I have a 55 gal cant seem to keep ph above 6.5 now my hot water out the focet is 7.6 and the cold is 7.4 togather i get 7.3 but that only last about 2 days then im down to 6.5 my amonia is always 0 and so is my nitrate and nitrite,i have a fluval 404 and a 204 on it.
Low PH problem
- Thread starter mauricio yearwood
- Start date
Depending upon what fish you have, there's really nothing wrong with 6.5, but consistency is key.
Your tap water is probably soft. Use a mesh bag of crushed coral in your filter. It will slowly raise the PH (slow enough to not harm fish) and help buffer the water so it stays there, consistency.
I have crushed coral in all my tanks, due the softness of our tap water (a KH test kit comes in handy), works wonders.
Ed
Your tap water is probably soft. Use a mesh bag of crushed coral in your filter. It will slowly raise the PH (slow enough to not harm fish) and help buffer the water so it stays there, consistency.
I have crushed coral in all my tanks, due the softness of our tap water (a KH test kit comes in handy), works wonders.
Ed
Well my stak is 3 hujeta gar 2 spotted pike charasin 4 convics 3 jewels 4 albino cory 2 wether loach wons i get my 300 gal ill be ading some firemouth keyhole cichlids rainbow cichlid portacara and hopefuly a salvini
The combonation of low carbonate hardness and heavy stocking will generally result in dropping pH. Does your tap water stay at the tested pH if you let it sit for a couple hours? What is the carbonate hardness, a.k.a alkalinity of your tap water?
Bderick67;1417840; said:
BINGO! Good post!
The biological activity of nitrifying bacteria will "steal" carbonates, so if you don't have well buffered water you will see the pH drop Bderick67 suggested.
By the way, Mauricio, the "0" nitrate reading you gave is suspicious. A healthy tank will always be adding nitrates until you remove them through water changes (unless, of course, you have very heavy plant growth). I'd check your test kit.
tanks for all your sujestions my test kits are a year or two old ill have to get new ones and pick up a kh/gh test kit also
how much crushed coral do you add. i have some in my 20g and it stays at 7.6 almost no matter what but i don't remember how much i added (oops
). i'm upgrading to a 135/filled to ~85g for other reasons but wanted to keep my water params equal,
sorry about kinda hijacking this but reminded me at the time
). i'm upgrading to a 135/filled to ~85g for other reasons but wanted to keep my water params equal, sorry about kinda hijacking this but reminded me at the time
oregonian;1419396; said:
Many variables; PH of your tap, hardness of your water, nitrate load, wood/plants, filter type/flow, etc.
Best advice would be to start small (5 rounded tablespoons) and increase after a few days, as needed.
You don't want to raise it fast anyway, the level isn't as important as consistency.
As an example; my 75 gal (with canisters, 1 KH tap at 7.0, heavily stocked), I use a 3x4 mesh bag (probably 5-10 tablespoons) and it's sufficient to keep it pegged at 6.8, with a KH of about 3-4. For my 210 (sump, same tap, moderate load, plants), I've got a 6x10 mesh bag half full (probably 20 tablespoons) or so, same results.
Ed
anyone have experience using limestone? From what I understand limestone dissolves at below 7.6 pH and then stops when it reaches 7.6 pH. Seems to be a great way to buffer your pH to 7.6 and it should stay there till all the limestone dissolves.