My Peat System Journal
- Thread starter fishboy7
- Start date
pH is just a number, fish don't really "feel" pH. What's most important is TDS, total dissolved solids - but a TDS meter can be expensive.
So the next best thing is to look at your alkalinity (KH) and general hardness (GH). What are your values for these levels - tap water and tank?
Also, are you using a liquid test kit? These are better than strip, by far.
In short, buffering has more to do with KH than pH. Don't fixate on pH too much. Find out what the shop keeper is keeping the fish at where you're getting them from, for starters, and go from there.
As Bob mentioned, all of the fish you are planning to keep, if not wild caught, are farmed and able to adapt to more than just the narrow range of water chemistry you may find as the "recommended" ideals.
So the next best thing is to look at your alkalinity (KH) and general hardness (GH). What are your values for these levels - tap water and tank?
Also, are you using a liquid test kit? These are better than strip, by far.
In short, buffering has more to do with KH than pH. Don't fixate on pH too much. Find out what the shop keeper is keeping the fish at where you're getting them from, for starters, and go from there.
As Bob mentioned, all of the fish you are planning to keep, if not wild caught, are farmed and able to adapt to more than just the narrow range of water chemistry you may find as the "recommended" ideals.
If memory serves, commercially avail rummys are wild, prehaps even C. sterbai.pH is just a number, fish don't really "feel" pH. What's most important is TDS, total dissolved solids - but a TDS meter can be expensive.
Not true as xtreme pH can effect eyes, slime production, etc.
So the next best thing is to look at your alkalinity (KH) and general hardness (GH). What are your values for these levels - tap water and tank?:iagree:
Also, are you using a liquid test kit? These are better than strip, by far.:iagree:
In short, buffering has more to do with KH than pH. Don't fixate on pH too much. Find out what the shop keeper is keeping the fish at where you're getting them from, for starters, and go from there.
KH affect stability of pH and they all affects one another one way or another.
As Bob mentioned, all of the fish you are planning to keep, if not wild caught, are farmed and able to adapt to more than just the narrow range of water chemistry you may find as the "recommended" ideals.
Although can verify with phone call, someone correct me if Im wrong.
Even commercially farmed fishes should be given its ideal conditions regardless of its/their adaptability, IMHO.
I agree with Cerianthus, and yes I am using strips, and petsmart sells both strip and liquid test kits. If I buy a liquid test kit, I have to buy a pH/ammonia/nitrate/nitrate/high pH (whatever that means) kit separate from a GH/KH kit. Are they really worth it? I need new test kits anyways so I'll end up buying something. Also, the Kh is moderate to low, ad the water is very soft, that's what the strip says.
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What would greatly help in understanding your needs/intention are pH/KH/GH of both tank and tap.
Wow! It was my understanding that you already have performed necessary testing before deciding the peat prep.
If you dont have all the test kit, no need to go out of your way to p/u.
Althoug better if all the actual datas are avail and from better test kits but could take some EDUCATED Guess with pH/GH/KH test kit avail.
It's up to you!!!
If you dont have all the test kit, no need to go out of your way to p/u.
Althoug better if all the actual datas are avail and from better test kits but could take some EDUCATED Guess with pH/GH/KH test kit avail.
It's up to you!!!
Okay, I have to vent (Warning: this is a bit long).
So, today I went to petsmart with my grandma. She got 3 otocinclus catfish, more filter cartridges, an algae scraper, and algae wafers. I got a API freshwater master liquid test kit and a black background. Everything of hers is fine, but since the master test kit only tests pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrites, I have to get the Gh and Kh liquid test kit elsewhere:wall:. So, I come home and I realize the man at the store cut my background 24 in. long even though I told him my tank was 30 in. long :mad2:!!! So I have to return that. Finally, I test the little bit of water in my 36 gallon: pH 6.4. Okay, needs to go up a bit to around 7.3. Then, I check the water in my 5 gallon and peat buckets: 8.2?!?! :swear: Apparently, I have to change the peat everytime I add new water to the buckets to be softened! (Nobody told me that!)
So, I will change the peat in the buckets. Also, since my pH has to be around 7.3, I took a bowl and put 1 1/2 cup of 6.4 water and mixed it with 1 1/2 cup of 8.2 water. The pH came out to be around 7.1 Will it stay this way if I mix the water from my 5 gallon (pH of 8.2) with the 5 gallons of water so far in my 36 gallon (pH of 6.4)?
So, today I went to petsmart with my grandma. She got 3 otocinclus catfish, more filter cartridges, an algae scraper, and algae wafers. I got a API freshwater master liquid test kit and a black background. Everything of hers is fine, but since the master test kit only tests pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrites, I have to get the Gh and Kh liquid test kit elsewhere:wall:. So, I come home and I realize the man at the store cut my background 24 in. long even though I told him my tank was 30 in. long :mad2:!!! So I have to return that. Finally, I test the little bit of water in my 36 gallon: pH 6.4. Okay, needs to go up a bit to around 7.3. Then, I check the water in my 5 gallon and peat buckets: 8.2?!?! :swear: Apparently, I have to change the peat everytime I add new water to the buckets to be softened! (Nobody told me that!)
So, I will change the peat in the buckets. Also, since my pH has to be around 7.3, I took a bowl and put 1 1/2 cup of 6.4 water and mixed it with 1 1/2 cup of 8.2 water. The pH came out to be around 7.1 Will it stay this way if I mix the water from my 5 gallon (pH of 8.2) with the 5 gallons of water so far in my 36 gallon (pH of 6.4)?
