Environmental reactions – pH, also known as acid-base balance.
Carbonate hardness is the content of calcium and magnesium salts, which in aquaristics is usually measured in German degrees.
It is not advisable to adjust these two parameters “blindly”, so to measure them we will need tests – kN and pH. Hardness (kN) is determined by a simple drop test: a reagent is added to a water sample and the color of the resulting solution is compared with the table of values.
Carbonate hardness and pH are key indicators of aquarium water
To determine pH, it is better to use an electronic calibrated pH meter, but various drop tests and test strips will also do. When rather choose a specific moment a pH test, pay attention to its range. We are interested in the range of values from 6 to 8, since universal tests like “2 to 12” will give too vague values. Pay attention to the expiration date of the test.
Be careful, aquarist
You may be surprised to learn that the requirements for water used to raise fish on fish farms are stricter than those for water entering our human water systems.
1
Hard, that is, with a high or extremely high (for fish) content of calcium and magnesium salts. See the recommendations for keeping your particular fish species. Fish can adapt to water with unsuitable hardness to a certain extent, however, such conditions depress them. You should be wary if the kN value is more than 12 different kinds of errors degrees. The exception is African cichlids – Mama Africa, hard water.
2
The pH level of the environment is much more important for fish than for humans. According to SanPiN requirements, the pH of be numbers tap water is from 6 to 9. In aquaristics, pH fluctuations within tenths of a degree are already considered significant. For most exotic species, a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 is suitable, although there are particularly fastidious species.
3
Impurities. Rust, sand, heavy metals, chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, bacteria, viruses – what can’t end up in tap water due to old pipes! The constant presence of harmful impurities causes chronic toxicosis in fish. It worsens during stressful situations and causes mass deaths.