My tap water runs about 7.0 and once it’s in the tank running it usually is around 6.8. I heard to just not mess with your water but after about a year of keeping African cichlids I wanted to try and increase it a bit. I had a bag of “Natures ocean saltwater substrate” lying around so I put some into a filter bag and put it in my HOB because I was/am pretty sure it’s just crushed coral. I also added 1 tsp of baking soda (reading 1tsp for every 5 gal) I wanted to just do it gradually so I only added 1 tsp for my 40 gallon tank. I tested ph before I did this to get around 6.8 and then I went to test it about 30 mins after I put the crushed coral and baking soda in to get maxed out on the ph test so I went to high ph test and it maxed that out too at dark purple 8.8??.. I tested it again and again and kept getting different results.. If the ph changed that quickly would the fish be showing any symptoms? They seem to be doing fine but the ph isn’t consistent. Any help/advice appreciated thank you
PH fluctuating quickly
- Thread starter XtaC
- Start date
Sounds like you may have done a bit too much. Aragonite makes an amazingly effective buffer by itself. What is the system doing now after 12 hours? It should have stabilized wherever it will end up by now.
Not all fish are too bothered by changes in pH, rather TDS and osmotic shock. I would utilize a few water changes and use a more stable method such as Argonite alone. Test your kH and gH out of the tap as well, what does that give?
Falling pH is a result of metabolism, and/or low buffering capacity(KH, as kdrun mentioned) in tap water.
Dropping from 7.0 to 6.8 pH, is a fairly normal drop with a small water change, because there is constant metabolism going on in the substrate, filters of an established tank, and produced by fish respiration and waste production ( especially if your tap water has low buffering capacity (AKA alkalinity/low KH (low calcium hardness, and if the tank is overstocked (or fish too big for the space))
pH will inevitably drop.
This is one of the reasons why frequent regular water changes are important, to keep from pH crashing (6.8 to 7 is not a crash). Adding baking soda with a water change helps bolster alkalinity, but its only temporarily.
The suggestion of using aragonite, or crushed oyster shell as substrate provides some constant buffering, but diluting metabolism by products (acids that drop pH) with more frequent water changes is your main remedy.
Dropping from 7.0 to 6.8 pH, is a fairly normal drop with a small water change, because there is constant metabolism going on in the substrate, filters of an established tank, and produced by fish respiration and waste production ( especially if your tap water has low buffering capacity (AKA alkalinity/low KH (low calcium hardness, and if the tank is overstocked (or fish too big for the space))
pH will inevitably drop.
This is one of the reasons why frequent regular water changes are important, to keep from pH crashing (6.8 to 7 is not a crash). Adding baking soda with a water change helps bolster alkalinity, but its only temporarily.
The suggestion of using aragonite, or crushed oyster shell as substrate provides some constant buffering, but diluting metabolism by products (acids that drop pH) with more frequent water changes is your main remedy.