Why has tapwater PH increased

muckyhands

Hi everyone, hope someone can help me with this...

The Tapwater always tested at PH7 and the KH3.

Its now testing at PH8.5 and KH3.

Im sure the test is accurate as I tested tapwater in parents house which is PH7.5 and thats the usual. Tested the Tanganyikans tank and thats the same as always.

Anyone any ideas why the PH has in the tapwater has increased so much.

Thanks.

buzz

Where do you live?

I have noticed that the tap water in my area (Palmerstown Dublin 20) has increased from 7 to 7.8 in the last 9 months...... I thought I was loosing it.

muckyhands

buzz wrote: »

Where do you live?

I have noticed that the tap water in my area (Palmerstown Dublin 20) has increased from 7 to 7.8 in the last 9 months...... I thought I was loosing it.

Im in the Artane area- strange thing too I think, is that the tapwater in my parents house, which isnt all that far away, hasnt changed at all. I would have thought the water supply to both houses would be from the same source.

buzz

Very strange.. I am using the same test kit as well.

I had my tap water tested 9 months ago in a local fish shop, and Ph was 6.8.. So I had to harden my water to accommodate my african cichlid tank...

Now I had a 450L south american cichlid tank and I have to soften it to get it to 6.8

muckyhands

buzz wrote: »

Very strange.. I am using the same test kit as well.

I had my tap water tested 9 months ago in a local fish shop, and Ph was 6.8.. So I had to harden my water to accommodate my african cichlid tank...

Now I had a 450L south american cichlid tank and I have to soften it to get it to 6.8

Ive always tested the water myself with shop bought test kits- think I will bring a sample to the fish shop too, to be sure to be sure, thanks.

PH in an aquarium will always decrease, as nitrates go up- KH/ therefore PH, comes down, but I just dont know why the tapwater PH has just suddenly increased.

Have a tank with Discus too, planted, with CO2, so this regulates the PH automatically. I harden the Tangs tank with Nutrafin KH booster and African cichlid conditioner(GH).

fred funk }{

Have you guys tried a different test kit? As its highly unlikely two areas close by like that are on a different water feed.

buzz

muckyhands wrote: »

Ive always tested the water myself with shop bought test kits- think I will bring a sample to the fish shop too, to be sure to be sure, thanks.

PH in an aquarium will always decrease, as nitrates go up- KH/ therefore PH, comes down, but I just dont know why the tapwater PH has just suddenly increased.

Have a tank with Discus too, planted, with CO2, so this regulates the PH automatically. I harden the Tangs tank with Nutrafin KH booster and African cichlid conditioner(GH).

I am still adding peat to decrease my Ph and Kh for the SA tank.. havent had to do much with the exception of AQUA dur to keep water hardness to 8 Kh for the africans...... How cool would it be to be able to buy water by the Ph:P

buzz

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Have you guys tried a different test kit? As its highly unlikely two areas close by like that are on a different water feed.

I have tried my own, my dads and seahorse and all coming up with same readings...

fred funk }{

buzz wrote: »

I am still adding peat to decrease my Ph and Kh for the SA tank.. havent had to do much with the exception of AQUA dur to keep water hardness to 8 Kh for the africans...... How cool would it be to be able to buy water by the Ph:P

You mean 8 DH surly? KH as you know is your buffer.

muckyhands

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Have you guys tried a different test kit? As its highly unlikely two areas close by like that are on a different water feed.

Yes, I actually got a new test kit too because I wondered if the other was too old but both kits give the same readings.

Have tested several times with the same results.....

Could there be more than one water feed and also could the water company have added something that raised the PH? I know they do add all sorts to the tapwater, some things that worry me- like things to kill bugs etc from time to time(defo would love to know someone who could give me a 'heads up' on that) but have never had this happen in all my years keeping fish.

fred funk }{

buzz wrote: »

I have tried my own, my dads and seahorse and all coming up with same readings...

I'd get onto your local CC and ask them what their official readings are for your water. The readings shouldn't really fluctuate like that normally.

buzz

fred funk }{ wrote: »

You mean 8 DH surly? KH as you know is your buffer.

8 degrees on the carbonate hardness scale. I use the buffer to keep the Ph at 8Ph and 8Kh. The water parameters are same, but use the buffer on water changes.

muckyhands

buzz wrote: »

8 degrees on the carbonate hardness scale. I use the buffer to keep the Ph at 8Ph and 8Kh. The water parameters are same, but use the buffer on water changes.

Whats your GH- general hardness?

fred funk }{

A high KH is a good thing, the higher the better. It means your pH will be stable because the KH is a buffer for the alkalinity of the water so if it's high there's more leverage for sudden changes. Nothing really got to do with water hardness.

fred funk }{

Just to add. The important thing is to maintain stable water parameters. Fish that like harder water will do just fine in softer water once the water, and more importantly, the pH, remain stable. And vica versa, fish that like soft water will do just fine in harder water once condition remain stable. Sudden changes in pH can be fatal to fish.

muckyhands

fred funk }{ wrote: »

You mean 8 DH surly? KH as you know is your buffer.

Oh I wondered if you meant GH general hardness by this- DH.

Thats why I wondered about it.

fred funk }{ wrote: »

A high KH is a good thing, the higher the better. It means your pH will be stable because the KH is a buffer for the alkalinity of the water so if it's high there's more leverage for sudden changes. Nothing really got to do with water hardness.

Whats the best way/ how do you maintain a low PH but high KH then in a south american tank?

Given that Kh increases= PH increases?

fred funk }{

muckyhands wrote: »

Oh I wondered if you meant GH general hardness by this- DH.

Thats why I wondered about it.



Whats the best way/ how do you maintain a low PH but high KH then in a south american tank?

Given that Kh increases= PH increases?

Welcome to wonderful world of aquarium water chemistry....lol.

There are two ways of measuring water hardess, GH and DH. One gives the measurement in PPM (parts per million) and the other is measured in a German degree scale.

The easiest way of buffering your water to maintain a stable ph is to use a natural product. For soft water people put peat into their filter or lots of bog wood. The same for hard water, coral gravel will naturally harden the water.

Some people are lucky enough to have the type of water they want straight from the tap.

muckyhands

Was out in seahorse today and asked about the tapwater PH increasing so much- they tested the water too, PH is 8.2 so its come down a bit. Its basically due to whatever is put in the water by the water company...

Still dont understand why the tapwater in parents house hasnt changed though.

Ill test it again tomorrow and see what happens...

Either way so long as water changes are small fluctuating tapwater PH shouldnt cause major problems for our tanks. But I will be inclined to test tapwater because I add things to change the PH/ KH/ GH of replacment water for my Tangs so...

Was given Seachen Reef builder to raise KH in freshwater without altering PH. PH does go up initially but comes back down again they said so need to mix it in bucket of water and then add to the tank.

Sure Ill try it out in the planted tank.

fred funk }{

If you can raise your KH to a high level then fluctuations in the PH in the new water during water changes will have no effect on the tanks current PH as it is being buffered.

Keep a close eye on the tanks PH as even small fluctuations can be fatal for fish. Stability in the tank is key.

Let me know how that product works out for you.

buzz

fred funk }{ wrote: »

There are two ways of measuring water hardess, GH and DH. One gives the measurement in PPM (parts per million) and the other is measured in a German degree scale.

The easiest way of buffering your water to maintain a stable ph is to use a natural product. For soft water people put peat into their filter or lots of bog wood. The same for hard water, coral gravel will naturally harden the water.

Some people are lucky enough to have the type of water they want straight from the tap.

Very interesting. I was wondering about the hardness scale.
When I was building the african cichlid tank, I was asked what was the water hardness of my tap water and I didnt know, so I purchased a Kh kit (JBL) and the results were on the German degrees scale.
I was convinved this was the only hardness scale, cleared not.

As you say above, buffering water to maintain Ph - use natural product ie coral etc.
I had coral and coral sand and still had to use product (which I really prefare not to) but used aquadur to increase the Kh but it lifted my Ph which I needed but did it slowly.

fred funk }{ wrote: »

You mean 8 DH surly? KH as you know is your buffer.

Is Dh the german scale or the measure of PPm?
The Kh test kit I have tests my tap water at 2 degrees on the german scale.
So I use aquadur on water changes to buffer it to 10 degrees. Since I started using it, the Ph in the tank hasnt changed as you rightfully suggested.

So having hard water means that your Ph is less likely to change suddenly?

If so I worry about my SA tank because my Kh is so low.. As I said my tap Ph has risen in the last 9 months but I dont do anything do the water change before adding to the tank, should I? I have peat pellets in my filter and lots of bog wood to keep Ph low. But if the Ph will change depending on the water hardness, should I do anything to treat my water changes?

BTW - Fred thanks for the info;)

muckyhands

Im even more confused now.

I know KH as carbonate hardness/ alkalinity. Its temporary, consumed by the nitrification process, alters PH, buffers it.

I know GH as general/ total hardness, as salts in the water (the reason why I top up evaporated water with normal water- not altered water, as water evaporates/ not the salts, if I top up with altered replacement water, GH increases).

DH Im not familiar with. I dont convert test resuts, I go by mg/l aka ppm.

Is this not the norm?

fred funk }{

Folks, water chemistry is very complicated and very difficult to understand, a real head wrecker . Mostly, if you do small scheduled water changes, the tanks water parameters will change very little.

HERE is a handy link that explains it quite well.

muckyhands

Think I get the German scale now- its a 'scale' just like 'ppm' or 'mg/l' is a scale- its a unit of measurement. A way of interpreting test results. Not an actual 'test' if you know what I mean- like GH/ KH/ PH/ NO3 etc are actual tests...

Turns out my KH3 as I typed it (KH (carbonate hardness) 30 mg/l or ppm is how I should have expressed it) is KH2 in German degrees.

Wish I had realised this when setting up the CO2, JBL KH test is in german degrees- my Nutrafin test kit is mg/l aka ppm.

Thank god for Boardsies.

CruelCoin

muckyhands wrote: »

Hi everyone, hope someone can help me with this...

The Tapwater always tested at PH7 and the KH3.

Its now testing at PH8.5 and KH3.

Im sure the test is accurate as I tested tapwater in parents house which is PH7.5 and thats the usual. Tested the Tanganyikans tank and thats the same as always.

Anyone any ideas why the PH has in the tapwater has increased so much.

Thanks.

During the summer the water table drops. Maybe the water you're getting now has been filtered through harder rock than in the past?

I noticed that here (i am on well water). The water with me is soft in winter, hard in summer. As such i can't use my own water in my tanks, and have to make regular trips to the fish shop to get RO water....