Soft water PH fluctuation 🤔🤔🤔

[Trailblazur]

For folks that have soft water fish aquariums, like 6.5ph, 0-2 GH/KH, is there concern for PH 
fluctuation 🤷🏼‍♂️

If so, how is that managed without raising the water hardness outside of the fish’s recommended soft water water parameters⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️

[Mmiller2001]

It's fine. PH fluctuations are massively overestimated as a problem. My pH was 6.2 early this morning and here's my pH now. It will be 4.9 in about an hour.

[Trailblazur]

On 5/25/2023 at 12:03 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

It's fine. PH fluctuations are massively overestimated as a problem. My pH was 6.2 early this morning and here's my pH now. It will be 4.9 in about an hour.

WOW, that’s a huge fluctuation. The fish don’t mind that huh, lol. 

[Mmiller2001]

On 5/25/2023 at 10:27 AM, Trailblazur said:

WOW, that’s a huge fluctuation. The fish don’t mind that huh, lol. 

No, it's one of the biggest misunderstood concepts there is. Only second to "heavy root feeders".

[JettsPapa]

On 5/25/2023 at 11:35 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

No, it's one of the biggest misunderstood concepts there is. Only second to "heavy root feeders".

I've seen people say that it's really sudden changes in kh that fish don't tolerate well.  Have you found that to be true?

[Mmiller2001]

On 5/25/2023 at 12:31 PM, JettsPapa said:

I've seen people say that it's really sudden changes in kh that fish don't tolerate well.  Have you found that to be true?

When I I got back into the hobby, I definitely ran into problems as you mention. But knowing what I know now, it was osmotic fluctuations/ differences that was at the root of my problems. Either KH, GH or a combination of the two. Keeping those parameters stable is where I focus my attention. The best tools to use are a simple GH/KH test kit and a TDS meter. If I notice a problem, these are the first things I check. I only monitor pH to measure CO2. 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Mmiller2001

[Trailblazur]

On 5/25/2023 at 3:25 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

When I I got back into the hobby, I definitely ran into problems as you mention. But knowing what I know now, it was osmotic fluctuations/ differences that was at the root of my problems. Either KH, GH or a combination of the two. Keeping those parameters stable is where I focus my attention. The best tools to use are a simple GH/KH test kit and a TDS meter. If I notice a problem, these are the first things I check. I only monitor pH to measure CO2. 

What is causing the KH/GH fluctuations and what do you do to combat that?

[Mmiller2001]

Back then, I wasn't changing water frequently enough. I would get dips in both then do a big water change. 

Now I run 0dKH and do weekly 62% water changes which keeps GH and nutrient levels very stable. 

[Trailblazur]

On 5/29/2023 at 11:16 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

Back then, I wasn't changing water frequently enough. I would get dips in both then do a big water change. 

Now I run 0dKH and do weekly 62% water changes which keeps GH and nutrient levels very stable. 

Gotcha. 
 

well I guess I won’t necessarily get a dip in KH seeing as my tap has barely any detectable KH🤔🤷🏼‍♂️
 

I raise the GH w Equilibrium to about 3 degrees for the plants. 

[Mmiller2001]

I just went to 5dGH. Things are looking good and I'll probably stay at 5 degrees.