PH puzzle?

[john gill]

:4:

I have three tanks four if you count the 3 gal beta tank. All the tanks share the same water parameters to include a fairly low PH of 6.0 or slightly higher. I didn't give this much concern until I lost some new fish attempting to introduce them to fast and shocking them with the PH shift. So I decided to see if there was anything I could do. I spent time going through the old threads but was not able to come up with anything that explains my issue

Now here is the interesting part, I tested my tap water and it is just about neutral at 7.0. I use a10 gal tank with a power head for circulation and a heater to age my change water. I feed the water directly from the tap via a hose fill the tank add stress coat plug in the heater and power head and let it circulate and heat up over night. As the water ages the PH drops! I test the water just as I put it in the tank its 7.0, test again after adding the stress coat still 7.0, come back several hours later and it has dropped to 6.0?

Am I to conclude that stress coat lowers the PH?

john

[travie]

Co2 in the water will drop the pH. You don't have Co2 in the water till it is in the tank with fish. At the other times from the tap and in your 10g aging tank, there is no Co2 present in the water. Do you have any driftwood in the tanks with fish?

[Lady Hobbs]

He doesn't mention having CO2 so I am assuming he doesn't.

Stress coat does not (or should not) change your pH at all. Check it again after several hours and see what you get.

[travie]

Co2 from the fish.

[john gill]

Thanks for the quick responce

The PH shift occures in the ageing tank, no fish no plants, just a power head with a air bubbler and a heater. When I ran the exsperiment yesterday it was about 6 hours from the time I filled the tank and meashured the PH at 7.0 and it had droped to 6.0. I say 6.0 because that is how low the test kit goes. Part of my concern is this may be to low even for my angels.

gill

:4:

[Lady Hobbs]

When you test, let the solution set in the vial for 5 minutes and go by that. If it sets for a long time, you no longer get an accurate reading....like it sets on the counter for hours.

Aerating the water actually raises the pH so you have a bit of a mystery here. I wish I knew what you were doing because I'd love my pH to lower some. Not as much as yours but I sure would like to have the 7.0.

You are using nothing else in your water, right? I once used a Water Charifier that really messed with my results. I think some of the stuff we use may also give a false reading but it sure would be nice to know for sure, huh?

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Sounds like you have extremely soft water like I do. If your water has a minimal kH value the your water will be subject to that fast of a drop in pH. Also, what kind of substrate is used? Any driftwood at all?

[RainMan]

I think it's co2 and softwater... containing very little buffering capabilties.

What does the container look like? If it has a very small opening... aerating the tank is useless... because the o2 transfer happens at the surface of the water.

[john gill]

Sorry if I am a bit slow on getting back, first warm day we have had for a wile so I was in the yard.

Anyway,, I have been doing the test and waiting the recomended 5min I will say even if I let the sample sit for a time it dosn't seem to change. I only wish I could tell you what my water hardness is but none of the local shops have the test kit, I plan on getting one via the internet but for the moment.
I am actualy surprised to see my tap water at 7.0 my town is not noted for the best water or at least that is what I thought. I was of the understanding that there was a lot of iron in the water, I know I have not been able to get a water heater to last the warenty befor it starts leaking and I have to change the regulator on my heating system every year or it will fail and fill my basment with water, found this out the hard way.

There is a mom and pop fish store local to me maybe they would have some insite, I don't know if there on the same water system but there water has a 7.0 ph.

I will let you know what I find out, somehow I didn't figure this to be an easy one.

Thank you all

gill

[john gill]

OK ,, I took a gal jug filled it with tap water and let it sit over night, no stress coat just tap water and time. After 12 hours there is no change to the PH still about 6.8 - 7.0. I have to conclude that the stress coat is reacting to somthing in my tap water possably the iron. Or the combination of my tap water and the stress coat is causing false readings?

Wish I had taken that chemistry class now.

gill

[RainMan]

Actually that might be it... if you look at stress coat label... (iirc) It says it removes trace metals. Not sure if Iron is one of those... but i'm sure there is more than just iron in your water.

I remember it saying that it doesn't alters ph. But, maybe that is a secondary result of softening the water.

BTW... just because your ph is 7.0.. doesn't mean it is good drinking water. The purity of water is what makes the best tasting water. Or lack of taste for that matter. That's what water purifiers do... they remove the trace elements that contaminate the water and taste. Iron in water is not a pleasant taste at all. :) I have terrible drinking water too... so, I feel your pain. Good thing for water bottling companies.

[john gill]

Actually that might be it... if you look at stress coat label... (iirc) It says it removes trace metals. Not sure if Iron is one of those... but i'm sure there is more than just iron in your water.

I remember it saying that it doesn't alters ph. But, maybe that is a secondary result of softening the water.

BTW... just because your ph is 7.0.. doesn't mean it is good drinking water. The purity of water is what makes the best tasting water. Or lack of taste for that matter. That's what water purifiers do... they remove the trace elements that contaminate the water and taste. Iron in water is not a pleasant taste at all. :) I have terrible drinking water too... so, I feel your pain. Good thing for water bottling companies.

Thanks Rain man

Interesting you mention taste, when I first moved to this town years ago, I trashed my coffee maker because my coffe had a bad taste, I didn't figure it out untill I reolized my coctails had the same bad taste and it was the ice cubes. Took me a long time to get used to it. Interestingly my friends dog will not drink my water, seems he knows somthing we don't. I think I am going to invest in a good filter both for my fish and for me. I had looked at RO but I think a good filter will do the job.

Thanks again

gill