Fast PH changes effects on your bio filttration?

[NOLAGT]

Does the beneficial bacteria in your bio media get effected buy fast PH changes? Like if you have a cycled filter on a tank with 5.5-6.0 PH and you put it on a tank that is at 8.0 will it shock and/or kill the BB in the filter making you have to cycle it again?

If so...how slow do you need to adjust the PH as to not harm them?

Reason for asking is I have a ac110 on a 90 that is at 5.5-6.0 (well water) and I am setting up a 125 for some africans (fronts) so I have to raise the PH from the tap.

Should I fill the 125 and adjust the PH with just a powerhead in the tank and then drop the cycled ac110 on the 125 and instantly jump from 5.5 to 8.0?

Should I put the ac110 on the 125 before I adjust the PH all the way to 8.0 (may take a few days of up and down)

Should I put the ac110 on the 125 and slowly go to 6.0 for a few days then 6.5 for a few days and so on untill im at 8.0.

Also durring this time id like to add amoninna to the tank to keep the AC110 cycled...I am trying to get the tank ready to drop in a bunch of big expensive fish and not have issues. The fish are also 2hrs away so once I get the PH right it may take me a few days before I could have the fish in the tank feeding the BB.

 

[JakeH]

Thats a tough situation bro! I think you should definitely raise it slowly for the BB. I would think its just like salinity & temperature, you have to raise them very slowly over a few days or even weeks. If it were me, I would put the AC110 in my new tank with the same water its used to, then slowly raise the pH over at least a week. I'd probably keep the ammonia at .5 ppm until I left to pick up the fish.

 

[NOLAGT]

Thats what I was thinking on the amn...not so high (4ppm) like when your doing a new tank fishless cycle...but just enough to feed the BB until I go get the fish. One ac110 on the tank will be the cycled one...the other will be a new one. Possibly the .5 - 1 ppm of amn to feed the BB already in the one ac110 will also help spread the BB to the new ac110 (and the new sand and deco in the tank) as I slowly adjust the PH?

Adding the amn as I slowly raise the PH shouldnt effect anything?

 

[Toby_H]

I've read a whole lot abotu Ammonia/Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria and I have never read anything mentions fast PH swings affecting the bacteria... Nor have I read anything that mentions temperature swings within it's preferable range having negative effects...

I have read of situations where temperature swings happen and no mention of any negative affect was mentioned. This leads me to believe that temperature swings within their preferable range are fine...

I also do not think the PH swing would have any negative affect.

 

[NOLAGT]

I've read a whole lot abotu Ammonia/Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria and I have never read anything mentions fast PH swings affecting the bacteria... Nor have I read anything that mentions temperature swings within it's preferable range having negative effects...

I have read of situations where temperature swings happen and no mention of any negative affect was mentioned. This leads me to believe that temperature swings within their preferable range are fine...

I also do not think the PH swing would have any negative affect.

Very cool to hear. I wouldn't think the temps swing would so much...the PH I was worried about.

 

[dwilder]

i have read where ph does have an affect on bb.i wonder if when going from a low ph to a high one if there is any need to allow the bb to catch up or adjust to the difference?

 

[Toby_H]

i have read where ph does have an affect on bb.i wonder if when going from a low ph to a high one if there is any need to allow the bb to catch up or adjust to the difference?

I'm definitely not saying you are wrong... but what kind of an affect did you read PH had? Did you read it somewhere more reliable than a post in a forum?


I have read that some species of bacteria will suffer when exposed to extreme PH ranges... but I have never read anything suggesting that a PH swing within it's acceptible range will inhibit it in any way...

Again, I'm not saying that I know for sure PH swings are 100% safe... I'm just saying I have not read anything anywhere that mentions bacteria and PH swings... with the exception of swinging outside of the acceptible range... ...and both PH levels the OP mentioned are within the acceptible range...

 

[dwilder]

Nitrobacter will grow more slowly at the high pH levels typical of marine aquaria and preferred by African Rift Lake Cichlids. Initial high nitrite concentrations may exist. At pH levels below 7.0, Nitrosomonas will grow more slowly and increases in ammonia may become evident. Nitrosomonas growth is inhibited at a pH of 6.5. All nitrification is inhibited if the pH drops to 6.0 or less. Care must be taken to monitor ammonia if the pH begins to drop close to 6.5. At this pH almost all of the ammonia present in the water will be in the mildly toxic, ionized NH3+ state.
this is from those bioconlabs links i posted in another thread. I know it dose not say anything about swings it does say growth is slowed and that nitrification is inhibited.just wonder if there is a catchup time not saying it would take a long time might be quick if any just might be something to keep an eye on.

 

[JakeH]

nc_nutcase's opinion would definitely trump mine on this, but I would still be careful not to shock the BB. Maybe get it going & do your pH swing over a few days instead of weeks?...

 

[NOLAGT]

Nitrobacter will grow more slowly at the high pH levels typical of marine aquaria and preferred by African Rift Lake Cichlids. Initial high nitrite concentrations may exist. At pH levels below 7.0, Nitrosomonas will grow more slowly and increases in ammonia may become evident. Nitrosomonas growth is inhibited at a pH of 6.5. All nitrification is inhibited if the pH drops to 6.0 or less. Care must be taken to monitor ammonia if the pH begins to drop close to 6.5. At this pH almost all of the ammonia present in the water will be in the mildly toxic, ionized NH3+ state.
this is from those bioconlabs links i posted in another thread. I know it dose not say anything about swings it does say growth is slowed and that nitrification is inhibited.just wonder if there is a catchup time not saying it would take a long time might be quick if any just might be something to keep an eye on.

you know reading this makes me possibly figure out WTH is going on with the tank that the ac110 is on trying to get seeded. My tap water is 5.5-6 (well water). And on this 90 tall I got it used and it was "cycled" but only for a small number of fish. I added my oscars that im growing out and at that time I ahd tested the water and noticed a slight amount of amn. But now the amn has gone off the chart and there are no nitrites and it seems there is slight nitrates....but I cant get the amn down its stuck at 4ppm. With the PH so low what you are saying is maybe the BB cant grow thus leaving the amn so high. I didnt want to raise the PH yet becasue I knew the low PH was probably helping the oscars by making the amn the less toxic kind. So maybe I am holding my self back and I just need to raise the PH some. The tank without the ac110 has 2 x fluval 405's a biowheel 100 and 200. so theres plenty of room for the BB...I bet its the PH doing this....