waterwatereverywhere
Fish Crazy
Yes, another pH query for those with an interest in water chemistry! 
My tank's at the exciting stage now, finally finished re-filling it after days of trickling water out of my RO unit, got it full of water and pumping round now, just waiting for some occupants!
I tested my RO water before it went into the tank, and it read as expected:
pH 7.0
General hardness 0
kH 0
I then added some Kent RO-right, to the dosage for very soft water, as I'm planning on an Amazonian set-up. The substrate of the tank won't affect the pH, and the only other thing in there is a couple of pieces of bogwood. My readings have now gone to:
pH 7.3
Gen hardness 60
kH 45
Hardness is at the upper end of soft so I might dilute that with a water change or two. What's made the pH go up? I haven't started my CO2 injection yet, so that will bring it down, I know. I do have a sump underneath, and I've got strong water movement at the moment, to get rid of the cloudiness after it kicked up some muck off the gravel. I'm going to turn that down.... I wondered if the strong movement and therefore the gas exchange has contributed... but I'm a bit out of my depth here....!
My theory is that once I've calmed the water movement and started with the CO2 it should fall to where I want it, between 6 and 7. What does anyone think?
My tank's at the exciting stage now, finally finished re-filling it after days of trickling water out of my RO unit, got it full of water and pumping round now, just waiting for some occupants!
I tested my RO water before it went into the tank, and it read as expected:
pH 7.0
General hardness 0
kH 0
I then added some Kent RO-right, to the dosage for very soft water, as I'm planning on an Amazonian set-up. The substrate of the tank won't affect the pH, and the only other thing in there is a couple of pieces of bogwood. My readings have now gone to:
pH 7.3
Gen hardness 60
kH 45
Hardness is at the upper end of soft so I might dilute that with a water change or two. What's made the pH go up? I haven't started my CO2 injection yet, so that will bring it down, I know. I do have a sump underneath, and I've got strong water movement at the moment, to get rid of the cloudiness after it kicked up some muck off the gravel. I'm going to turn that down.... I wondered if the strong movement and therefore the gas exchange has contributed... but I'm a bit out of my depth here....!
My theory is that once I've calmed the water movement and started with the CO2 it should fall to where I want it, between 6 and 7. What does anyone think?
