Loaches Online Forum

Hi Diana. Thanks for the reply.

The best thing to do would be not having to do anything. Leaving my water as it is, pH 8.2 and GH 3, is good enough? Or do you really think I should try to alter the pH? I would prefer to leave it as is.

I don't have a KH test and I don't know the KH of my tap water.


Thanks a lot,
Stucky

JonasBygdemo wrote:So how do you go about doing this? Do you start the process a day or so before changing water, or can this be done the same day as the waterchange? Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, but I'm interested in this as well.

My current set up allows water to go throw almost as fast as i put in it. If i put a 1 gallon in, it takes 2 minutes to work its way through. However, I am limited by my RO unit. This is my limiting factor and I start about 2 days prior
of the water change. I use a magdrive pumps to remove and add water to the system. It takes no time at all.

OneWay wrote:

JonasBygdemo wrote:So how do you go about doing this? Do you start the process a day or so before changing water, or can this be done the same day as the waterchange? Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, but I'm interested in this as well.

My current set up allows water to go throw almost as fast as i put in it. If i put a 1 gallon in, it takes 2 minutes to work its way through. However, I am limited by my RO unit. This is my limiting factor and I start about 2 days prior
of the water change. I use a magdrive pumps to remove and add water to the system. It takes no time at all.

So if I understand you correctly, you first RO the water, then peat-filter it, and then mix it with a bit of tapwater?

I use RO water only. I fill 2/3's of a trash can with peatmoss, then add non-treated RO water to raise the PH to 6.8-7.

Okay! Is your pH stable? I've heard that if you only have RO water, the pH can vary because of low kH. Don't know if it's true though.

Then do not do anything. Low GH is fine, and the best thing for soft water fish.

The next easiest step to doing nothing is to add a small amount of peat moss to the filter. I use a cut off piece of nylon stocking and add 1/4 cup to a tank up to 20 gallons
1/2 cup for tanks around 30-40 gallons
1 cup for larger tanks. (split into 2 bags)
I use a rubber band to tie off the stocking, and it lasts a couple of months. When the rubber band rots I know I have waited too long to change the peat moss.

Jonas, there are several buffers that are found in aquariums, but carbonate is the most common. When it is very low (Under 3 German degrees of hardnwss) then the pH is more susceptible to other influences, and may react to other buffers. For example phosphate is often used to stabilize an aquarium at a lower pH. If the KH is too high the pH will not stay low, but will bounce back up. This is not good for the fish.
If you want to use RO water, and this does remove the KH, be sure to add some sort of buffer, or else be very careful to keep conditions stable by always using the same additives (if any).
For example, if you are adding plant fertilizers do not quickly change the product or dosing. Change it slowly, and monitor the pH and other things to see that whatever effect they are having is not creating changes the fish cannot handle.
So...
yes, low KH makes the pH more susceptible to changes. This can be handled if you are prepared for it.

Ok Diana, thanks a lot. But do you think I need to do that peat moss thing?

Stucky

No, it is not necessary.
Fish from rain forest streams do like the tannic acid, though.

stucky, this time of the year is great for picking oak leaves, collect a decent amount of them put them in a filter bag near a flow of water and that will soften your water gradually bud. almond leaves do the same job but you have to buy them. haha

mick

Thanks Diana.

mickthefish, do you mean lowering the pH? Because the GH of my tap water is quite low already.

Thanks,
Stucky