Dupe

I'm still in the setup and cycling stage with my 55g tank. I'm about 2 months into this, things including LS & LR are settling in. Soon I'll be adding snails and hermits and I've started using my lights. Now that I'm going to do less massive water changes, I want to get down my top off process. I think I understand about dosing and use of Kalkwasser and testing...

Let's say my calcium and ph levels are fine, my question is this... Can I use a ph buffer just on the freshwater top off? All the instructions I can find have been for treating the whole tank. It would seem to me that if the top off water had the correct ph that there would be less of a ph swing.

For instance here are the paraphrased directions on a buffer I have: dissolve 1 teaspoon in a glass of fresh water for each 20-30 gallons of tank capacity? Could I just add a little bit of buffer to my (untreated, purified, fresh) topoff water?

Please advise or point me to where I can find some directions for this. I have been looking.

Thanks!

BJP

I wouldn't worry about the buffer. Most freshwater fish can adapt easily to a wide range of ph so long as it isn't bouncing around all the time.

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Dupe

Funny, my posts always seemed to get moved to the freshwater section. I am building a marine aquarium, thus the LR, LS, kalk etc. The salt mixes have nice extras but my RO water for topoffs does not. Early on when picking my supplies I was given a marine buffer for replacing evaporated water. I haven't needed to use it because when curing live rock there is no need do to because of the massive water changes and lack of livestock. Okay, things are moving along now, I have a lot more Knowledge, will be adding critters soon and was wondering if I could eliminate an unnecessary PH swing.

gm333

The ph swing should not be a problem using R/O top off. How much water are you having to replace daily?

Dupe

hey thanks for getting me where I belong... Actually I don't know yet I seem to need about a gallon to a gallon and a half a week. If I dose with kalkwasser it probably will be less of an issue. However, I'd like to understand if I top off once a week prior to a 10% water change, is it best to use straight RO water or apply a buffer.

Reefbabe

You don't need to add anything to your top off water. Just plain ol fresh water (R/O preferably). I used to loose a little more than a gallon a day on my 90g. Are you dripping or dosing kalk everynight? Keeping your tank as stable as possible by adding your top off water (kalk water is also top off water) every night is a good idea.

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Advice is always easier to accept when it doesn't conflict with our plans.

Dupe

Thanks, I'm going to set up a dripper using pure RO water and see how this goes. I'll be monitoring with my tests. I like the idea of not adding anything until its indicated by my readings. I may add kalk to my drip eventually. So, I'll stash my ph buffer until I see PH or alk slip.

jmbarr

Hello I am new to your forum. I have been running a fresh water aquarium for about 7 years. I just recently upgraded from a 30 gallon to a 55 gallon and gave the 30 gallon tank to my mother in law. She had a 10 gallon with 4 to 6 gold fish between 1" to 4" in size along with a 3" plasetomise ( spelling ?). When we set up the 30 gallon and transfered the fish to it all of the fish died within a couple of weeks.
The tank has about 1 1/2" of gravel in the bottom, one live plant, a few fake plants and some rocks that had been in my tank for years.
We determined that she had way over feed the fish and through the ph, nitrite and nitrate levels up through the roof. I have been able to lower the nitrite and nitrate levels to were they should be but can't get the ph level down.

ph is 7.8 to8.4
kh is above 180
gh is 150
nitrite is 0
nitrate is 0

the ph, gh, and kh levels are high in her tap water they are
ph 7.8
kh 180
gh 150

I have read your posts on ph levels and still have some questions. you talk about using baking soda to change the kh of the tank would this help with lowering the ph?

Shouldn't I be able to lower the ph in the tank to neutral with chemicals even with the ph being high in her tap water?

I have used Tetras NitraBan which is suposed to balance the ph level as well as lowering the nitrate and nitrite levels. It worked great on the nitrite and nitrate levels but hasn't done any thing for the ph.

the tank also has a 12" air stone, 40 gallon filter ( sorry don't remember the brand), and heater. she curently has no fish in the tank because we want to get the levels correct before adding any more Gold fish.

Any help ypu can offer will be greatly appresiated.

By the way I have tropicals in my 55 Gal.

Andyoybna

Jmbarr, Welcome to FTF!!

I think that you would have a lot better chance of having your questions answered if you created a thread in the freshwater forums and listed your questions there.

jmbarr

Thank you, I didn't realize that I was in the wron thread.

Sorry