ajusting ph and hardness after water change ???

[bert]

My PH in my 100 gal. tank [ after 6 weeks of start up/ cycle] read 7.4 and i also had my tap water tested and it was 7.4 that was 2 weeks ago . i just did a water change 25% a few hours ago and went to petsmart and had the water tested [tank water only] and it was 8.4 ph and the hardness was higher too. i am going to take another sample of both tank and tap in tomorrow to my regular fish dealer in reno to see what the readings are after a day. petsmart used those test strips and MY regular dealer uses the bottles and drops. which is most reliable ?? drops or strips ?

 

[Grassguy]

IMO bottles are more accurate and dependable esp. the two bottle setups. the strips may be faster, but I really prefer the bottles. Or, you could go out and spend some real money to get those prof. digital testers

 

[PumaWard]

I agree that the bottles are more accurate...

Do you know if petsmart kept the strips in an air-tight contaner or anything?

 

[bert]

PH

thanks for the info !!! petsmart had the strips on a display stand on a counter where they bag fish, and they are in their little containers , the containers did have their caps on, but the test kit may have been there for awhile. I am taking 2 samples into my fish only aquarium/fish dealer in reno, and have them test my tank & tap water. I don't buy fish from places like petco/petsmart walmart etc. because they usually have unknowlegable people manning those stations i will see if my PH has stableized over night

 

[Gunnie]

Do you have any fish in the tank yet? If you do, and the fish have been in there for awhile, I wouldn't worry about the ph unless there was a problem. Although I am a newbie, I have been thinking about starting a discus tank. My ph is 7.6, and I thought it would be too much for me to go the RO water route at first, but after reading on a site dedicated to discus, I read that consistent ph is much better for the fish than high ph, and that they would adjust. I have the test kit with the drops, and unless your ph fluctuates quite a bit during water changes, I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you find out your ph changes dramatically after aging the water, then you may have to add only aged water to your tank when you do a water change.

 

[bert]

PH

everything turned out fine, seems the test strips at petsmart were not accurate, my tap and tank water are 7.4 ph so i am breathing a sigh of relief ! happy new year