Milan Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Tested the tap water in Calgary NW last night, and was surprised to find pH significantly dropped. Here are the numbers: pH = 7.4 (8.0) GH = 200 ppm (190) KH = 95 ppm (120) Values in brackets are normal (usual) readings taken before. I don't know what is the reason for this, but be aware if you do a substantial PWC....! All I can say is, I trust my tests ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toirtis Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Is that before or after dechlorinator? What test kit? Mine (Mt. Pleasant, NW), directly from the coldwater tap just tested (with a new, fresh Hagen low pH test kit) at 7.1...which is about the lowest I have ever seen Calgary water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan Posted July 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Directly from the tap. I have Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Mater Test Kit + Hagen GH/KH. Never lied to me ... I think I'm going to give the City a call to see what's going on, but I can guess that recent floods have a lots to do with it. ... I drove the other day by the Glenmore reservoir, and the water looked very muddy ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan Posted July 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Mine (Mt. Pleasant, NW), directly from the coldwater tap just tested (with a new, fresh Hagen low pH test kit) at 7.1...which is about the lowest I have ever seen Calgary water. Just phoned the City's Water Works ... I quoted your reading as well .... They said they will get back to me in a day or two ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOSStile Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 I tested water, here are my findings from my tapwater in Riverbend 1. Chlorine .5-1 ppm 2. PH 7.2 normally about 7.8 3. AK 120 normal 140-160 4. Beer tastes much better, (note did not perform above tests on beer, even a little beer wasted is too much) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan Posted July 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 did not perform above tests on beer, even a little beer wasted is too much I don't know about you, but I have a natural built in beer test kit. Takes a six-pack though ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tc51 Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 As I have never had to add any P.H. booster at any time, would you guys recommend using it now? If so could you please recommend a brand, like I said I have never used it so I don't know which would be best. Tested my water straight from the tap and it is at 7.2 normally it is on the high side of 8.0, that’s quite a change and I am due for a 30% water change in my 185. Must keep my Africans happy. Thanks for the help guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan Posted July 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Just talked to the City people. They are saying they uped Chlorine and Alum due to the increased water contamination. As to how does it affect Ph and hardness, and when the things will be back to normal, they couldn't tell me ... They also directed me to Glenmore Laboratory (water treatment) for further chemistry questions in this regard. It's 287-5167, if someone wants to chat with them about specific water chemistry issues .... As far as pH boosters or buffers go, I've never used them either, so I may not be too much of a help. What I would do is to hold off for a few days with major PWCs if this pH is an issue to your fish. Or at least do 2-3 lesser volume changes over few days, if you really have to, until things go back where they were before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 (edited) Well Milan, I called and it sounds like you were not supposed to get the lab number. ooops Any way they told me that the hardness is really only affected by weather, but because of the coagulant that is put into the water along with the chlorine it has caused the PH to drop dramatically. She also said that the PH averages around 7.2 for the city. They have lowered the amount of coagulant that is being put into the water because things are getting better in quality, so the PH should start coming back up now. Here is a little blurb on the chemical so people understand why it is put in the water, especially after all the rain and flooding. Coagulants & Flocculants... WST coagulants and flocculants are formulated to assist in the solids/liquid separation of suspended particles in solution. Such particles are characteristically very small and the suspended stability of such particles (colloidal complex) is due to both their small size and to the electrical charge between particles. Conditioning a solution to promote the removal of suspended particles requires chemical coagulation and/or flocculation. Coagulants neutralize the repulsive electrical charges (typically negative) surrounding particles allowing them to "stick together" creating clumps or flocs. Flocculants facilitate the agglomeration or aggregation of the coagulated particles to form larger floccules and thereby hasten gravitational settling. Some coagulants serve a dual purpose of both coagulation and flocculation in that they create large flocs that readily settle. Edited July 7, 2005 by Canadbis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan Posted July 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Thanks for the more than thorough update Canadbis. Thumbs up! I guess that would also be an answer to tc51, and anyone who is concerned about this issue. In other words, keep an eye on it and wait (if you can) with PWC until these parameters are favorable. Hopefully not for long ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmith Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Just a question regarding the significance of pH levels. A couple weeks ago I read through this thread on acclimatizing fish to a new tank (I probably didn't read all of it :shifty: ). One of the points I got from it is that a quick change in pH does not really affect fish in a very negative way. If that's true, then does it really matter if our fish live with a lower pH level for a while? I could have misread it so this question could be bogus . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan Posted July 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Just a question regarding the significance of pH levels.A couple weeks ago I read through this thread on acclimatizing fish to a new tank (I probably didn't read all of it :shifty: ). One of the points I got from it is that a quick change in pH does not really affect fish in a very negative way. If that's true, then does it really matter if our fish live with a lower pH level for a while? I could have misread it so this question could be bogus . From what I read about adaptability of fish to pH fluctuations is that you should never allow it to change more than 0.5/day. I think it's is also stated as a warning on those pH up/down things you can buy @ LFS. On the other hand, some fish, like africans, prefer harder water with higher pH values. What are the lowest values of their tolerance, people who keep them would better know (not me). I would assume they would survive a substantial drop, but it wouldn't be pleasant for sure .... And that would have to last from the PWC to the next one ... It would probably be like putting you in the middle of Sahara for a couple of weeks (with plenty o water). You would survive, but wouldn't like it and most likely suffered long term health consequences ... Someone, correct me if I'm wrong .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vantgE Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 (edited) I did a big watter change monday, and my P. elongatus looked like it was dead, I thought maybe the watter was a little cold i checked and it wasn't too bad she literaly went on her side for about 20 minutes and eventually started swimming around a little, back to normal by the end of the day. The other fish were fine but the filling hose was in her half(divided tank 3 mbuna). anyways maybe this had something to do with you should all be carefull On the Ph thing my understanding was that a quick change was the problem but you can actually keep fish in much lower or higher ph as long as it is stable for example with africans 7.2 should be fine even though 8 is recomended- Edited July 7, 2005 by vantgE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted July 8, 2005 Report Share Posted July 8, 2005 johnsmith ........... the info in the link you provided is correct. A shift in pH won't kill your fish, but lots of other things certainly can. Smaller, more frequent water changes, with an increase in water treatment dechlorinator, is the safest route to go during times such as this. For those of you wanting to buffer your water, and/or up the pH a few notches, the cheapest method is using plain ol baking soda. Add the baking soda slowly(disolved in tank water) , and monitor your pH every 24 hours before adding more. I'd be more concerend about a KH of only 95 ppm, than I would a pH of 7.2 95 ppm works out to 5.3 dH, which is low for most Africans, and very low for Tangs. Not that they can't handle a low KH, but if you let your water changes slide, or have a heavily stocked tank, as the nitrates build (acids) the pH will drop. Hagen has a handy calculator here: http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/ghkhconvcalaction.cfm This page lists the water parameters of the Rift Lakes: http://www.malawicichlids.com/mw01011.htm HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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