Uh oh I need help fast....

[Rocky998]

Thats a good idea. Thank you

I leave the paper cover seal over the opening of the API bottle and make a tiny hole in it so I can get it out 1 drop at a time.

 

[Rocky998]

I dont have the API GH/KH test kit yet but I will get it soon. So for now I'm only testing this. As you can see my tap water PH is a 7.6 and I need it to be a 7... Any suggestions?

 

[Myraan]

My api conditioner says its 1ml for each 20 gallons... So its literally just a drip I have to add to the 5 gallon bucket lol

Or use a very big bucket like those things builders use to carry rubble to the skip, those flexi-tub things.
I've heard people with larger tanks have bought a brand new trash can or similar to treat the water in.
If you guessing using the bottles cap like the instructions probably suggest - I think it's safer if you are trying to guess less rather than more.

 

[Rocky998]

Or use a very big bucket like those things builders use to carry rubble to the skip, those flexi-tub things.
I've heard people with larger tanks have bought a brand new trash can or similar to treat the water in.
If you guessing using the bottles cap like the instructions probably suggest - I think it's safer if you are trying to guess less rather than more.

I'm already past that but thanks. I have a 5g lowes bucket that in using and a dosing syringe that goes up to 10ml

 

[Rocky998]

I dont have the API GH/KH test kit yet but I will get it soon. So for now I'm only testing this. As you can see my tap water PH is a 7.6 and I need it to be a 7... Any suggestions?
View attachment 142414

I more need help with this right now though

 

[Myraan]

Going by the Nitrogen levels... I'm guessing (hoping) you have just started a fishless cycle.
If that's the case, your high pH is caused by the ammonia. As the tank cycles, the pH should drop, in fact the nitrite in itself might cause a pH crash that you will need to do a water change for before adding more ammonia. Incidentley, your pH might be more than 7.6, I think you need to use the other PH test bottle too.

If you have fish in the tank - dilute the ammonia as soon as possible.

Don't worry about pH that fish prefer until you are cycled, then you will know what is normal for your tank.

And if you have low kH, a variation of pH might indeed be normal for you.

 

[Rocky998]

Going by the Nitrogen levels... I'm guessing (hoping) you have just started a fishless cycle.
If that's the case, your high pH is caused by the ammonia. As the tank cycles, the pH should drop, in fact the nitrite in itself might cause a pH crash that you will need to do a water change for before adding more ammonia. Incidentley, your pH might be more than 7.6, I think you need to use the other PH test bottle too.

If you have fish in the tank - dilute the ammonia as soon as possible.

Don't worry about pH that fish prefer until you are cycled, then you will know what is normal for your tank.

And if you have low kH, a variation of pH might indeed be normal for you.

This is just a tap water test. I wanted to see if my tap water had a good ph and apparently not. Im getting ready to start up my tank but first we have to paint the room lol. So I shouldnt worry about the ph cause it'll change in the cycle?

 

[Essjay]

Only pure water has a pH of 7.0. Rivers and lakes are not pure water - they have minerals and organic things dissolved in them which alter the pH. Hardness minerals make the pH higher than 7.0 while tannins etc make it lower than pH 7.0


Did you test freshly run tap water? That often has gasses dissolved in it and once the water is out of the pipework the gasses come out and the pH changes. Try leaving a glass of water to stand overnight and test it again for pH.

Don't worry about the pH, it does not need to be pH 7.0. Just choose fish which come from water with similar hardness and pH to your tap water.

 

[Essjay]

It looks as though there is some ammonia in your tap water. Your water provider probably uses chloramine to disinfect your water - this is ammonia and chlorine joined together. Water conditioners split up chloramine and remove the chlorine half leaving the ammonia half in the water. If you choose a water conditioner which also detoxifies ammonia that will make it safe for about 24 hours.
If you cycle the tank either using ammonia to grow bacteria or by using live plants, the bacteria or plants will remove the ammonia before it "undetoxifies" and will keep the fish safe once you have them.

 

[Myraan]

I always wondered if people exaggerate about unconditioned water killing their fish, I guess this shows some peoples water is worse than mine...
If you use the calculator on this site for ammonia in a fishless cycle, maybe use a little less as your water company is kindly supplying some... and when you have fish and do a water change... never forget the prime

Also is 1ppm (or more, my eyes suck at reading test results) ammonia normal for chloramine in tap water - that's scary if so.

 

[Rocky998]

I always wondered if people exaggerate about unconditioned water killing their fish, I guess this shows some peoples water is worse than mine...
If you use the calculator on this site for ammonia in a fishless cycle, maybe use a little less as your water company is kindly supplying some... and when you have fish and do a water change... never forget the prime

Also is 1ppm (or more, my eyes suck at reading test results) ammonia normal for chloramine in tap water - that's scary if so.

So get a chloramine/ammonia detoxifier...

 

[Rocky998]

How should I be maintaining my tank water with these tap water parameters?

 

[Myraan]

So get a chloramine/ammonia detoxifier...

well that is one of the things that prime does - so you are probably ok

I don't know how normal a level that is for chloramine sorry.

Maybe it means you should do smaller water changes more often - hopefully someone else will know.

I tested my tap water yesterday and got zero ammonia, so I am more confidant about safely doing large water changes.

 

[Rocky998]

well that is one of the things that prime does - so you are probably ok

I don't know how normal a level that is for chloramine sorry.

Maybe it means you should do smaller water changes more often - hopefully someone else will know.

I tested my tap water yesterday and got zero ammonia, so I am more confidant about safely doing large water changes.

... What have I gotten myself into...

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I always wondered if people exaggerate about unconditioned water killing their fish, I guess this shows some peoples water is worse than mine...
If you use the calculator on this site for ammonia in a fishless cycle, maybe use a little less as your water company is kindly supplying some... and when you have fish and do a water change... never forget the prime

Also is 1ppm (or more, my eyes suck at reading test results) ammonia normal for chloramine in tap water - that's scary if so.

It's a global forum and there are definitely some parts of the world where the water doesn't seem as tightly regulated as ours here in Blighty. There are also more users of wells out there than we are used to.
Whilst some untreated waters can cause fish harm, the real and persistent danger of untreated water is to the bacterial colonies in the tank.
Remember that the water is specifically treated, so as to kill bacteria, to make it safe to drink. Adding this to the tank will kill tank bacteria, which will kill the Nitrogen Cycle, which will kill the fish.