pH spikes

[WMDunkin]

what is the pH coming out of the tap?

I am not at home right now, but to my knowledge it comes out around 8

try peat moss in the filter...should naturally lower the ph over a period of 2-3 weeks at a time, then you have to replace the peat

would i place it somewhere? let it free float?

 

[cchhcc]

Best case would be to put the peat in the NEW water. If you put it in the tank you're just setting yourself up for a bigger swing.

Really, though, you should test your water out of the tap first (let it sit overnight before doing so to let any gasses that may affect your reading escape). Then once you have a reading, you can figure out where to go from there.

Keep in mind most CA and African cichlids (and some SAs) do great in hard water. Also, many that don't have been farm raised for so many generations that they do fine too.

If you do find out your tap is much too hard for your situation, just make smaller changes more frequently or treat it (peat or an R.O filter) prior to adding.

 

[WMDunkin]

Best case would be to put the peat in the NEW water. If you put it in the tank you're just setting yourself up for a bigger swing.

Really, though, you should test your water out of the tap first (let it sit overnight before doing so to let any gasses that may affect your reading escape). Then once you have a reading, you can figure out where to go from there.

Keep in mind most CA and African cichlids (and some SAs) do great in hard water. Also, many that don't have been farm raised for so many generations that they do fine too.

If you do find out your tap is much too hard for your situation, just make smaller changes more frequently or treat it (peat or an R.O filter) prior to adding.

thanks for the info. I am going to look at changing my tank set up anyways and try and get it as maintenance free as possible.

 

[KLee79]

Best case would be to put the peat in the NEW water. If you put it in the tank you're just setting yourself up for a bigger swing.

He's gotta point. i'd only use peat in the tank if it was bigger. in a 10 gal, its so easy to swing either way. is there any way to upgrade to a bigger tank or try setting up a sump under the tank?

 

[le patron]

What are the water parameters stright from tap? i would place a piece of drift wood to lower the ph.

i agree. it has to be your tap water thats causing it and definetly add drift wood

 

[WMDunkin]

well I just changed all the water and cleaned everything. I got a new pump (three stage) as well, with an under gravel pick up. So I will let it sit until tomorrow night and test the tank then test straight from the tap.

 

[WMDunkin]

okay update, I tested the tap waters pH levels and they are right around 8.4-8.5 Now that I have had the water running in the tank with the new filter and pick up method the pH levels are about the same as the tap waters. Now the tank has only been running with the new setup (water and filter) for less then 5 hours.

 

[TwistedPenguin]

but if the pH is reading high without any products then the fish still act odd and/or die. I have gone through two groups of fish already.

It's very doubtful it was because your water was too 'hard'. I give this example all the time, but my Discus are living in water harder than his and are thriving and spawning(eggs themselves won't hatch in hard water though). If you've gone through 2 groups of fish you need to be looking at something other than water hardness.

 

[WMDunkin]

well the only reason I keep going back to pH is b/c that is the only thing that ever gets way off balance. I have a test kit that checks nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, pH, and pH high.

 

[badfish]

First if you changed all your water and cleaned everything and got a new filter you may have a issue with recycling your tank. Test your tap, no ph chemicals you want to avoid swings in ph , test for kh cleaning is not a solution. If you do large water changes you will yo yo your ph that's whats killing your fish.