Situation: I have a tap water with high pH (approx. 8.0) and high carbonate hardness (180ppm) and currently keep a variety of Corys, plecos and geophagus. In a few weeks, these fish will move to a new set up with pH= 7.0 and Carbonate hardness of around 40-50). What methods would you suggest to make the transition and over what period of time would you do it?
Acclimation techniques
- Thread starter erik333
- Start date
I would start water transfers from the neutral tank slowly over the next week until my pH was equal. Then the transfer is simple. Water pH doesn't have a huge effect on fish, especially gradual changes over time.
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I'm guessing they are moving from one house to the next? If so I'd set up the new tank, buffer the pH and hardness to match your current home. Do smaller weekly water changes with unbuffered water to slowly bring down the pH/GH to the new parameters.
I'm actually moving with within the same house - but my tap water is on a well and not really well suited for the S.American fish i'll be keeping. I've found that a mix of about 25% tap with 75% RO gives me a great result. So that is what my new tank will be filled with. However, now, the fish are in pure tap (well water) and I don't believe its ideal for them. They are living and growing, but I think they can be a lot more comfortable with softer water. Anyway, i'm probably going to start doing small water changes on the 3 existing tanks with RO water and try to bring down TDS over the next 1-2 weeks before they all get combined into my new big show-tank.
My understanding is the pure RO water will transform into the water its being added to. So if I have a high buffering capacity (which I do with high carbonate hardness), it will not allow the rapid pH swings you might find otherwise. But I am hoping that if my hardness is 180ppm and i'm slowly adding in water with 10 or 20ppm, that it will gradually bring it down some.
I would do a bucket test on the water, water fresh from the tap looses ph over a period of 24 ours faster if aerated., fill a 5g bucket with the tap, run a bubbler over night and you will get a true reading of what your ph will be in the tank. my guess is it should not be an issue. 6.5 to 8.0 really not an issue for SA, unless running a black water tank. after bucket test would not be surprised if water is around 7.2.
