[gusto]

Hi Everyone,
Starting cycling a 29 gallon about a month ago and it currently has only plants in it.. I started the tank with tap water (my tap water from Long Island seems pretty good) and prime, I currently have been topping off with a little RODI water( only maybe a pint a week, tank has a cover) . I'm using Fluval stratum as substrate and I have a Penn Plax 700 cascade canister filter. I went and checked the PH today and it was 6.0 (might even be a little lower since that's the lowest it will test) and KH was zero. GH is 8.. What's the best way to raise the PH and KH? I haven't done any water changes yet so I'm thinking maybe it's time for a water change and I have a reef tank so I have crushed coral I was thinking about adding some to the filter do you think that's the best way for raise the PH and KH?

Ammonia .25 ppm (getting lower every day so I think it's winding down on the cycle
Nitrite 1.0 ppm
Nitrate 40 PPM
PH 6.0
KH 0
GH 8

Thanks Gus

 

[ElleDee]

The fluval stratum is a buffering substrate that is reducing your pH and kh. This is what it's supposed to do, but it has a finite buffering capacity and will become depleted over time. Us there a reason you need a higher oh and kh?

 

[gusto]

Thank you for the your quick reply.. No I guess not, I just thought that it was best to have them in range of about 6.2 to 6.4 pH and 1-2 KH being that both are very low on the test kits and really getting no reading I'm just hoping they are not lower than the test kits are saying.. PH says 6.0 but that the lowest it goes and I'm hoping it's not much lower than that. Thanks

 

[jellopuddinpop]

You could always pick up a cheap ph pen on amazon to verify.

 

[MoreliaViridis]

Most plants prefer lower KH. Lower the better.
I would leave it as is.
Check tap. I think it's not that low on KH..

 

[gusto]

Thank you Everyone, will probably wait until it finished his cycling.. then do a 30% water change and see what the numbers look like.. right now all the plants are doing well and I'm just investigating the best way to add CO2.. Thanks