High PH-KH-GH Options?

C

cshepard

AC Members
Jun 17, 2005
50
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Vancouver Is. BC
I've set up a 10 g QT tank in preparation for a larger tank to come, got my AP test kits and started cycling. Heres my readings and my question:

Right out of tap:
PH - 6.6
KH - 8 dKH
GH - 7 dGH

Tank and 24 hr. aged tap -
PH - off the high end of scale - 8.8 +
KH - 9 dKH
GH - 6 dGH

I'm going to keep goldies so I don't mind high readings but these are way too high. I'd like readings around PH - 7.6, Kh 6.7, GH 5.6

As far as I can tell my options are adding peat to my filter, various resins or chemicals to lower Ph and Kh, using injected C02 or using RO mixed with tap water to get a good level. Am I right or are there other alternatives and what is the best solution?
Will I have to age my tap water everytime I do a water change because adding the 6.6 ph water will cause too big a swing? (this will make doing a 50% water change on a 120 g very difficult!)
Any opinions will be much appreciated.
 
No, you won't need to age your tap, most of the CO2 resulting in the low pH will degas as you add the water to the tank. With a 120g I'm assuming you'll be using something like a Python for fills, so just keep it a little above the water to allow for plenty of disturbance and you'll be fine.

You are correct about your options. The right one is up to you. Using peat will mean a brown tinge to your water, some people don't like that. I'd skip the CO2 since your goal is to lower pH and KH, not just pH. RO is probably the best choice, but there is an initial investment. From a conservation standpoint, I'd also recomend using rainwater as the source for the RO unit, they waste a lot of water. The RO unit should take care of any pollutants in the rain and the rejected water isn't really waste.
 
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