Very strange tap water.

oztun

oztun

Fish Junky
Aug 29, 2004
164
0
0
My tap water test a KH of 0 and PH of 11. The reason this is strange is here in Austin everyones tapwater is somewhere around 6-7. There is a LFS in my neighborhood and they think my tap water is strange (theres is around 7). So evidently this isn't a common scenario where I live.

Some facts about my water:

- My LFS and me have tested water (over last 5 months) so its not a faulty test kit.
- I am on the city municipal supply with everyone else.
- I have a 2 gallon R/O unit, and the membrane has been replaced and is not leaking (suggested by LFS).
- I DO NOT have a water softner anywhere in my house (LFS don't believe me, but my families owned this house for 30 years now).
- There are high levels of calcium in the water around here (builds up heavy in our hot water heater).

So the only conclusion I can draw is our pipes are saturated with calcium and causing this. What I don't understand is why the LFS doesn't see this more often??? Surely others in my area must have the same problem. My fish tank maintains a PH of 7 or so since the water quickly changes when exposed to air and no KH. I want to know what some experts think about this situation. I have been confused now for months, and would love to figure this one out.
 
okay well if you PH is sitting at 11, you have some major problems. Neutral is 7. So 7 is perfect drinking water.

here is a link to a PH table so you can see what your water is like compared to differant chemicals

http://www.adbio.com/science/analysis/ph_scale.htm

So by reading this chart, your water has the same "Basic" properties as Pure Ammonia. Thats not good. Even bleach is only ph of 12. So, you must have gone wrong with the test kit, or did somethign by chance spill into your water? check the link out.
 
No PH of 11 doesn't mean my water is like pure ammonia because the KH is 0. R/O water typically has a PH of 11.
 
I'd bet it is something in your pipes that is causing it. I also live in austin and my pH is in the mid 7's
 
Usually when water has very high pH and low KH, it means the water utility is treating it with the lime-soda method. This drives pH up (makes it less corrosive, I think) while precipitating out most of the carbonates. This kind of water almost always drops in pH a good bit when exposed to the atmosphere for a while (it picks up CO2 from the air). It still will have very low KH and need a bit of buffering, though.

Jim
 
oztun,

Did I understand you correctly when you said that the water coming out of your tap is 11 and in the tank it is 7?
 
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