rainwater

[rdrooster]

I've started mixing rainwater with my tap water to achieve a lower ph for my triple red tank. Should I be adding any mineral supliments? My water out of the tap is already very soft.

 

[regani]

No need. Many apistos live in fairly mineral poor waters (low conductivity/TDS) and even if cacatuoides can be kept at higher pH/conductivity they will still be fine at the lower values

 

[gerald]

If your tap water is very soft, pH will drop fast once the little bit of buffering present is used up by bacterial metabolism, whether or not you add rainwater. Many public water supplies add NaOH to raise pH to protect the pipes from corrosion, but it has very little buffering capacity.

 

[rdrooster]

As I undetstand it, my ph out of the tap is 7.4, but because of my substrate fluval stratum and because I have soft water, the ph will drop fast on it own. I do 5 gallon water change twice a week on my 29 gallon tank. Ive been using rainwater or discuss buffer to lower the ph when doing the water changes. Am I making this more complicated than it needs to be? Do I need to match the ph when doing a small water change?...What would be the proper way to do my water changes?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
You can largely ignore pH in very soft water. It can never be stable.

Have a look a these threads <"Looking to lower pH..">, <"keeping low pH">, <"Collecting rain-water"> & <"Purigen and Discus...">

cheers Darrel

 

[rdrooster]

Thanks Darrel. Ill check it out