My Tanks Water Stats...

[dgwebster]

ok, checking out my tanks stats tonight before the water change tomorrow has left me slightly puzzled...

the stats are:

ph: 6.0
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nirtrate: 80ppm
gh: 80ppm
kh: 20ppm (just over)

this is making it slightly hard acidic water.

bizzare part is that the stats for these from the tap (my water source) is:

gh: 40ppm
kh: 80ppm
ph: 7.1
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: some but too low to measure.

I have recently changed half of the sponge filter media to ceramic rings, would this have caused the high GH, low KH and low PH?

 

[dgwebster]

sorry but *bump*

 

[Callum]

the filter sponge pads / ceramic rings wouldnt make a difference. do you inject co2 have a piece of bogwood? although there would have to be a lot but i am not sure why your kh has lowered maybe you just did the test wrong. Also your nitrate has dropped significantly hmm did you do a large waterchange with part R0 that would explain the readings

 

[dgwebster]

I double confirmed the tests when they came out the way they did - same results.

No CO2 injection (in fact only a couple of fake plants right now), no bog wood, play sand substrate.

The nitrate readings with the drop are tests of just tap water fresh poured in order to display what I am putting into my tank.

Last water change had been just over two weeks ago now, using chlorine treated tap water only, about 10-12 gallons worth.

Its just left me really puzzled that my Kh buffer has dropped so low - im also willing to bet that whatever has caused the Kh drop is what has then caused the ph drop seeing as they are all linked.

Am going to perform a 100% volume change in steps over the next 7-10 days to try and bring the buffer and ph up again slowly. although im not directly replacing one section of water for an old section, is should make the change gradual and be not too bad a shock to the fish.