Answer To Kh, Gh Question

[Guest Myrna]

KH and GH from the tap are very low, 2 dps to see color chg. Tap pH is 8.8.

Leslie who lives in Atl. has same problem. I would let water sit for 36-48 hrs to get it to drop to tanks 7.2 pH, after chg tank might go down to 6.8 than few days later up to 7.2. Reading about crashes sending pH into the low 6's I thought this was the best to keep water conditions more stable to be less stressful for fish.

Have thought about crushed coral, right now filters are already full BB material and not keen on having small substrate on tank floor, had fish injest piece and die sometime back. I will work it out to use the crushed coral if that seems to be the best alternative

In using the buffer things have improved a lot, am using a lot of it.

With every WC I need to use less, I can see in on glass bottom and on Java Ferns so some stays in tank in doing water changes.

Monday after WC on Sunday, had pH 8.2 GH 5 KH 8. Still same Wed. pm

Reading here it was suggested that I use Buff Up to keep pH more in line with tap pH. This does make WC less time consuming. I assume that if I keep using it with every WC my chemistry will be exceptable? Have 3 different Fish Homes so looks like I will be ordering it more than once!

Always open for any fishkeeping advice,

Thank you Lynda for your time,

myrna

[Trinket]

If you have no room for coral have you thought about sea shells? These also release carbonates and raise pH and are pretty on the tank floor and larger than crushed gravel- I understand your concern about the fish ingesting the coral. A piece of limestone also works btw. I use larger gravel type coral as a substrate as like you my filterboxes are full of ceramic hoops and bioballs. Or you can just get another filter if you have the space and use it to fill soley with crushed coral