PH advice for new ray kepper

[Hawkfish3.0]

Yeah bro you might consider the crushed coral idea in your media baskets..

your kH is so weak ANY sort of waste build-up in the tank will drop that pH, more and more.. you might discontinue feeding or cut way back for a few days, it only makes it worse. Also make sure your filtration media is clean because any extra detritus will not only strip the kH but is also acidic and will drop the pH.

plus, ammonia and nitrites are more toxic at the lower pH levels. You need to get a handle on this quickly.

 

[FOX-P2]

ammonia is less toxic at lower ph levels, gets converted to ammonium

 

[csx4236]

Just add some PH buffer to get it up to 7.0 and then do more water changes with tap water to keep it there

 

[Hawkfish3.0]

ammonia is less toxic at lower ph levels, gets converted to ammonium

Ah, yes, you are correct!

I always seem to get my chemistry backwards!

Thank you for the correction!

 

[fizz08]

Yeah bro you might consider the crushed coral idea in your media baskets..

your kH is so weak ANY sort of waste build-up in the tank will drop that pH, more and more.. you might discontinue feeding or cut way back for a few days, it only makes it worse. Also make sure your filtration media is clean because any extra detritus will not only strip the kH but is also acidic and will drop the pH.

thnx for the reply mate. So if i add some crushed coral will the PH not go even higehr as I start doing water changes with tap? Sorry for all the questions but im worried that the rays are going to die? So far the ph has started to come back down againa nd currently on 4.74

 

[fizz08]

just visisted the LFS and was told that they had no crushed coral left but they also said that coral gravel will work in the same way so bought that. Can some1 confirm this will be ok before i pop it in the canister filter?

 

[Hawkfish3.0]

One teaspoon of baking soda per 50 liters of water will do the trick.

You may want to read this:

http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html

 

[fizz08]

One teaspoon of baking soda per 50 liters of water will do the trick.

You may want to read this:

http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html

Thanks for that, a great help. Ill add half a teaspoon to the 25ltr change I do tomorrow. Ive put in the coral gravel (approx 1kg) and the ph seems to be going up again, currently on 4.79. Im hoping that it sticks around 6 then I can do some more changes to get it round 6.5/7 which is my tap water PH.

 

[Nic]

yes any buffering substrate will work....

 

[fizz08]

Right PH is now up to 5.02, is this ok guys or shall I take some coral gravel out?