Ph Kh Gh

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Fuzzy Duck

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 7, 2009
62
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England
Hello, trying to keep my tank between ph 6.5 - 7.0 but i have a low kh so ph always trying to go down. Iv been adding bicarb to raise kh at the rate of 20ml a week for past 8 weeks but at best only get a reading of 3, my target been 6. Also adding 5ml of ph buffer 8.5 each week just to sustain current levals of ph.
Tank size is 900 ltr and im doing 100ltr water change each week.
Anybody had the same problem and if so how much bicarb would you put in?
Gh at 8
look forward to your replys
 
I would work on adding mroe buffer, and buy raising your kH so will your PH aswell. mabny add some crushed coral to the filter, or calcium carbainate of soem sort and try and get it to about 2degrees (depedns on the test you use i recomend api) wich would be about 2 drops of solution. that shoudl get you aroudn 7 give or tank. a product i find works well too is kh buffer by hagen. hope this helps you, I work at a lfs and iv been using both these methods anmd seems to work well.
 
I guessing the ammonia is crashing your Ph because you are not changing enough water....Try upping the changes to at least 50% a week and see what happens...
 
Wise words, iv got calcium carbainate rocks in, it was my first step when it started going down. I am using Api test kit and 3 drops for kh and 8 drops for gh.
Do you think im reading it wrong?
Iv had water samples from two local aquatic shops when buying fish and using api test kit i got a result of 6kh and 8 gh from both.
i think the course of action im taking is correct but its not making much differance.
would welcome your input on this.
 
All water quality check are fine each week, but when the ph crashed it went from 6.5 to 6.0 to 5.5 in three weeks
 
hmm thats interested yor getting different readings from ur test unless its outdated. you said in three weeks itr dropewd that much, did youi not tdo any water changes in that time? I would do about 1/3 a week depending on ur lifestocl situation. I cna see this happining if you have a heavy bioload. you may have to add more buffer to keep up woth it. also anotyher thign to keep in mind is that if you do have alot of stock and u have a larger buold up of co2 it will create a carbonic acid in the water lowering our PH and not necisaril;y ur buffer. and example is if you test water stright from ur tap it may showe lower ph but whne u get soem oxygen in it flowing it will raise up to the correct level of the buffer in your water. If you alread have really soft water you might not see this difference though. maby adding a air pump perhaps?
 
Thanks for that, the tap water here is soft, only 4 on the kh but 8 on the gh.
i have 100ltr sump filter, 100 fish no more than 1.5 to 2.0" with maybe 9 or 10 fish of between 4 and 6". Tank has been running with fish for 15 months and all test are just were you want them appart for ph wanting to take a rollercoaster ride down.
I do water change each week of 100ltr in 900 ltr tank without fail.
The bit about me maybe reading the kh test wrong has got me thinking but compaired with local shop, i think i must be correct as theres are so much higher.
Iv asked there and they say i must double bicarb input each week.
Will give it a try.
Keep you informed of outcome
 
Hello Again, Just to bring you upto date. Last couple of water changes iv doubled the Bicarb iv been putting and stopped the use of buffer and now my Ph is a little high at 7.5.
Im just doing once a week water changes and adding no Bicarb till it drops to a least Ph 7.0, then i will start to add Bicarb again to raise Kh as its still only reading 4 drops on Api test.
Keep you posted on what happens
I am trying to do all this without any sudden changes to Ph level.
Keep your replys coming as i would like to know your views
Regards
FuD
 
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