Ph In Water Before Putting In Tank

[jeepgirl]

Hello I needed some advice in my ph from my tap water is about 6.0 and my ph in my tank stays at 7.4 every time when I do a water change should I add ph up or do anything to the tap water before I put it into the tank? Thanks for the help.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Put some tapwater in a glass & test it, then leave it in the glass & test it again 24 hours later. If it has risen to 7.5ish then you have co2 in your tapwater that is gassing off overnight.

 

[Skins]

I have been advised to stay away from the "ph up/down" conditioners, there more natural ways to change pH parameters BUT most of the members on the forum would advise to do plenty of research before hand. An un-stable pH can result in disaster.

 

[Uriel]

If your tap water varies drastically in ph between fresh from the tap and left for 24hours I would personally leave the water you are going to use for water change in a container over night to gas off and then use it if this is a viable option.

 

[jeepgirl]

Thanks everyone for you advice!

 

[OldMan47]

Jeepgirl, if your pH is simply the result of CO2, as Aqua Tom suggested, just use it and don't worry about the pH. Any pH swing that is due to CO2 will not affect your fish, they really won't care about it.

 

[waterdrop]

Agree with OM47 - pH swings due to CO2 are pure pH swings, not pH swings due to hardness change and it's hardness change that are the real underlying thing we're trying to protect our fish from. Would you agree OM47?

~~waterdrop~~