How to improve water treatment-stable PH

[Bob_Speed]

My discus' tanks continue to have drastic PH changes, due to my low akalinity. If you can give me some advice on my treatment of water, I would appreciate it.

I have two tanks, and run water from my sink, through a tap water purifier into a 20 and 30 gallon garbage cans. I use the TWP because I do not have access for the waste water from the RO.
My tap water is alakinity-40, PH-7.58 and hardness-85

The storage water is 25 alakinity, PH-7.16 and harndness of 118 after I add back in the trace elements and ph-up.
I know this procedure is kinda of crazy, as the tap water is probably just fine for the discus, but I feel the TWP rids the tap water of other impurities such as chlorine and suflates (Am I correct on this assumption?)
After two days the water in the tank is -Alakinity-20, PH-6.32 and harness of 216.
Lately, I have been placing a bag of crushed coral into one of the canister filters to get the PH to around 6.5 to 6.75. This only works for a few hours the most.
One tank is 82 gallon, with 5 discus, the other is a 55 with 2 discus and a fresh water sting ray. Bare bottom tanks, water changes twice a week.

Can I get my tank water to be more stable if I hook up a canister filter with crushed coral to my storage tanks BEFORE the water is placed into the tanks. And if so, what would a good count for alakinity be?

Thanks for your comments.

Bob

[ronrca]

Interesting!

My tap water is gh/kh around 100ppm and ph of 7.0 initially. I use a 50G barrel and heat/aerate the water. In a couple of hours, the ph goes up to 7.8. I just add some dechlorinator and do the water change.

What happens to your tap water if you would heat and aerate it overnight without adding anything?

[Bob_Speed]

I sorry I did not mention it, but the numbers I gave is with the water aerated, but not heated in the spring and summer months.

Bob

Hi all,

Bob I had a simerlar problem with swings. KH was around 20 ppm/ 1-2 dKH.
I have solved the problem with Crushed Coral.
First I added a little to see what happens. After the pH was still falling I have added a bit more. I did that total 3 times until I have figured out how much I need. I have it placed in the Wet/Dry and in the other tank in the AC filter.
I am not sure if it would work in the Bin because the CC give the calcium carbonate slowly over time.

hth Ronald

[Francisco_Borrero]

IMO, you may have better stability and results if you just eliminate the TWP and reconstitution, and stick to the tap water. For keeping fish, it is just fine.
If you want breeding, it may also be okay, but you may need to either use an RO unit, or may be able to use peat.
I would stop the TWP.
Just my opinnion and begin saving towards RO. Good luck, Francisco.

I agree with Francisco. It sounds like your causing yourself alot of grief messing around with the water.
Try using straight tap water heated, airated and aged for 24 hours.
Betcha it works just fine ;)

Tony

I also agree to the post's of Francisco as well as to Tony's.

I missed to say that I did that with Tap water not treated with a TWP.
Nerveless if the Alkalinity of 20 is referring to ppm what I assume it does, you might still have that prob. of dropping pH.
If it is in an acceptable range you might get around it with daily W/C.
If not you could use CC.

Ronald

[Steve_Warner]

Hi all,
Bob, my opinion would be to set all that junk aside and use aged tap(What is your tap treated with and where do you live?). Have prep'd water on hand and do small DAILY W/C's (5-10 gals) on both tanks and monitor the pH. It should stabilize in the 6's or maybe 5's(but I doubt 5's) with this regimen. Your current way sounds very unnecessary to me, IMHO.


Steve

[Bob_Speed]

Folks thanks for your advice. I will stop using the TWP on my next water changes.
I live on Long Island, NY and I was concerned that NOT using the TWP or another filtering system would cause impurities to be entered into the tanks.

Again, thank you for your assistance.

Bob