Question about transfering betta to new tank

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Originally Posted by ChoclateBetta

I dont get this clear as mud?

"Clear as mud" is kind of a joke.... Mud isn't clear. So saying this means that the explanation I gave isn't clear, either. It's like saying that while the explanation is clear to me, it may not be not clear to anyone else.

Originally Posted by AyalaCookiejar

I just don't understand what alkalinity is, lol. I understand that it goes from 0-14 and 7 is neutral and anything under is acidic. I also understand that pH and hardness sometime correlate but they aren't the same thing and there can be hard water with a low pH and soft water with a high pH. Just don't expect me to define alkalinity for you :p

Alkaline (base) is just the higher end of the pH scale.

You can think of the pH scale as divided into three sections:
0 - 6 is acidic
7 is neutral
8 to 14 is basic/alkaline

It has to do with the ions that each produces in water. Acids produce hydrogen ions.... Bases produce hydroxide ions.... When you put a hydrogen ion (acid) together with a hydroxide ion (base), you get water (neutral).

Antacids, such as Tums, are alkaline (basic). They neutralize excess stomach acid. They contain calcium carbonate, which is a base (alkaline).

Corals and limestone also contain calcium carbonate. This is why you can't put them into a freshwater tank. They'd cause the pH to go UP, making the tank alkaline (basic).

Originally Posted by ChoclateBetta

I have 7.6 PH and according to an area chart we are mildly alakine. I do keep Guppies. I jus give Carter IAL usually 3 leaves.

Yes! 7.6 is slightly alkaline (basic).

(I use oak leaves. Eventually, I may get some IAL for them, though.)

Originally Posted by AyalaCookiejar

My pH is 8. DaBaDees is like 7.8 because of his Epsom salts.

Both of these are also slightly alkaline (basic).

Interestingly, the pH of human urine can range from 4.6 to 8'ish, and still be considered normal.

(I don't know the range in bettas! But I'd suspect that since they eat lots of protein, their urine may be slightly acidic (low pH.)

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Still thinking about your alkalinity question....

You can use the same pH scale to help determine alkalinity.

For acids: the lower the pH, the more acidic the solution.
For bases: the higher the pH, the more basic (alkaline) the solution.

For example, two solutions:
A) pH=7
B) pH=8

Solution B (pH=8) is 10 times more basic (alkaline) than solution A (pH=7).

For acidity: you're measuring the number of hydronium ions. (These are also called hydrogen ions, or protons.)
More hydronium ions = more acidic = lower pH

For alkalinity: you're measuring the number of hydroxide ions.
More hydroxide ions = more basic (alkaline) = higher pH

When a solution is neutral (pH=7), it's because the number of hydrondium ions = the number of hydroxide ions. (The solution is neither acidic nor basic.)