# Low Ph and KH



## ncutler (Mar 5, 2009)

My tank has pressurized CO2 and 3 WPG lighting. My Ph is 6.2-6.4 and my tap water is Ph 7.4, KH 0. I've been increasing KH to about 60 ppm with Tailored Aquatics Alkalinity Up (local product). But this really pushes me to limit my water changes since it has such a huge effect. I'm looking for a way of increasing my Ph to about 6.6-6.8, but worry that with low KH, a power outage might mean a deadly swing to my fish.

I've heard of many ways, Baking Soda (which apparently has poor buffering), Argonite (which seemed only useful in large quantities ie: substrate), Crushed Coral (which seemed like it had only little effect), Dolomite etc.

I currently dose with Tailored Aquatics series, which pushes up my GH with one of the ferts (includes potassium, calcium and magnesium in one) so I only need to focus on KH.

Is there any way that would be best in my situation where my tap water has such low KH? Or would just adding KH buffer chemicals be best?


----------



## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

You still can manage your tank fine with out worry too much on the KH as long every thing are doing okay. I never worry and check on my KH except I take a good close look to my PH. But even you do and that crushed coral does not do you any good than I really don't know what other safer way to do it. If power outage happen than just keep doing water change untill your power is back... that is what I would do when the power outtage taking too long.


----------



## ncutler (Mar 5, 2009)

armedbiggiet said:


> If power outage happen than just keep doing water change untill your power is back... that is what I would do when the power outtage taking too long.


I'm more concerned about the Ph swing that occurs due to power outage. As I understand it, low KH creates a larger change in Ph when using CO2 - would the outage cause Ph to suddenly increase?


----------



## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Don't worry about the pH change from CO2; mine goes off every night and comes on in the morning. Some how I have a tank full of brightly colored fish and no issue spawning apistos.

It's really the fluctuations in KH that you need to be concerned with; I'd stop using the buffer. Plenty of people have run great plantedtanks with near nonexistent KH. Unless you're keeping hard water fish/plants, I wouldn't worry about it.

-Philosophos


----------



## ncutler (Mar 5, 2009)

Thanks! much appreciate the info. I would imagine making sure I always add a bit to keep KH at 10 ppm or so would be good for osmotic function correct? I don't mind adding little bits but it's when I have to completely change my water source that it gets challenging.


----------



## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Osmotic pressure is something you can take care of through GH without adding to KH for any fish that enjoys acidic water.

-Philosophos


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I have some tanks with a substrate (Soil Master Select) that strips the KH out of the water. 
I add 1 teaspoon of baking soda per 30 gallons as needed. When I add it the KH rises to 2 degrees (35 ppm) and the pH comes up from 'bottom of the test' (6.0) to 6.2.
Changes in pH are not so critical to the fish. Keep the GH stable, and the KH sort of stable and they should be fine. 

If you are keeping a rift lake tank then you definitely want to get a good handle on keeping the water harder (both GH and KH) and the conditions more stable. I use baking soda for KH and Seachem Equilibrium for GH in my lake Tanganyika tank, and have 50% coral sand in the bottom. Conditions are very stable in this tank. pH is 7.8 every time I check. I add DIY CO2, but the high KH is keeping the pH stable, I assume.


----------



## ncutler (Mar 5, 2009)

When my KH was 0 my fluctuations with DIY CO2 was a good 1 whole Ph. Now with 60 ppm KH, it's .4 so it definately works.

I've heard that baking soda isn't very stable but I did use 1/4 teas in my cycling 2.5G tank to see how it did. Brought PH up .4 and my KH from 10 to 110 ppm - very effective indeed, but it does concern me about the claims of it being unstable.

Can anyone tell me what it means that it's not stable? I don't quite understand what that means. Originally I thought it would have a continued effect that was unpredictable, but it hasn't in my 2.5G.


----------



## addicted2reefin (Oct 2, 2009)

diana, the co2 u add to the tank is melting the coral sand(calcium carbonate) and adding to the kh/ph to ur tank, which is why ur ph is so stable.


----------



## addicted2reefin (Oct 2, 2009)

i have been using baking soda in my reef tank for years, the only problem with that is that it adds BICARBONATES and in a reef tank corals uptake carbonates, and the bicarbonate lowers the ph(in a reef tank), so most people use WASHING SODA which is sodium carbonate.


----------

