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Squawkbert · 05-09-2008, 08:42 AM

While you may be able to remove the filter (eventually, if not now), you will still want some water circulation, so you will want to replace the filter w/ a power head or two positioned so that you have some surface agitation (it need not be noisy, but you want some nice ripples). Having ripples instead of a waterfall will lower your evaopration rate.

You do need to be fairly certain that you have your nitrogen fixing bacteria established in your sunstrate before removing the AC filter. One way to do this is to remove the filter but leave the media cartridge (or at least the foam pad) in the tank for a few days after you pull the rest of the filter (hanging near a PH would be ideal).

If your tap pH is really 10, I'd call the water department as it is illegal to dump water witht hat high of a pH in some places!

If the water comes down to the 7-8 range after sitting out for some time, it's probably gassing off the excessive Cl2 added before it is pumped to you. At any rate, having some driftwood or almond leaves or peat moss somewhere in the tank should help lower pH a bit.

05-09-2008, 08:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
Squawkbert Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 903 iTrader Ratings: 7 iTrader Positive Rating: 100% Plant Points: 59050	Re: pH issues!!! While you may be able to remove the filter (eventually, if not now), you will still want some water circulation, so you will want to replace the filter w/ a power head or two positioned so that you have some surface agitation (it need not be noisy, but you want some nice ripples). Having ripples instead of a waterfall will lower your evaopration rate. You do need to be fairly certain that you have your nitrogen fixing bacteria established in your sunstrate before removing the AC filter. One way to do this is to remove the filter but leave the media cartridge (or at least the foam pad) in the tank for a few days after you pull the rest of the filter (hanging near a PH would be ideal). If your tap pH is really 10, I'd call the water department as it is illegal to dump water witht hat high of a pH in some places! If the water comes down to the 7-8 range after sitting out for some time, it's probably gassing off the excessive Cl2 added before it is pumped to you. At any rate, having some driftwood or almond leaves or peat moss somewhere in the tank should help lower pH a bit.