# Metro Vancouver water pH @ 7.5 ???



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Vancouver Water | watermatters

Is this actually true? I just did a pH test on water straight off the tap and found it relatively low at 6.6 Double n triple checked it n found the same result. Could it be my old API pH tester!? I'm located in Port Coquitlam (Citadel). What's yours at? Please states your location as well.

This article is from 2011. It mentioned that pH would be raised to 7.5 or higher to prevent pipe corrosion. .. http://yourwatermatters.com/vancouv...er-tap-water-ph-adjustments-no-longer-acidic/

"The current target is to adjust our tap water pH levels up to pH 7 - 7.5. Ultimately, Metro Vancouver Water District intends to raise the pH of our water to pH 8 or higher once the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Project is complete."

pH 8? Seriously? For sure my CRS won't like it. Good for those African Cichlids keepers though!


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

I live in Vancouver and my water readings out of the tap with my meter has always been shy of 7. I think lately it is very similar to your reading of 6.6.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Letting the water sit for a day (6 months or so ago) I was around 6.8 in Surrey. Believe we get the same water source. Don't know when that 8 ph is going to happen, but I definitely didn't witness any of that.


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## Shrimpette (Feb 17, 2015)

Just tested mine at around 6.8, same as always. I'm in south Burnaby near Highgate/King Ed Pets.


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh good! Everyone has similar readings between 6.6 and 6.8. I recall it was used to be right at 7 years ago. I wonder how these guys get 7.5???


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## Arcteryx (Nov 23, 2011)

6.8 for me on the other side of the hill from you.


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## outsider (Jan 13, 2015)

It also depends on the test kit. For example I have 3 different ph result with my condo tap water in Metrotown area.

Nutrafin wide range test kit. (4.5-9.0) shows it is 5.0
Nutrafin low range test kit. (6.0-7.6) shows it is 7.0
API test kit (6.0-7.6) show it is 6.7

After talked with Hagen support turn out Nutrafin wide range test is already acid and highly effect by the KH.

The test kit result is even worse if I use buffers. I follow seachem direction to use 2:1 ration to combie alkaline and acid buffer to adjust the water to 7.0 PH. Whcih turn out.

Both API and Nurtrafin 6.0-7.6 kid show the tank waste is some where aroud 7.5 ph while Nutrafin wide range (4.5-9.0) show perfect 7.0


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

With no buffers in the water, it's pretty easy to make the pH swing one way or the other. Measuring the pH straight out of the tap is not a true reflection of the actual pH since there are loads of dissolved gases in the water which is pressurized in the pipes. Put it in a vessel and wait 6 - 8 hours for the water to de-gas and then measure pH to give you an accurate reading.


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> With no buffers in the water, it's pretty easy to make the pH swing one way or the other. Measuring the pH straight out of the tap is not a true reflection of the actual pH since there are loads of dissolved gases in the water which is pressurized in the pipes. Put it in a vessel and wait 6 - 8 hours for the water to de-gas and then measure pH to give you an accurate reading.


I don't normally check pH. The reason why I checked is to verify if the rocks that I gathered from the landscaping store are ok to use or not. 


These 3 containers of water n rocks had been sitting for 4 days before I tested them. Please see http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/tank-journals-16/fluval-studio-600-knockoff-139217/index2.html for test result.


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

outsider said:


> It also depends on the test kit. For example I have 3 different ph result with my condo tap water in Metrotown area.
> 
> Nutrafin wide range test kit. (4.5-9.0) shows it is 5.0
> Nutrafin low range test kit. (6.0-7.6) shows it is 7.0
> ...


Your API reading is close to my 6.6. I always use API since it is cheap. Now I wonder if these test kits are even accurate. Oh well, if fish n shrimps are happy, who cares right?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

JTang said:


> I don't normally check pH. The reason why I checked is to verify if the rocks that I gathered from the landscaping store are ok to use or not.
> 
> These 3 containers of water n rocks had been sitting for 4 days before I tested them. Please see http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/tank-journals-16/fluval-studio-600-knockoff-139217/index2.html for test result.


Then that pH reading is good. Could just be the extra rain lately (we have slightly acidic rain water due to air pollution from time to time). I also commented on your rocks in the other thread.


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> Then that pH reading is good. Could just be the extra rain lately (we have slightly acidic rain water due to air pollution from time to time). I also commented on your rocks in the other thread.


Sweet! Appreciate it!


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## outsider (Jan 13, 2015)

JTang said:


> Your API reading is close to my 6.6. I always use API since it is cheap. Now I wonder if these test kits are even accurate. Oh well, if fish n shrimps are happy, who cares right?


Ya.. It only frustrate hell of you if you measure ph everyday. I am in very tought spot because I have Fluval shrimp stratum in my tank which pulls the pH down. I freaked out when I saw my red cherry shrimp dead and my tank water pH drop below 5 with Nutrafin wide range test kit. (I had Nutrafin master test kit.) Than It became consist battle everyday to keeps pH around 6.7 bay by adding buffer or even crushed coral and to make thing worse different test kits gave me different results. =__=


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

The buffering of the lower mainlands water is extremely weak. As mentioned it is done to prevent pipe corrosion. A pH above seven will be achieved by using less than 15ppm of soda ash. This translates to less than one degree of kH. This is not a big del. let the water sit at atmospheric pressures for a few hours and the pH will come down. Or use a small amount of acid buffer.


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## LithiumRain (Mar 7, 2015)

I'm in PoCo and my water is always around 6.6 from tap, even after aging. I've read that article too and was very confused as to why my water was under 7.0 ph if the city eventually wanted to raise it to 8.0. I guess for whatever reason they decided to leave it alone. Maybe the mayor keeps soft water aquatics lol.


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## Andrew M. (Aug 28, 2012)

Wait a sec. Please don't tell me they're planning to raise our water to 8 pH...


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

As stated they are, but the buffering is very weak and can be counteracted easily.


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## just.keep.swimming (Apr 18, 2015)

My water in cloverdale has been at 5.0 for the past few months. Anyone know a safe way to raise the ph before I put it into the tanks each water change?


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## dino (Aug 29, 2011)

In Chilliwack I do water tests everyday at the pool I work at . Ph is 7.4-7.6 out of the tap consistently. Also for the question about raising ph you can use soda ash


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