P
Pnyklr
Guest
I cacatuoides do not have eggs nearly as often as I think they should be (at least from what I hear from others' experiences). I suspect that my water parameters are the cause.
Tank (55) right now:
pH of over 8.4 (I think it is closer to 9, but my kit only goes to 8.4)
Total Hardness (GH) 50 ppm
Total Alkalinity (KH) 300 ppm
(I hope I labeled them correctly...I copied the test kit)
Is it odd that the pH and alkalinity are so high, yet the hardness is not? I have nothing in the tank that will change the pH and hardness. I have a HOB filter and am currently running an air stone (necessary when I had to raise the water temp for an ich problem....the temp is slowly being brought back down).
I have looked into adding peat, but I am running into one problem: soaking the peat in the water for days before the water change. I have no where to store the soaking water, and no easy means of getting it into the tank. I considered adding the peat to the filter, but is this "best practice?" I assume peat have a "stopping point" where it no longer will be effectove at maintaining the low pH, and the pH will start to climb again; is this correct?
If CO2 drive the pH down, won't adding the airstone push it up? PLease help me to understand the best way to get my water more appropriate for apistos.
Thanks in advance...and sorry for the lengthy post!
Tank (55) right now:
pH of over 8.4 (I think it is closer to 9, but my kit only goes to 8.4)
Total Hardness (GH) 50 ppm
Total Alkalinity (KH) 300 ppm
(I hope I labeled them correctly...I copied the test kit)
Is it odd that the pH and alkalinity are so high, yet the hardness is not? I have nothing in the tank that will change the pH and hardness. I have a HOB filter and am currently running an air stone (necessary when I had to raise the water temp for an ich problem....the temp is slowly being brought back down).
I have looked into adding peat, but I am running into one problem: soaking the peat in the water for days before the water change. I have no where to store the soaking water, and no easy means of getting it into the tank. I considered adding the peat to the filter, but is this "best practice?" I assume peat have a "stopping point" where it no longer will be effectove at maintaining the low pH, and the pH will start to climb again; is this correct?
If CO2 drive the pH down, won't adding the airstone push it up? PLease help me to understand the best way to get my water more appropriate for apistos.
Thanks in advance...and sorry for the lengthy post!