ph and gh questions

[jamntoast]

my ph out the tap is usually about 7.4, i dont know what my gh or kh is unfortunately. i'm setting up a Tanganyika tank.

1.my first question is should i even bother messing with my water?

2.if i do decide to change my params my plan was to just add both baking soda and epsom salt to the tank volume (1 tsp per 5 g was what i have seen elsewhere online) and replace to the volume of water taken out every wc. am i'm on track there or do i need to bite the bullet and get a gh kh test kit?

 

[DJRansome]

Do you have other tanks? What is pH in the tanks and is it always the same test result?

If this is your first tank I would get the test. Well, one additional Q before you buy...

Are you testing your tap water with strips or liquid tests? Are you using high range or low range pH test.

If you are getting 7.4 with high range liquid test...and no existing tanks...I would get the KH test.

 

[duanes]

I googled the Winnipeg water quality report, and the alkalinity is what I consider about average, so it may have moderate buffering capacity. Which to me means, the more water changes the better. As to whether you need baking soda, depends on your water change routine.
I used to keep a log book and watch the trends of alkalinity and pH before, between, and after water changes.
If alkalinity drops drastically after a month, or after week, you may find you need to do water changes every 3 days instead. If it doesn't drop, because alkalinity in the tank stays high, once every 2 weeks might be enough.
Adding a buffering type substrate such as aragonite also might help.
I believe its more important to do lots of regular water changes, rather than mess with and or guess at the water chemistry. Because water changes usually help to keep chemistry stable.
If alkalinity is low, it means the water starts with less buffering capacity, so metabolism by-products can turn water acidic faster. This will tell you if baking soda may be needed, to solve a problem for rift lake species if water changes are slacked off on.
http://www.winnipeg.ca/waterandwaste/water/testResults/WaterTreatmentPlantTreated2015.stm

 

[jamntoast]

thanks for the quick responses

Do you have other tanks? What is pH in the tanks and is it always the same test result?

If this is your first tank I would get the test. Well, one additional Q before you buy...

Are you testing your tap water with strips or liquid tests? Are you using high range or low range pH test.

If you are getting 7.4 with high range liquid test...and no existing tanks...I would get the KH test.

ph was found using liquid test
i have multiple tanks all of them house south american softer water species (until now, i'm setting up a tang tank, no fish in it yet), i don't mess with the chemistry in them. either way i don't often measure ph in my other tanks, but it has been 7.4 every time i've tested it to my recollection. i think the last time i tested tap it was 7.4 also

duanes my wc schedule is about every 3-4 days anyway on my other tanks so that wouldn't be an issue, but, if i understand what you're saying, i should go without adding anything at first and test regularly over the next month and see what the readings are and if it seems to be dropping between wc's i should think about adding a buffer? i've been thinking about adding a bag of crushed coral or something into the filter as well. that might help keep things higher


as for the fish themselves (shell dwellers) are my params enough to meet their needs being just below normal for lake tang?

 

[DJRansome]

If you use the low-range pH test...that is likely the most you will get regardless of pH. Since you are used to soft water...maybe you used the low range test?

What do you get with the high range pH test?

 

[jamntoast]

If you use the low-range pH test...that is likely the most you will get regardless of pH. Since you are used to soft water...maybe you used the low range test?

What do you get with the high range pH test?

i didnt know there was two different tests. i think the test i have goes to like 9 or something, i will have to check when i go home, i'm still at work for a bit.

 

[duanes]

If you do every 3 or 4 day water changes, I believe your water will be, and is stable, and it sounds like you've got it under total control. Where I lived in Milwaukee tap water pH usually averaged in the mid 7s, and shell dwellers were very commonly bred by fellow club members, and although I never kept shell dwellers, other rift lake species i had, spawned easily in that mid 7 water. e.gs of those were Fossorochromis rostratus, Lepidiolamrologus elongatus, Pseudotropheus de masoni, etc