PH in your tank with Apistos?

[Hilde]

I have soft water with ph of 8.4 from tank. It is 7.4 in the tank. How can adjust water or acclimate Apistos for these parameters?

I don't have them yet. I am planning on trading for some next month.

 

[Mike Wise]

Hilde, you have strange water conditions. Soft water is very, very rarely as basic (alkaline) as 8.4. If it truly is soft (<50 ppm; < 3º dKH), then the best way to acidify your water is with water filtered through sphagnum peat. Just add peat-filtered water as water changes until you have the pH that you want. The pH value depends on the species that you plan to keep.

 

[Hilde]

I have planning on trade for Apistogramma cacatuoides.

I found that the water is strange because the city treats it with phosphates.

The tank water has Ph 7.4, gh 4, Kh2. I am thinking that I need a tank to adjust water in for water changes. For recently a Neon Rainbow started swimming up top after I changed the water.

Recently got a Eheim 2032 canister filter. It has three layers. Where do you think I should put peat in it, top or middle or bottom?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Sorry I've read these posts in the wrong order, Hilde have a look a the answer to the previous post, you are right about the phosphate and that is what is causing your strange readings.
cheers Darrel

 

[Mike Wise]

A pH around 6.5 is all that you will require for A. cacatuoides to be very happy. They will actually live and breed in the water at its present pH 7.4.

 

[Hilde]

A pH around 6.5 is all that you will require for A. cacatuoides to be very happy. They will actually live and breed in the water at its present pH 7.4.

So I don't need to make any changes with present tank, just age water for water changes to maintain steady PH?

 

[Mike Wise]

It might not maintain a steady pH. It really depends on the bio-load and amount of water changes. Nevertheless, with regular tank maintenance it should remain slightly alkaline to slightly acidic, which is fine. I will say that productivity of A. cacatuoides is higher in slightly acidic water.