Kh, gh values low but ph 7.5

[toaduck]

As I go further in learning this hobby I have now come to know that my tap is 3° kh and 4° gh. I understand using conversions that this is 53 and 71ppm. I don't understand how my ph can be 7.5 if these gh and kh values are so low. I have cockatoos that Jeff from aquatic clarity said were raised in about 7.2. Should I even mess with lowering ph or will I be fine.

 

[Mike Wise]

My tap water has similar pH, KH and GH values to yours. The water department adds a hydroxide to the water to raise the pH above neutral to protect old steel water lines. With a minor peat treatment my water drops quickly below neutral. If your water remains consistently above neutral in the tank, then my guess is that something in the tank is buffering the water. A. cacatuoides is very forgiving of water values so they should be fine in the values you list. They would probably be more productive at lower pH values, but just try them in the water you have first. There's no sense in 'playing chemistry set' with an aquarium unless you have to.

 

[ADC Nederland]

I agree with Mike. My tap water is about 7 pH and I lower it to 6.5 and most species I keep do fine.

 

[themountain]

I agree also...here in Lima we have 7,3Ph,6Kh and 3Gh coming right out of the tap...I let it run one time through my peat filter and it has 6,6Ph which buffers to 6,2 in the tank with my bio co2 set up. The peat I use is simple one from a gardening shop and I change it every 2 months.

 

[gerald]

GH is a measure of Calcium and Magnesium which has almost no effect on pH. You can make very hard water by adding CaCl, CaSO4, MgSO4, etc with very little pH buffering capacity (KH, or alkalinity). Adding strong bases (NaOH, CaOH, etc) will rasie pH but not add much pH buffering capacity, like your water company probably does. pH can drop quickly once that little bit of KH is used up by bacteria in the tank.