Nitrates in tap water

[xxamyxx85]

I had that system and it does not affect pH. Any differences between your tap water and the tank likely already exist and should cause no issues.

It has definitely adjusted my ph, I tested my tap water and then the just filtered water and they are different, my tank ph is the same as my tap water.

 

[Essjay]

The pH difference is not large enough to cause problems.

@seangee I was hoping you'd reply as you have used this filter

 

[xxamyxx85]

The nitrate removal system originally took the ph down to 6.0, so I mixed 50/50 with my tap water which brought it back up to 7.0! Just out of interest what difference in ph is too much and what is safe?

 

[Essjay]

It's interesting that the filter dropped the pH so much when seangee had no drop in pH with the same filter. Such a drop does suggest something else besides nitrate removal.
Do you have anything to test GH with? My concern is that with a large pH drop, the filter could also remove hardness.


If it's just pH that's dropped and GH is the same, a change of pH of 0.5 is not a problem. In a planted tank it can change by a few decimal points during a 24 hour period.

 

[seangee]

Definitely not my experience. I would not be surprised at a small change as being filtered means the water is agitated and aerated, so I would expect a similar effect to allowing the tap water to stand for a few hours - but no more than that.

 

[xxamyxx85]

It's interesting that the filter dropped the pH so much when seangee had no drop in pH with the same filter. Such a drop does suggest something else besides nitrate removal.
Do you have anything to test GH with? My concern is that with a large pH drop, the filter could also remove hardness.


If it's just pH that's dropped and GH is the same, a change of pH of 0.5 is not a problem. In a planted tank it can change by a few decimal points during a 24 hour period.

No I don’t have anything to test GH, can I just buy a test kit?
Oh I really hope it hasn’t reduced hardness, I have already done my water change, Zilla my Betta seems fine, I really hope he is!!

 

[Essjay]

Yes you can, but it is a bit of a waste of money as you'll hardly ever use it.

You could take a bit of the filtered water to an LFS and ask them to test it for GH and KH (say it's your tap water ) Make sure they give you numbers. Then compare that numbers to those your water company gives (though UK water companies rarely give KH, or alkalinity as they call it)

 

[seangee]

Oh I really hope it hasn’t reduced hardness,

I really hoped it would reduce my hardness. It didn't so you should be fine.

 

[Joe80]

Hi @xxamyxx85
Hope you don’t mind me restarting your thread. I’m just wondering how you’re getting on with your tap nitrate. I am having the same issues at the moment. My tap water is 21ppm, I recently bought a pozzani nitrate remover..... I thought it was amazing, then I noticed it had dropped my pH buy about 1.

I then left my the filter water over night and the pH raised slightly. So I added some unfiltered tap water, to get the pH to 7, which is just about acceptable.

Are you still using the pozzani or did you find an alternative?

Cheers
Joe

 

[seangee]

... I thought it was amazing, then I noticed it had dropped my pH buy about 1.

Have you tested your tap water 24 hours after it comes out of the tap? Sometimes water companies add stuff to the water to temporarily raise the pH to avoid corroding the pipes. This will usually gas out in 24 hours - but running it through the filter will speed up that process.

 

[xxamyxx85]

Hi joe,
I’m doing a 50-50 mix with my tap water and the Pozzani filtered water, I found this way the ph should be same as tap water but nitrates removed. I use cold water with the flow very low through the filter and then top the rest with warm tap water. I think the filter removes the chlorine too but I treat the whole bucket with tap safe as normal just to be sure! Works a treat!

 

[Joe80]

Have you tested your tap water 24 hours after it comes out of the tap? Sometimes water companies add stuff to the water to temporarily raise the pH to avoid corroding the pipes. This will usually gas out in 24 hours - but running it through the filter will speed up that process.

Hi Seangee. That makes sense about the water companies wanting to protect the pipes from acidic water. But I thought it was the other way around.... the pH of tap water rises after standing because of C02 gasing out. Also my tank pH is slightly higher than fresh water straight from the tap.

 

[Joe80]

Hi joe,
I’m doing a 50-50 mix with my tap water and the Pozzani filtered water, I found this way the ph should be same as tap water but nitrates removed. I use cold water with the flow very low through the filter and then top the rest with warm tap water. I think the filter removes the chlorine too but I treat the whole bucket with tap safe as normal just to be sure! Works a treat!

Ok cool, thanks. Think I’ll keep going with the pozzani.

 

[Essjay]

Where the pH is low in tap water, companies add something to raise the pH to protect the pipes and that gases out when the water stands so the pH falls.

 

[Joe80]

Where the pH is low in tap water, companies add something to raise the pH to protect the pipes and that gases out when the water stands so the pH falls.

Ok thanks. Tbh I’m finding this a bit confusing. My pH from the tap is about 7.6 ( the water company say that, and the pH test confirms it ). The water in my aquarium is slightly higher, nearer to 8. After using the pozzani for the first time, the pH dropped to well below 7. Then after letting the freshly filtered pozzani water sit over night, the pH raised slightly.

Maybe my pH testing incorrect.