Ph and GH issues

[blurryblues]

I currently have a high GH and low Ph. Source was identified to be my tap water. Although the GH is much higher in the aquarium (lava rocks are the only thing I can think of, contributing to it). KH was 0 and I tried wonder shells and the KH went up but did not alter the Ph. I was considering crushed coral but won't that increase the GH even more? 

What's the most effective method of raising the Ph without further increasing GH (or even reducing GH)? 

[Tony s]

I have found out the hard way. The calcium and magnesium that make up dGH do not really evaporate. so doing just water top offs will increase the GH over time. Since I use RO water, I was adding Equilibrium to each water change as well. So over time I went from normal gh to liquid rocks. So now it's just straight RO for top offs. 

KH is slightly different. KH gives the water's ability to resist ph swings. Water with no KH has changes ph very rapidly. Since I use RO water, I add both an acid buffer and alkalinity buffer to target a neutral ph. I use Seachem products. there are other brands that can do the same thing. But basically, I add so much acid buffer to a certain amount of alkalinity buffer and the result is a buffered water solution of the ph I want.

For lowering Gh naturally, I believe adding things like peat moss to a hang on back would work over time. possibly catapa leave as well? 

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/3/2024 at 11:13 AM, blurryblues said:

What's the most effective method of raising the Ph without further increasing GH (or even reducing GH)? 

Seachem alkalinity buffer is what I use.

On 1/3/2024 at 11:13 AM, blurryblues said:

KH was 0 and I tried wonder shells and the KH went up but did not alter the Ph

KH above 60 ppm or how high did it get? What is your pH now?

[Tony s]

The other thing is that wondershells by themselves have little to no effect on ph or kh. Just raises gh. I believe same thing with crushed corral and aragonite. Using just alkalinity buffer without acid buffer on a 0 kh water still allows the ph to swing . But now only in one direction. Better to use 2 parts alkalinity buffer to one part acid buffer. That gives you a complete buffered product with a neutral ph.  Without moving the gh at all.

[Tony s]

And we learn things. Crushed coral and aragonite adjust both kh and gh. But if you’re fighting high gh neither may be helpful. 

[Mmiller2001]

I use potassium carbonate when I want to raise KH. If the tank has plants, this is the easy choice.