotala, hygrophilla, salvinia, Anubias and a Dennerle Anubias driftwood tree). Not yet stocked; fishless cycle using Stability and liquid ammonia was completed and then wobbled last week. pH bottomed out at 6 yesterday despite water change 2 days prior. 24 hours after an 80% water change with pH7.4, it’s reading 6.6. Covered in brown diatoms.
I daren’t stock T3 until I can figure out how to keep the pH stable eg raise that kH but not raise the pH further! It’s unusual to have a pH above 7 with a kH as low as 1, I know (but that’s what all Scottish water reports give for my area). So I ideally need to buffer the kH but not raise the pH. I’ve heard of people using Seachem alkaline and acid buffers together? But I can’t find any answers for this type of situation. I’m not trying to chase pH or raise/lower it per say; I need it to just stay stable in the tank at a value...not fussed if that’s 6.6 or 7.6 particularly! The gH is 2.
I hope that makes some sort of sense! Photos of each tank (T1, T3, T2)
I’ve recently discovered that my tap water has gone from regularly being 6.4-6.6 to now being 7.4-7.6. However, I only have a kH of 1-2 (API kit, 1 drop is a faint yellow).
I have always known about the low kH so always do two water changes per week (roughly 20-30% each time) to keep it stable (tank pH has always been 6.4-6.6 for the past 2 years). Except now that the tap pH has changed and I have huge pH swings over 24 hours. i’ve already lost a honey gourami, and the pH is the only explanation.
I just can’t get all my tanks behaving the same way and it’s stressing me out trying to keep them all healthy!
T1: Tropica soil, redmoor wood, 29L, lightly to moderately planted (dwarf sag, Amazon swords, Anubias, java fern, salvinia) housing a Betta and a Nerite snail. Roughly 40% water changes twice weekly, pH holding at 6.4-6.6 even after water change with 7.4 tap water.
T2: 57L Fluval, Tropica soil, dragonstone, smaller amount redmoor, moderately to well planted (hellanthum tennelum, lobelia, bacopa, hygrophilla, crypts, ludwigia, bucephelandra, salvinia and Anubias) housing 8 cherry barbs and 2 honey gourami. Dose every other day with Aquascaper liquid ferts 1ml. pH holding around 7 between water changes.
T3: 54L, Tropica soil and black sand (all pond solutions, previously in what is now T1) with dragonstone. Moderately well planted (staurogyne repens, ludwigia, lobelia, crypts, bucephelandra, rotala, hygrophilla, salvinia, Anubias and a Dennerle Anubias driftwood tree). Not yet stocked; fishless cycle using Stability and liquid ammonia was completed and then wobbled last week. pH bottomed out at 6 yesterday despite water change 2 days prior. 24 hours after an 80% water change with pH7.4, it’s reading 6.6. Covered in brown diatoms.
I daren’t stock T3 until I can figure out how to keep the pH stable eg raise that kH but not raise the pH further! It’s unusual to have a pH above 7 with a kH as low as 1, I know (but that’s what all Scottish water reports give for my area). So I ideally need to buffer the kH but not raise the pH. I’ve heard of people using Seachem alkaline and acid buffers together? But I can’t find any answers for this type of situation. I’m not trying to chase pH or raise/lower it per say; I need it to just stay stable in the tank at a value...not fussed if that’s 6.6 or 7.6 particularly! The gH is 2.
I hope that makes some sort of sense! Photos of each tank (T1, T3, T2)