PH tapwater 7.8.. tank 8.2

[littleme1969]

So, it is a ten-fold increase from 8 to 7 of acidic ions. Or a tenfold increase in basic ions to go from 7 to 8. Not 100 as Link stated.

Thanks for that I was thinking the 0.3 stated above was going to be impossible to get , but that makes more sence

Well I'm not happy with the outcome......

Rocks turned out to be fine.. 7.5 at the start and no change within 12 hours

Gravel on the other hand.. 7.5 at start 7.8 3 hours later and 8.1 12 hours later

I'm really angry at this point having bought this gravel with the aquarium, so hes getting a nasty e.mail in his in box today.
Luckily I bought new gravel yesterday (from specialist LFS) for a new tank I was going to set up, so i'm going to check the gravel first, then change it over tank by tank over a 3 week period. One good thing of having a tank like mine, I can tease the fish into the other tanks and put my tube blocks in and do one tank at a time without causing too much stress to the fish. But then I got another month or 2 of checking every few days for levels... ggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrr and the risks to my poor fish who have had too much change already.

I was wondering if poeople thought it best to set the 9 gallon up using plants and stuff from the main tank(+ a small amount of gravel in one corner so it can be easily removed later) and gradually add the fish . Then re do the other tank. But I guess thats even more stress as they are moved twice ... GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRR I can't win!!

 

[abstract]

Do you own a nitrate testing kit? If you do, your bottle 1 is the HCl solution - try testing with that. It will fizzle even on a small amount of alkaline substances in the rock...

great advice

 

[Danno]

Do you have sea shells? They raise your pH horrably.

 

[littleme1969]

No sea shells.. Its deff the gravel.
I have just teted the new batch of gravel only to find 6 hours later I get the same rise 8.1...gggggrrrrrrrr
This gravel was bought from a specialist shop so I can't see the problem.. does all gravel increase the PH?
Can anyone recomend something that won't ?
Or are there alternatives to use?
I want to keep guppies and with this High PH its not looking possible
One thing I did read was to increase the PH slowly to the new fish.. i.e. put them in a 3 gallon tank with no gravel so the PH would be around 7.5 then slowly add water from the main tank over a period of about a month until it gets to the tank PH of 8.2. Would they be able to breed still with this high PH?

 

[clutterydrawer]

No sea shells.. Its deff the gravel.
I have just teted the new batch of gravel only to find 6 hours later I get the same rise 8.1...gggggrrrrrrrr

Did you also carry out the same experiment with a bowl of tapwater with no gravel in it as a "control"? Someone mentioned earlier how fresh tapwater can be more acidic cos of the disolved carbon dioxide in it.

If it is the gravel, and you got it form a pet shop, you go back and tell them what's what.


Seriously though....you could try some from another pet shop?
Im not sure about breeding - I know that the wrong pH and/or hardness can prevent eggs from ahtching by hardening them but I dunno the implications for livebearers. I'm also interested as to how you're managing to keep tetras, which are much more delicate and like a much lower pH than guppies.

 

[gixer]

Do you own a nitrate testing kit? If you do, your bottle 1 is the HCl solution - try testing with that. It will fizzle even on a small amount of alkaline substances in the rock...

great advice

was here too lol

 

[littleme1969]

I'm also interested as to how you're managing to keep tetras, which are much more delicate and like a much lower pH than guppies.

I know.. the tetra thing did bother me too.. I went to the shop with the intention of getting danios as they prefer a higher PH but was assured by the shop that the tetra would be OK.. Bought 4 neons.. one died overnight.. and the other 3 were fine.. so 2 weeks later (mainly due to the fact you need at least 6) I bought another 7 glowlights (No neons in that day ) and I have never had a problem with them at all they go up and down the tubes like its a F1 track .. the little monkeys.. and are all very healthy.

I have just been looking through some stuf on the web and it seems I need to get some *lime Free Gravel/sand*.. lime is used to reduce acidity and increase PH (lol i know this cos come from farming family..lol) And for some reason its only lime free if it states on the pack.. the rest is as it comes so to speak. So i'm e.mailing the LFS to see what he thinks and what he uses in his tanks. and what his PH is.

As for testing tapwater when its been stood for a while.. I gathered that due to the fact I got no rise from the rock bucket or the wood bucket for that matter its not the water its self, but will do another test just to be sure.

And to add insult to injury one of my Gouramis has just fallen ill
This is turning out to be a real diaster.
Anyone want a fancy tank with Ph raising gravel?

 

[clutterydrawer]

what is up with the gourami? i.e. what symptoms?

this is very odd

most people use pet store gravel no trouble

 

[littleme1969]

The gourami looks Ok from the outside.. no fin rot /sores/fungus thats visible. I think its a female cos its bigger and less brightly couloured than the other. I noticed it was off colour last night (Had stopped chasing the other gourami..lol)
on closer inspection the inside of its mouth looked white but it was breathing ok today the mouth is hardly moving, as its a labyrith fish its just going to the surface and talking gulps of air, rather than the standard open and shut non stop when using gills. And its not eating now either