Hello!
I have a 9 week old 60L aquarium. I am using 100% rainwater in the tank. At first I was planning to add some tap water (10 - 20%) to buffer the water, but my pH readings in the tank have been really strangely high so I haven't. I'm in London, my tap is about 7.8.
The issue is that my pH reading is super high, 1.5 higher than when I put the water in. From 6.6 to 8.2
My rainwater, which I've tested several times over several weeks parameters: 6.5 - 6.6pH, 0 - 0.25Am, 0Ni, 0Na. Alotment water (which I've been using a lot recently) - kH 0, GH 1, Home rainwater - KH 4 GH4 (the butt isn't as big so have to use alotment).
My pH readings over 9 weeks, with kH + GH incase that matters. As you can see, the pH has steadily risen the whole time.
I can't work out why my pH goes so high in the tank. It seems to be getting worse. I have attached a photo of the tank, it does have some rocks on it, but I checked them all with vinegar before I put them in with no changes. I used XXXX soil, and aquarium sand from my LFS, all washed a lot. I also use TNC complete, I add about 8ml a week (trying to get my frogbit green so adding a bit more than the reccomended dose)
I also read online that rocks shouldn't buffer the water to be so high, and my GH/KH aren't that high which is v confusing. I
I didn't think this is too much of a problem, but 2 cherry shrimp have died in the past 4 days (of about 20), which is why I investigated. I have found moltings around though as well so not sure if it's that this time. have about 20 cherry shrimps and 6 otos in the tank, so I want to make sure I havne't blahblahblahblahed something up for them. I want to keep some bolivian rams or apistos, and I thought they need soft water, so not sure if I can't do that now.
Is this not a problem? Is my test kit blahblahblahblah? Any other ideas? Can pH crash the wrong way?
I have a 9 week old 60L aquarium. I am using 100% rainwater in the tank. At first I was planning to add some tap water (10 - 20%) to buffer the water, but my pH readings in the tank have been really strangely high so I haven't. I'm in London, my tap is about 7.8.
The issue is that my pH reading is super high, 1.5 higher than when I put the water in. From 6.6 to 8.2
My rainwater, which I've tested several times over several weeks parameters: 6.5 - 6.6pH, 0 - 0.25Am, 0Ni, 0Na. Alotment water (which I've been using a lot recently) - kH 0, GH 1, Home rainwater - KH 4 GH4 (the butt isn't as big so have to use alotment).
My pH readings over 9 weeks, with kH + GH incase that matters. As you can see, the pH has steadily risen the whole time.
ph | gh | kh | |
Rainwater | 6.6 | 4 | 4 |
22/06/2020 | 6.6 | 4 | 4 |
23/06/2020 | 7 | ||
26/06/2020 | 7.5 | 4 | 4 |
05/07/2020 | 7.2 | 5 | 4 |
09/07/2020 (this is where I started doing weekly 50% water changes instead of 20%, so a big change here but have still been doing it to no effect from here). | 6.8 | ||
17/07/2020 (here I added some tap water as I was going to buffer the water with it, but then seeing the high pH I stopped). | 7.8 | 9 | 7 |
01/08/2020 | 7.8 | 5 | 5 |
09/08/2020 | 7.6 | 6 | 4 |
18/08/2020 | 8.2 | 5 | 5 |
I can't work out why my pH goes so high in the tank. It seems to be getting worse. I have attached a photo of the tank, it does have some rocks on it, but I checked them all with vinegar before I put them in with no changes. I used XXXX soil, and aquarium sand from my LFS, all washed a lot. I also use TNC complete, I add about 8ml a week (trying to get my frogbit green so adding a bit more than the reccomended dose)
I also read online that rocks shouldn't buffer the water to be so high, and my GH/KH aren't that high which is v confusing. I
I didn't think this is too much of a problem, but 2 cherry shrimp have died in the past 4 days (of about 20), which is why I investigated. I have found moltings around though as well so not sure if it's that this time. have about 20 cherry shrimps and 6 otos in the tank, so I want to make sure I havne't blahblahblahblahed something up for them. I want to keep some bolivian rams or apistos, and I thought they need soft water, so not sure if I can't do that now.
Is this not a problem? Is my test kit blahblahblahblah? Any other ideas? Can pH crash the wrong way?