How Can I bring my PH up

[meghanashley]

What are ways to bring up my ph to a more neutral ph level. I did another test in my new tank and it's at a 6, tire track does not seem happy, I've done a water change already. I used vinager to get off hard water stains, when my tire track had jumped out of the tank I had thought maybe this was the issue but the ph test was higher more towards a 7 (like a 6.6 6.7) when I tested it, how can this be (that it would become more acidic) after water changes. My test kit is less than a year old. I just tested my tap incase something weird had changed and its testing neutral. Any suggestions to up the ph before the stores open?

Thanks

 

[meghanashley]

alright I did the baking soda trick and the water is now testing a solid 7 (hopefully the sudden swing dosn't do more damage than good), tomorrow I will pick up some crushed coral for the tank. My tire track looks terrible, he's the only one in the tank who seems to be upset/ in trouble, I've never seen him so pale. I tried to put him in another tank that was completely established ..... but he wasn't having it. The fact that my new tank is 29" high does not make for an easy catch anymore. I hope he makes it, his face has darkened up a bit but he is still very pale. I also am expecting the new tank to probably go through some type of mini cycle even though I had 4 aged filters on the the tank, two of them had to be cleaned out for the possibility of parasite when I switched them over to another tank. They are cleaned and back on this tank but with no beneficial bacteria to help, the other filters. Guess this thread is considered a rant of sorts its 5am here and I should be sleeping.

 

[GarNiac]

add stones

 

[Dmaan.]

can't you just add like wood and stuff to bring your ph up at all?

 

[Lupin]

What are the hardness levels? Seems your hardness levels are very low if your pH is dipping a lot.

Dmaan, driftwoods release tannic acids and tannic acids LOWER pH.

 

[Dmaan.]

thanks lupin, i learned something, legit.

this stuff is what makes fish keeping interesting.

 

[meghanashley]

What are the hardness levels? Seems your hardness levels are very low if your pH is dipping a lot.

Dmaan, driftwoods release tannic acids and tannic acids LOWER pH.

Only once before in the three years of living here has my ph been lower than a 7 but it's never dipped this low. I have no idea about the hardness of the water, I've never tested for it before. My tire track is now breathing very heavy, and is still very pale.

Does the fact that I scrubbed this tank with vineger to get the hard water stains off make sense that as the cause of this?

 

[Lupin]

Yes, vinegar is acidic. Do another water change and test both KH and GH.

 

[meghanashley]

I'll have to get a kit for it my API kit does not have test for it. I just put my tire track in my beta's 10g, I do not think he is going to make it. This has been a really crappy week for me and my fish.

Everyone else in the 160 seems absolutely fine but I will do another water change, I did about a 20% last night, because I'm trying to let the tank fully established I did not want to do excessive water changes, as I said I'm anticipating a mini cycle and am just waiting for the amonia and nitrite to start to go up, they haven't as of yet.

 

[meghanashley]

my boy righted himself after lying on his side and breathing heavy for hours, although I'm still kicking myself in the butt, I'm thinking that he'll be o.k. I'm going to head out to the store for those hardness test kits and some crushed coral.