Ph levels up

[Bc chick]

Can you tell me how to lower thr ph levels without using chems? Also would like some info on RO systems. Can you explain the process of aging and what the water does while aging. How long do u age?

[LizStreithorst]

I see it. It's under Water Works where it belongs. I'll reply and it will show up when you hit new posts.

[Bc chick]

How do i start a new thread that will show up under new posts

[LizStreithorst]

I see it. It's under Water Works where it belongs. I'll reply and it will show up when you hit new posts.

A low pH isn't necessary unless you want to breed. For just keeping Discus you need a stable pH. Aging accomplishes this.

What you do is test your pH from the tap, then fill a bucket with tap water, stick an air stone in it and check the pH after 14 hours. If the pH changes after aeration more than .3 you should age. I have a .4 swing. I could see by the way the fish acted over a period of time that it didn't make them happy, so I age.

The way this works is that underground water has a lot of dissolved CO2 which lowers the pH. The aeration stabilizes the water. I've never used surface water but I understand that it can contain a lot of 02 which raises the pH. Again aeration stabilizes it.

Do the test and you will know if you need to age.

[Bc chick]

My levels are 7.8 and my angel doesnt seem happy. He keeps changing colors. The reason i was asking about ro machine is we are soon changing to municipal water and it will be rising our levels up to 9. Isnt that going to be bad for the discus?

[LizStreithorst]

9 is fine as long as the pH is stable and is still 9 after you do the bucket test. You will have to wait until they change and do the test. RO is only necessary if you want to breed. This is because minerals in the water make the shells of the eggs hard so the babies can't hatch out. RO removes minerals from the water.

[DJW]

...we are soon changing to municipal water and it will be rising our levels up to 9.

As Kyla was saying in the other thread, when the city starts adding sodium hydroxide to the water you will need to age it, because it will start out high and drop way down.

But for now you should test your water the way Liz described, to see what the pH does as the water ages. It is not the pH number itself that is a problem, it is what happens to the pH after it comes out of the tap. You need to be able to do water changes with fresh water that has about the same pH as the tank. If the tap water stays close to the same pH while it ages for 14 hours, then you don't need to age it.

[Bc chick]

So getting osmosis doesnt replace having to age?

[LizStreithorst]

No but aging is much cheaper. All you need is a 55 gallon container and an air pump.