Low pH/kH in Water, Low = Bad? Options

[Hamad]

I did a water test and my nitrate level is less than 10. There is no nitrite or ammonia, so the water is perfect and I do around 50% water changes every 2-3 days. There's also good filteration and high aeration and heater set at 30C.

But to my shock, the PH/KH are very low and they probably were for awhile because I did not test PH/KH for months as I don't buffer or try to make any changes to it. KH is less than 3d and the PH less than 6.4.

I did a test to the tap water and the results are very much the same. Does this low (but stable) level of PH/KH could have a side affect on the fish?

I notice that my fish usually show stress (very low energy) even though I feed a healthy mixed diet [different pellets, bloodworms, spinach, etc...] also as I mentioned earlier water is great and temperature at 30c which means fish should be more active than this. Could the PH/KH have something to do with this?

[bekko]

There is nothing wrong with a pH 6.5 unless it is an indication that your pH is falling and could crash. The fact that your pond and tap are the same indicates that your water exchange is sufficient to keep up with the production of acids by decomposition of organic matter.

Goldrush is probably right about the meter/kit. You can check your equipment against a saturated solution of baking soda in distilled water and it should read eight-point-something. Where's CP? What's that number again? Where's that thread?

-steve

[goldrush]

There is nothing wrong with a pH 6.5 unless it is an indication that your pH is falling and could crash. The fact that your pond and tap are the same indicates that your water exchange is sufficient to keep up with the production of acids by decomposition of organic matter.

Goldrush is probably right about the meter/kit. You can check your equipment against a saturated solution of baking soda in distilled water and it should read eight-point-something. Where's CP? What's that number again? Where's that thread?

-steve

8.4

Here's where I started and how CP elaborate further with his test:

http://www.rafflesgold.com/forums/index.ph...amp;#entry55267




goldrush