PH kH GH

Having problems with kH my tap water reads 0 KH 0 GH PH 6.6 all tap readings. Tank reading is kH 2 GH 2 PH 6.8 the tank is cycled with one Dwarf gourami no substrate 40 us gallons

why are these reading so off between the tank and tap? Help would be greatly appreciated

 

Probably something in your tank (perhaps some hard scape) is buffering the KH (which measures carbonates), GH (which measures calcium and magnesium ions in the water), and PH. That may actually be a good thing...I've lost a dwarf gourami (and various other fish and snails, for that matter) within a few weeks of purchase/introduction due to my water being too soft (with NO GH or KH and very little TDS). The deaths only stopped when I started adding marine salt and/or baking soda to my water to make it harder.

 

Thanks for the info. I do have small piece of wood with plant on it for the Gourami to hide in that’s all it’s in the tank? Baking soda how mutch? And with every water chance I guess? Do proper ph buffers work if ph is low to rise it?

 

Thanks for the info. I do have small piece of wood with plant on it for the Gourami to hide in that’s all it’s in the tank? Baking soda how mutch? And with every water chance I guess? Do proper ph buffers work if ph is low to rise it?

Weird! No clue what would be adding hardness to your tank then...is the wood all you have in the tank other than water and fish? What are you using for filter media?

I add .3 ml of baking soda per gallon to my tanks to increase KH (a quarter teaspoon per four gallons would be a reasonable approximation of that). I would start with half that value for a few weeks to minimize stress on your dwarf gourami, as sudden shifts in KH are extremely stressful to livestock of all kinds and even plants.

EDIT: If you want to increase GH, you need to add something to the tank that adds calcium and/or magnesium (both are needed by many critters and plants). Again, do it slowly to minimize stress on the plants and fish.

 

Yeah just drift I think not sure what wood it is. Media is Biohome ultimate. Al try the baking soda. All put 1/2 per day test till it’s aleast ph of 7 and kH about 4 at least. That sound about right?

 

Half of my recommended dose, or a half teaspoon? It would be easier on the fish (and less work on you) if you simply add it in with each weekly water change rather than quickly increase the KH every day.

 

Does your tap water filter through an RO/DI system? I’ve never heard of anyone with 0 GH and KH out of the tap unless it’s filtered.
Now my well water is 0 KH but it’s 11GH.
Be careful using baking soda. I would test it in a bucket first. I found it to raise the ph to about 8.2 when I tried a 1/4 tsp per 4 gallons.

 

Does your tap water filter through an RO/DI system? I’ve never heard of anyone with 0 GH and KH out of the tap unless it’s filtered.
Now my well water is 0 KH but it’s 11GH.
Be careful using baking soda. I would test it in a bucket first. I found it to raise the ph to about 8.2 when I tried a 1/4 tsp per 4 gallons.

Odd...that quantity of baking soda has never pushed the PH of my water past the mid 7's. In any event, it would indeed be wise to test the water outside the tank in the event your tap behaves differently from mine.

 

Does your tap water filter through an RO/DI system? I’ve never heard of anyone with 0 GH and KH out of the tap unless it’s filtered.
Now my well water is 0 KH but it’s 11GH.
Be careful using baking soda. I would test it in a bucket first. I found it to raise the ph to about 8.2 when I tried a 1/4 tsp per 4 gallons.

No RO/DI system installed. It’s just strange one never herd of it my self. Test baking soda before I add it to the tank with my weekly water changes.

 

Does your tap water filter through an RO/DI system? I’ve never heard of anyone with 0 GH and KH out of the tap unless it’s filtered.
Now my well water is 0 KH but it’s 11GH.
Be careful using baking soda. I would test it in a bucket first. I found it to raise the ph to about 8.2 when I tried a 1/4 tsp per 4 gallons.

Yes all take your advice and hopefully it will sorted out. Thanks for your in put mutch thanks.

 

No RO/DI system installed. It’s just strange one never herd of it my self. Test baking soda before I add it to the tank with my weekly water changes.

Where does your tap water originate? Well or municipal water system? What country?

 

Uk Scotland it’s filtered a lot before coming out the tape?

 

Uk Scotland it’s filtered a lot before coming out the tape?

Hmmmm. I wonder if your town/city filters it? But I don’t know anything about the public water systems in the UK.
jinjerJOSH22 and Coradee Any ideas?

 

Hmmmm. I wonder if your town/city filters it? But I don’t know anything about the public water systems in the UK.
jinjerJOSH22 and Coradee Any ideas?

Sorry no idea.

 

Definitely filtered 0 everything only think in my water is chlorine Ph 6.5 sometimes the ph is so low can’t read it on the api chart.

 

Definitely filtered 0 everything only think in my water is chlorine Ph 6.5 sometimes the ph is so low can’t read it on the api chart.

My well water is extremely acidic. Commercial testing had it at 5.3 and 5.5 the two times I’ve done ph.
That coupled with 0 KH led me to install an RO/DI system even though I have all freshwater tanks. So I add Seachem Equilibrium for my GH and both Seachem alkaline and acid buffer to arrive at a GH of about 6, KH of 2, and ph of about 7.5.
It’s not perfect and it took a lot of mixing in buckets to arrive at my mix but my tank water stays consistent and my fish are thriving.
So you might want to explore adding something like the Seachem line to remineralize your water.

 

Yeah already orderd neutral regulator from Seachem. Duse that not have acid buffer in it?

 

Yeah already orderd neutral regulator from Seachem. Duse that not have acid buffer in it?

I’d have to look it up. I have all planted tanks so Equilibrium is suggested.
ETA, So it looks like all the regulator does is precipitate out calcium and magnesium to mostly lower ph. It doesn’t add any minerals nor carbonate to buffer the ph.
Since your water contains no minerals, that doesn’t look like a good choice.
I think I would start with equilibrium and alkaline buffer in test bucket mixes to see what I get and then go from there.
And since your tank tests at 2 GH and KH, something in your tank is adding minerals, either your decor or your substrate. So be mindful of that.

 

0.386 Grams CaSO4 - 30ppm Ca, 4.2 degrees gH
0.384 Grams MgSO4 - 10ppm Mg, 2.3 degrees gH
0.135 Grams KHCO3 - 14ppm K, 1.0 degrees kH

Premix these, per 1 US gallon, and you will add 1.0 degrees of kH and 6.5 degrees of gH to your water. This is the cheapest way to maintain consistent gH and kH without a lot of added stuff found in pre-made boosters.

 

I’d have to look it up. I have all planted tanks so Equilibrium is suggested.
ETA, So it looks like all the regulator does is precipitate out calcium and magnesium to mostly lower ph. It doesn’t add any minerals nor carbonate to buffer the ph.
Since your water contains no minerals, that doesn’t look like a good choice.
I think I would start with equilibrium and alkaline buffer in test bucket mixes to see what I get and then go from there.
And since your tank tests at 2 GH and KH, something in your tank is adding minerals, either your decor or your substrate. So be mindful of that.

Thers no substrate in my tank just piece of driftwood with plant on it. Just cancelled my order. And orderd alkaline buffer instead probably better for my plants I’m getting.