PH out of control

[Fishlabeth]

Hello,
Does anyone have advice on how to get Ph back to normal, I'm trying to set it at 7 or close to. This is a new tank and i know it's cyclying, but is Ph fluctuations normal with cyclying?

 

[kno4te]

Check ur test kit and make sure it’s not old. Old liquid test kits will show volatile numbers like ur seeing.

 

[Fishlabeth]

My API Master test kit is 2 mo old. However, this tank water is reading at 8.8 after Ph down. Day 5 of cycle. There's no fish.

 

[kno4te]

Test ur tap if able. What’s ur water source? Where do u live?

 

[Fishlabeth]

I use my tap and I'm in southern Wisconsin.

 

[twentyleagues]

What's your substrate?

 

[Fishlabeth]

Flourite, clay

 

[fishbum]

Leave it alone. Stop adding things that will make it rise or fall. If you continue to dose PH down it will never be stable. Stop testing the PH until the cycle has finished. There is no reason to test it while cycling. And when it has finished the cycle, leave it alone then too. Stable PH is better for the live stock than having it constantly rising and falling.

 

[Fishlabeth]

In light of your note, I understand testing while cycling is prone to large fluctuations. However, I am only interested in how the Ph would sky rocket after using bacteria starter and Ph down. But will leave it cycle for at least 2 weeks.

 

[fishbum]

If you add things like PH down, you need to be adding it constantly. The reason it jumps up is because PH down only works temporarily. That's why you shouldn't use it. Being in the Midwest, I would imagine you have hard water with high PH. That's why you should just leave it alone, and throw away the PH down.