Water Chemistry

[manxjason]

Hi,

I'm tinkering with water chemistry in this empty tank. We have very soft water over here, so I'm adding Seachem Malawi Buffer and Seachem Cichlid salts.

GH 7degrees
KH 12degrees
PH difficult to read - but guessing around 7.8

I've added loadsof the Malawi buffer to the tank, but not yet hit PH of 8. Am I doing something wrong here? Or have I underestimated how much I'd actually need to add in an aquarium of this size? (5ft)

 

[manxjason]

Ahh almost there, but the KH will be higher than 12degrees by the time i've hit target PH. Whats the KH range I can stay within?

 

[eggo]

Have a look here this may help

Water Chemistry

 

[manxjason]

Already read that one mate, and understand it. I was just a little baffled as my KH and PH didn't scale with each other.

I managed to achieve a PH of 8, but the KH has increased to 20degrees. Is this suitable?

Like I said though, we have super soft water over here

 

[Malawi MaD]

Bicarb and the salts as i said before, the bicarb should top out at 8/8.2 then the lake salts stabilise the water. Have a word with colin mate, no one knows more than him im pretty sure, the mans a knowledgeable lad when it comes to malawi's/water chemistry.

 

[manxjason]

Have done mate cheers, said exactly the same. Took a walk along the coast earlier and got a bucket of coral rock which has been sat there for years without getting sea water on as it was too high up. Tested with with vinegar an it bubbles.

Put some in a glass of water, stired and kh was 5deg, ph 8.2. Tap water here is 1 degree and ph 7.

Just have the bucket of them in boiling water now, and will put in the internal filter (which is massive) as a buffer D

 

[manxjason]

Just ordered a digital ph reader, with probe. One that remains in the tank and on at all times. Anyone have experience with them?

 

[Malawi MaD]

Wouldn't mind getting one of these myself, let me know how you get on with it mate

 

[manxjason]

Those rocks i added have buffered the water to a ph of 8.52! p.s electronic ph reader is gooood, recommended.

 

[manxjason]

Hm to get a KH of 12 deg, i needed to add 5 teaspoons of Bicarbonate, and a gh of 12 deg, i needed to ad 2 teaspoons of cichlid salts (seachem) to a 60ltr container. sound about right for tap water at 1deg?

 

[Malawi MaD]

Sounds great mate, i was gutted Colin had loads of fish this weekend just gone, i could make it but hopefully there will be some nice fish left for you .. So you have already added this??

 

[manxjason]

added the bicarb or? nah, just messing around with a 60ltr container working out calculations for when i do a 100% WC after this cycle is done - almost there though.

Think ill order after TT week, as it gets mad busy over here with road closures etc

PH meter is awesome mate, very happy with it. much easier than reading the colour chart for ph

 

[eggo]

i find the PH colour chart the most difficult to judge right

what is the make and cost of the digital PH reader m8

 

[manxjason]

Yeah it's near impossible to read unless the ph is below 7 or above 8!

This website here:

http/www.firststopaquatics.co.uk/acatalog/Ph_Monitors_.html ...... 'pH Continual Monitor With replaceable BNC Probe - LED Display' - £36.52

http/www.firststopaquatics.co.uk/acatalog/Aquarium_Thermometer.html ....... Digital Aquarium Thermometer - £6.98

Both products I'm pleased with, especially the the PH monitor. It runs in realtime, and remains switched on at all times. To collaborate it, they provide sachets of powder to add to 250ml of water, which provide the system with something to work with. You test the first solution (25c temp), then using the screwdriver provided, turn a screw until it reads 6.86 PH. Then add the other powder to another glass of 250ml water, and allow to sit for 1 minute. Job done - very impessive, and nice LED lit screen - easy to read.

Thermometer is good too - refreshes itself every 20 secs or so and provides an accurate reading.

Both use probes which remain suspended in the water. The PH tester probe is also replaceable.

Recommend them both mate

 

[eggo]

Thanks for the info i tested my KH/GH yesterday

KH = 8 drops 143.2ppm

GH = 17 drops 304.3ppm