No, that's the gravel I refused to buy. I bought the same brand in a darker color, which does not contain the shell fragments. (This brand's medium-brown gravel contains shell fragments. The dark brown variety does not.)
-- P at
-- P at
pH 7.8!!
- Thread starter Cichlid Woman
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Wetman, I'm lost! Lets say she brought her ph to 7.0 would it not stay then because the kh is too low? Would you then have to raise the kh to maintain the ph of 7? My water is completely opposite. Its about 6.8-7.0 and falls after time to around 6. That is because my kh is around 3 degrees? Otherwise it would not fall if higher? Correct? If so what is the min the kh could be to support a stable ph?
A very effective way to bring down pH is to buy play sand!! I thought my pH was gonna be over 8, but I checked today and it is still maintaining a pH of 7.2. I find it really odd though. BTW, if a lfs has a pH of 7.8 and I have a pH of 7.2, will this be enough to put a fish in a bit of a shock??? Just wondering......
Cichlid Woman,"Bump" is when you reply to a message just to get it sent back up to the top of the list.Usually for further disscusion.
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fishlips, a chemist will give a better explanation than I can... I'm only two steps ahead on the same road... where's RTR?
...but it helps to think of pH as a result in the three-way relationship between CO2, the alkalinity (carbonate/bicarbonate buffer or "KH"), and pH. You can't actually force those H+ protons that are being counted as the pH.
Our "soft" unbuffered water sinks to the low sixes because there's so little dissolved bicarbonate to neutralize the acids produced by metabolisms: respiration, nitrification etc. "Bio-acidification." So carbon dioxide remains as dissolved carbon dioxide and a little dissociated as carbonic acid. Nowhere for those H+ to go. The result is acidity, measured in pH.
The buffer just stabilizes at a certain endpoint. That endpoint pH rises as you add more carbonates/bicarbonates, til finally all the CO2 is bound up in the system, at about hmm. is it pH 8.3?
Alkaline water has less and less available CO2 for plants... adding CO2 "dissolves" the carbonates.
C'mon you chemists!
...but it helps to think of pH as a result in the three-way relationship between CO2, the alkalinity (carbonate/bicarbonate buffer or "KH"), and pH. You can't actually force those H+ protons that are being counted as the pH.
Our "soft" unbuffered water sinks to the low sixes because there's so little dissolved bicarbonate to neutralize the acids produced by metabolisms: respiration, nitrification etc. "Bio-acidification." So carbon dioxide remains as dissolved carbon dioxide and a little dissociated as carbonic acid. Nowhere for those H+ to go. The result is acidity, measured in pH.
The buffer just stabilizes at a certain endpoint. That endpoint pH rises as you add more carbonates/bicarbonates, til finally all the CO2 is bound up in the system, at about hmm. is it pH 8.3?
Alkaline water has less and less available CO2 for plants... adding CO2 "dissolves" the carbonates.
C'mon you chemists!
I'd definitely look into CO2. Even if its just the DIY variety, it should drive your pH down towards where you want it, and it'll be good for your plants. This handy chart shows the relationship between the 3. So long as you keep up with it, it should be fairly stable. There is a good bit of info on CO2 in the Plants and the DIY forums.
I think it was Richer on a different thread who suggested keeping the DIY rig in a suitably small trashcan, the rubbermaidy kitchen sort, to help contain any unfortunate explosive incidents (that seemed to be a concern). A DIY bubble counter can also help keep potential yeast-mix spillovers out of the tank. Some folks seem to find the "jello-recipe" lasts a bit longer. I'll be trying all of this stuff as soon as decent buffer level in my much too soft water
… last readings were pH 6.2, KH 2.
I think it was Richer on a different thread who suggested keeping the DIY rig in a suitably small trashcan, the rubbermaidy kitchen sort, to help contain any unfortunate explosive incidents (that seemed to be a concern). A DIY bubble counter can also help keep potential yeast-mix spillovers out of the tank. Some folks seem to find the "jello-recipe" lasts a bit longer. I'll be trying all of this stuff as soon as decent buffer level in my much too soft water
… last readings were pH 6.2, KH 2.Our local tap is very hard and very high ph. I found that if I mix it 50/50 with distilled water from Walmart I get a neutral ph. Don't know what effect it has on the hardness.
