PH DIFFERENCE USING SAME WATER

[boiler]

I use tap 7.0 water with no chemicals in my 20, 40, 55, 75, & 100 gallon tanks.

The result is:

20 - 6.5 Guppies, Angel

40 - 7.4 Mollies, Platys, Swordtails, Tetras, Corys

55 - 7.2 Severns, Gouramis, Black Ghost Knife, Corys

75 - 7.4 Angels, Corys, Plecos

100 - 6.4 Discus, Chinese Salfins, Angels


Except for the usual beginner's mistakes, I have run these tanks for three years without any problems or loss of fish, the exception being those who's time had come.

Have any of you experienced the PH difference? Does anyone have an explanation?

Thanks for any response.

 

[Bol]

When you say "no chemicals", I assume that you are using a dechlorinator, right?

What sort of other things are in each tank (plants/ornaments/rocks/driftwood)?

Do you use salt in any of the tanks? If so, which ones?

Do all the tanks get similar water changes, with similar frequency?

Is this pH difference a recent happening, or has it been that way "forever"?

 

[boiler]

I don't use a dechlorinator. Straight from the tape.

Each tank has different plants, rocks, etc. The exception is the 20 gallon. It is my utility tank and it is bare.

No salt ever.

All tanks receive the same water changes over a period of three days.

The PH difference has always been there.

 

[Bol]

Hmm, I'm not sure, then, if it's been that way for a few years, and it's stable.

Some rocks will leach compounds into your water (usually raising pH).
Some wood will do the same, usually lowering pH.
But you'd think that would stop after a while; certainly after a couple of years.

Sounds like you've been lucky -- the chlorine in my tap water would surely kill my fish (it's probably not helping me much, either).