[AquaticLife] My new tank chemistry
More than likely, the 6.5 pH water had an artificially low pH due to high CO2 super saturation and possibly low O2 levels which is what caused the fish to start gasping but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a low pH always means low O2 or high CO2 level. A high CO2 level will lower the pH level but as the CO2 outgases, the pH level will rise to the “natural” or buffered level of whatever the water actually is supposed to be without the artificially low pH caused by the high CO2 level.
It’s important to aerate new tap water going into a tank by allowing it to splash before going into the tank and to keep filters running and/or air stones to allow for proper CO2 outgasing and O2 ingasing.. if needed. This splashing and continued surface agitation allows for outgasing of any excess CO2 that may be in the water coming right out of the pipe since it hasn’t been exposed to oxygen from the time it left the source to the time it comes out of your pipes. When I refill my tanks (with my Python) or when I had several ponds, I would not allow the end of the hose to go under water since then the water coming out of the hose would not be splashing so it would be less likely to outgas the CO2 if there was a high level of CO2.
You can see this outgasing effect when you fill a plastic milk jug with water coming out your faucet without an aerator or at a slow enough rate to where the aerator does not work. Cap the jug and after that water sits for a while, you’ll see thousands of tiny bubbles attached to the inside of the plastic jug. The same thing will happen to the inside of a tank when the “new” water is not splashed or aerated before going into the tank.
I was just trying to find a more detailed article explaining this but the site that explained it in more scientific detail escapes me. I hope my layman’s explanation helps.
Lenny Vasbinder Fish Blog - http://GoldLenny.blogspot.com
Category: Philippines Internet Koi Society
