ph from aged water to ph in tank different

[matt2426]

Ok so have a question about ph I aged my water for 24 hours and did a water test before putting into main display tank and the ph came in at 8.2 8.3 somewhere around there I tested my water in my display tank and it came in at around 8.0 I have driftwood and sandy substrate is that's what may be causing the difference and is that little of a swing safe to add to the tank and also ph straight from the tap is 7.4

[LizStreithorst]

You for sure can't use straight from the tap. How often do you change water and how how much do you change each time?

[matt2426]

You for sure can't use straight from the tap. How often do you change water and how how much do you change each time?

Well I just set up the tanked and cycled it but yesterday I did a 30 percent water change on a 125 gallon tank but my plan is when I get the tank stocked with discus is to do around 30 to 40 percent yesterday was my first water change in the new tank I just have a few dozen cardnials in there right now the water change didn't seem to bother them

[matt2426]

also I'm planning on doing either daily or everyother day see how the it goes

[navarro1950]

What is it that's causing your pH to go up like that? My tap is 8.4 and when I age my tap water it goes down a very little if that. The water in my main display tank my go down to 8.3 but never lower then 8.2 . So the more W/Cs in do the water will stay closer to the 8.4 but never lower then 8.3 . Have you checked the date on your pH test chemicals lately? If my water came out of my tap I would be happy as can be. My discus are doing great as far being healthy and looking great but they are not showing any signs of wanting to pair up . I think it's because of they high pH. What happens to the pH if you let your water age longer, say 48 hours ?

[matt2426]

What is it that's causing your pH to go up like that? My tap is 8.4 and when I age my tap water it goes down a very little if that. The water in my main display tank my go down to 8.3 but never lower then 8.2 . So the more W/Cs in do the water will stay closer to the 8.4 but never lower then 8.3 . Have you checked the date on your pH test chemicals lately? If my water came out of my tap I would be happy as can be. My discus are doing great as far being healthy and looking great but they are not showing any signs of wanting to pair up . I think it's because of they high pH. What happens to the pH if you let your water age longer, say 48 hours ?

I have no idea whats making it go up and I just bought that test kit about a month ago Ill try to age longer and see what happens I always thought that aging water dropped my ph not the other way around I'm going to retest everything to see if I made some kind of mistake somewhere

[LizStreithorst]

Does your water come from a river by any chance?

[matt2426]

Does your water come from a river by any chance?

No I believe its well water

[Ryan925]

What is it that's causing your pH to go up like that? My tap is 8.4 and when I age my tap water it goes down a very little if that. The water in my main display tank my go down to 8.3 but never lower then 8.2 . So the more W/Cs in do the water will stay closer to the 8.4 but never lower then 8.3 . Have you checked the date on your pH test chemicals lately? If my water came out of my tap I would be happy as can be. My discus are doing great as far being healthy and looking great but they are not showing any signs of wanting to pair up . I think it's because of they high pH. What happens to the pH if you let your water age longer, say 48 hours ?

Some people's ph goes up after aging and others go down. Depends on what's in the water.

Sounds like the OP probably has a lot of dissolved co2 in his water which causes the ph to rise as it gasses off.

[matt2426]

Some people's ph goes up after aging and others go down. Depends on what's in the water.

Sounds like the OP probably has a lot of dissolved co2 in his water which causes the ph to rise as it gasses off.

Ok thanks Ryan just wasn't sure if that was normal but as long as I age I should be good correct

[Ryan925]

Ok thanks Ryan just wasn't sure if that was normal but as long as I age I should be good correct

That's right whether the swing is up or down it doesn't matter. You are just trying to avoid that swing

[DJW]

Its normal, and typical with well water. You will be fine doing large water changes as long as you age the water first. It looks like that small drop from 8.2 to 8.0 was from driftwood and the filter over a longer period of time... once you start changing water more frequently you should see the pH stay closer to 8.2, or whatever it settles at after ageing. Using water that's 0.2 higher than the tank shouldn't be a problem anyway.

I can only think of two kinds of water where the pH drops with ageing. City water that has had some form of alkalinity added in the treatment process, which is fairly common, or, less commonly, water taken from a stream that has vegetation gobbling up the CO2 in the daytime.