How to get same PH with water changes without aging?

[ScottW]

My girlfriend is already mad at me for getting a new 75 and would hate to get a 55 gallon barrel also. Is there any alternatives or am I going to have to surprise her again?:evilgrin:

[Clawhammer]

Have you tested to see if you need to age? What is your pH change over a 24 hour period?

[ScottW]

Have you tested to see if you need to age? What is your pH change over a 24 hour period?

Sorry I forgot to add I didn't check it. Its just a precautionary question. Is it more common than not that it doesnt vary?

[Phillydubs]

I suppose I am going to just follow-up erics sentiments all day... lol

Only way to know is to test. Get a bucket w an air stone. Test from the tap, then fill the bucket and let it age air and sit for 24 hrs and test that... If the swing isn't bad then no need to, if it is, then you will in order to provide for the fish...

Many people do straight treated tap water changes, others aren't so fortunate...

Only one way to tell! Let us know tomorrow the results!

[ScottW]

Im going to do it tonight. What if it is off? Is there anything else I can do to age the water?

[Phillydubs]

Not really, not without the ph additives that seem to do more harm then good...

You wait and see what it comes out and we can go from there. If it is a huge swing it could cause the fish stress and isn't a good idea, if it is minimal it shouldn't be a big deal...

Also, maybe you can do a mix of aged and tap, so that you don't need some big ol barrell to make the lady mad... maybe we can find something more discreet to age water in...?

[ScottW]

Thanks for your help. Ill text it first and we can go from there. I need a 5 gallon bucket and airstone right?

[Phillydubs]

Sure no problem, yea anything really to hold water and keep it moving and all... 5 gallon bucket is always easy but your choice just do a larger volume dont let like 1/2 a cup sit there

[bluelagoon]

The reason that I age my water is not because of PH swings;it's because of the gas bubbles I get from the tap water with 80% WC's.Which I think is just as dangerous if not more so than a PH swing.

[White Worm]

The reason that I age my water is not because of PH swings;it's because of the gas bubbles I get from the tap water with 80% WC's.Which I think is just as dangerous if not more so than a PH swing.

I agree.

[Clawhammer]

Microbubbles are a serious threat, especially so when doing a high percentage water change.

I had a discus who was on his way to recovery from hex. After the treatment, I made the big mistake of doing a 90% direct from tap water change. The microbubbles covered his gills and severely stressed him out, allowing the hex to again take hold. He never recovered.

My water has much worse microbubbles in the winter, I believe from the water being a colder temperature, which causes it to absorb more gasses. As it is heated back up, the gasses are released, causing microbubbles.

I now run any new water through a 50 or 100 micro felt filter sock as I am adding it to the tank. It greatly reduces the microbubbles. I run my aged water through it too because my aging tanks are outside. It is very convenient to clean (washing machine w/ bleach only). This does not however in any way help with the pH swing.

[bluelagoon]

A lot depends on the area in which you live and what is put into your water for treatments.I live where the natural water ways are about 6.2 in ph;a lot of acid rain comes our way via central Canada and the north eastern part of USA.Some lakes are even limed.Here in Halifax we use sodium hydroxide to get the ph up to about 7.2 so it don't corrode the pipes.The swing in 24 hours is not worth mentioning.However since our water is acidic to begin with,it doesn't take long to deplete in a fish tank.Aging water also gets rid of Chlorine,that we also use in our drinking water.

[Phillydubs]

What was the results of the age??

[ScottW]

What was the results of the age??

Tap is 6.8 and aged was 7.0 so I guess thats good?

[Ryan925]

The reason that I age my water is not because of PH swings;it's because of the gas bubbles I get from the tap water with 80% WC's.Which I think is just as dangerous if not more so than a PH swing.

+1. I hadn't had any microbubble issues until we got into the winter months. I noticed the effects right away with the fish. I don't age so what I did was stuff python with a micron sock and solved the issue.

[Phillydubs]

Tap is 6.8 and aged was 7.0 so I guess thats good?

Yea you should be good. Lucky you !

[ScottW]

So if the ph is ok and I use 50 micron filter pads and a 100 micron filter sock on my python that should take up most of the micro bubbles?

[Phillydubs]

That seems to be a that folks do to combat it. Always make sure your temps match as well. Get a good therm that you can stick in the stream make sure that water is as close as can be. And don't forgot dechlor!

[Ryan925]

So if the ph is ok and I use 50 micron filter pads and a 100 micron filter sock on my python that should take up most of the micro bubbles?

I use a 200 micron sock stuffed into the end of the python works fine. I use a digital thermometer and stick it into the flow until temp is matched then fill. I don't have micro bubbles now that things have warmed up

[ScottW]

I use a 200 micron sock stuffed into the end of the python works fine. I use a digital thermometer and stick it into the flow until temp is matched then fill. I don't have micro bubbles now that things have warmed up

I didnt even know micro bubbles were harmful until I started this thread. My heavily planted 60 gallon never get them during my 50% water changes. Maybe because I put a strainer over the the rim of my tank and it breaks them up?

[LizStreithorst]

I never get them either, but I have to age. It seems to me that if your pH is as stable as yours is you shouldn't get them either. If I were you, I wouldn't go jumping through hoops unnecessarily unless you see micro bubbles.

Also, I regularly do WC with cooler water that the water in the tank. My belief is that it's good for the fish. It simulates what happens to the temp of river water during a down pour. Don't take it to extremes, but your hand should be a good enough judge of what's close enough. A bit too cool is better that a bit too warm.