No KH reading confussed!?

[aibo82]

Hi

Ive had my tank setup about a month now im using a peat substrate thats naturaly lowers ph to 6.8 (colombo flora-base) and wood as decoration and injecting Co2 at 30ppm.

Now the tank stats are PH 6.8 maybe lower with the co2 injection and KH is 0 but fish are fine!

My tap water sits at Ph7.5/7.8 with a KH of 5 and im doing a 20% change on Wednesday and Saturday to keep ph stable for my blue rams and im EI doseing.

1/Whats causing this low KH reading?
2/ And should I be concerned about it?
3/ If so how do I correct it or will it stable itself over the next few months?

 

[Ed Seeley]

1. I would imagine that general tank biological activity and your peat substrate are using up the KH.
2. Maybe. However I run tanks with 0dKH - but the fish can all cope with very acidic pH if it goes that way. Rams will be fine and it sounds like your others ones will be ok. There are a lot of myths about pH swings and low TDS water.
2. You could dose sodium bicarb to stabilise the KH or do larger water changes (50%) and it should settle down once the acidic nature of your substrate is reduced.

 

[Dave Spencer]

......KH is 0 but fish are fine!

End of....

Too many forums out there will have you messing about needlessly with kH. Don`t bother in your case.

Dave.