Changing pH of hard water

[Rainbow_fish]

I have relatively hard acidic water, it needs to be buffered so its more alkaline. Its about 6.0 when it should be 6.4-6.6. Will the change stay?

John

 

[K-Holed]

Just to get a few things straight. Buffering your water doesn't automatiacally make your water more alkaline (although in practice it often does)

pH - is how alkaline or acid your water is
kH - is the buffering capability of your water
gH - is how hard or soft your water is.

So from what you've said you have water with a low pH and a high gH. What you want to do is raise your pH and your kH. Fortunately for you it's hard to change any one of these parameters without the others. The change will only stay however if your buffering material is present at all times, and if you use something like calcium carbonate this may raise your ph above the desired level in the long run.

I'd be more interested as to why the Ph of your water is so low. In a situatin like this you may find yourself having to go down the route of RO water to maintain a stable water chemistry.

 

[shmax101]

In other words, ph buffers and chemical additives are uneven keeled, and are not suitable solutions. I think you will find that your ph is low, but not too low, and that fish are happy in most of the normal ph range, as long as it's stable.

 

[K-Holed]

I'd have to agree. changing water chemistry is a dodgey buisness.

 

[clutterydrawer]

what fish do you have/want?

 

[FishDan]

I agree. Messing too much with water chemistry is just opening doors for disaster. Almost all tropical fish will do well in a range of pH values, so long as it is stable. Also, if you buy locally chances are exceptional that the LFS will have similar water chemistry as yours, so the fish are already acclimated to the "non-perfect" pH. Ask to be sure though. I have a fairly high pH of about 8.2, and just to play it safe I up my acclimation time so the fish get a more gradual shift from their water to my water. This seems to work well as I have had no sudden fish losses after buying new ones.

\Dan