Guppy Questions

[MrsHennesy87]

so im tryin to get prepared to get guppies. i read they like slightly alkaline water. what exactly is that and how do i make there water like that?

 

[chickennuggets123]

The acidity/alkalinity is measured from 1-14. (pH)
1-6 alkaline
8-14 acidic
7 is said to be neutral.
So you need the water around 6.
You can buy testing kits to measure this.

 

[Paradise3]

Guppies are said to like Alkaline water with a PH of about 7.6 - 8, but mine live and breed in a PH of 6.4... Be warned, Females will drop fry for up to 6 months after they have mated once and they can drop between 1 and 100+ fry at one time.

 

[MrsHennesy87]

Guppies are said to like Alkaline water with a PH of about 7.6 - 8, but mine live and breed in a PH of 6.4... Be warned, Females will drop fry for up to 6 months after they have mated once and they can drop between 1 and 100+ fry at one time.

ok thank u. ya i know all about there breeding thats why i decided not to get females haha i dont want 100's of fry

 

[helterskelter]

The acidity/alkalinity is measured from 1-14. (pH)
1-6 alkaline
8-14 acidic
7 is said to be neutral.
So you need the water around 6.
You can buy testing kits to measure this.

Other way around my friend, acidic is pH 1-6.9 and Alkaline is 7.1-14

MrsHennesy87

Have you tested your pH levels?
This will tell you.

If you use rain water this is usually acidic, if you have bore hole water or mains from ground water supply these tend to be alkaline.

 

[Paradise3]

The acidity/alkalinity is measured from 1-14. (pH)
1-6 alkaline
8-14 acidic
7 is said to be neutral.
So you need the water around 6.
You can buy testing kits to measure this.

Other way round...
1-6 = Acidic.
7 = Neutral.
8-14 = Alkaline.

 

[Paradise3]

The acidity/alkalinity is measured from 1-14. (pH)
1-6 alkaline
8-14 acidic
7 is said to be neutral.
So you need the water around 6.
You can buy testing kits to measure this.

Other way around my friend, acidic is pH 1-6.9 and Alkaline is 7.1-14


Paradise<3

Have you tested your pH levels?
This will tell you.

If you use rain water this is usually acidic, if you have bore hole water or mains from ground water supply these tend to be alkaline.

I tested my levels yesterday because my tanks always have slate in them so I know that can alter my PH.

 

[helterskelter]

Soz tagged the wrong person, was not meant for you.

 

[MrsHennesy87]

right now the tank is empty. i mean the water has been in there with rocks and a filter but no fish yet. im gonna have my sister in law test the water for me before i out the guppies in it

 

[chickennuggets123]

The acidity/alkalinity is measured from 1-14. (pH)
1-6 alkaline
8-14 acidic
7 is said to be neutral.
So you need the water around 6.
You can buy testing kits to measure this.

Other way round...
1-6 = Acidic.
7 = Neutral.
8-14 = Alkaline.

ill get it eventually

 

[KittyKat]

so im tryin to get prepared to get guppies. i read they like slightly alkaline water. what exactly is that and how do i make there water like that?

The water hardness, not the pH as such is actually the important part (normally, hard water = alkaline water -> high pH, soft water = acidic -> low pH). There are two common tests for water hardness: KH (carbonate hardness, i.e. the stuff that causes limescale and keeps the pH stable) and GH (permanent hardness + KH).

So, if your tap water pH is below 7.0, your water is probably soft, if your tap water pH is above 7.0, it's probably hard. It can happen the other way around, but that is very, very rare.

What you can do, is measure your pH, and if you like, your water hardness. If you find that it is too soft or acidic, then you can add shells and reef bones to the aquarium or filter through crushed coral/shells to raise it. Be careful as crushed coral/shells may sometimes irritate the fish's gills.

If you mess around with water hardness, you also need to be aware that you will have to avoid large water changes with your tap water because large changes in pH/water hardness can kill the fish.

 

[Mom of MnE]

to check the PH level of my tap water do i still use the stress coat to remove the chlorine?

 

[KittyKat]

to check the PH level of my tap water do i still use the stress coat to remove the chlorine?

As far as I know, Stress Coat should not affect the reading, but you do need to let the water sit for 24 hours between when you get it out of the tap and test it, to let it degas. Most people, including me, usually test untreated, although the few times I tested dechlorinated water at the 24 hour mark, the pH was the same as for the undechlorinated.

 

[Mom of MnE]

okay cuse i have some tap water thta has been dechlorinated and it has st for 24 hours so it should be fine to test then right?

 

[KittyKat]

okay cuse i have some tap water thta has been dechlorinated and it has st for 24 hours so it should be fine to test then right?

Yes.