About ph?

[DavidH]

I'm using straight ro (choramine in local water) and RO Vital to reconstitute. Over night pH decreases by about 0.6 to 0.8.
Anyway to increase kh without increasing in conductivity??

thx Dave

[dm]

I would think that increasing your KH would automatically increase your conductivity but naybe someone knows of a way. Just curious why you would need to do that?

Dave

NO....ANYTHING you put in the water will increase the conductivity. Why do you want to increase the kh?....does the ph not stabilize after it drops?

Tony

[jeep]

Your ph should temporarily stabilize. The best way I've found to maintain the ph is through water changes.

When you say your ph drops, do you mean it drops in the first 24 hours after production (aging)?

[DavidH]

My pH in my holding tank stays steady at about 6.4. After adding to discus tank, next morning it will be about 5.6.
I change at least 50% per day sometimes more.
Conductivity is 80.
Was just trying to keep the pH at little more stable.
I feed mainly CBW.s and maintain very clean tanks.

Dave

Hi Dave

Just curios do you have a overflow on the tank ?

There could be a reason for the drop.

Ronald

[jeep]

Dave, I've heard of that problem before but I don't recall a resolution.

Baking soda will stabilize the ph and raise conductivity, but I have no idea if it will inhibit fertilization.

I have heard that regular salt used in modest amounts will make your conductivity sky-rocket, yet not interfere with fertilization. I just don't kow if baking soda would have the same result...

[DavidH]

No overflow.

David,
Sounds like you dont have any buffering.
I do the same. RO / recon with Kent Right.
In my BB Tank it droped like hell. My KH is at 0.05 to 1 KH
I have added crused coral to that tank and that did the trick.
The Conductivity stays around 230. The prep water is set at 200.
In my planted Tank I dont have to add CC and the con. is 230 with the same prep. water.

pH in both Tanks around 6.5-6.6

I did not do any tests so far with low cond. (regarding Breeding)
I have a overflow with a double wall were the water flows through, about 1/2 inch wide. There I had a prob. because food and whatever got stuck there and it was a PITA to get it out. It had a big impact on the decreasing of buffering.
Now that I know that and with the CC it works fine.

HTH somehow

Ronald

Why not just raise the conductivity a bit and be done with it?

Tony

Hi Tony

I think in the end that is whats going to happen.
Whatever you add to the water (minearals..) will have a impact on the conductance(sp)

Now using muriatic or phosp.. acids result in stripping of dKH and rising of cond. as well as lowering pH.

Using something else you can rise pH and also the cond. rises.
So it's not that easy I think
But you know all that allready. ( Have read your treads ;D)
Ronald

[DavidH]

That's what I'm trying Tony, I've gone to 100 ms and will see at what point it stabilizes.

Thx Dave