Has anyone set up an older tank with original gravel, then had problems with there Ph? A friend of mine set up a tank he got from someone and used the old gravel but is now having a huge Ph alkline spikes, his fish are dieing like crazy and when he tests his tap water it reads nearly neutral. Doesn't have much in way of decorations, just a few plastic plants and the old gravel. Any thoughts?
Problems with Old gravel
- Thread starter dr_sudz
- Start date
It could happen if the gravel was used for salt or brackish, or contains limestone, shell, or crushed coral. The other problem is if it was not thoroughly soaked for a couple days them cleaned, but that usual causes O2 drop and nitrate or even ammonia spikes.
Well I know that he had a big problem with his amonia at the begining of his set-up. The gravel is the crappy black with neon colour bits mixed in. I personally cant stand it, I tend to lean towards a more natural looking tank, drift wood, black or woody coloured gravel, live plants kinda thing. But hey everyone has there own preference. point being that it was from a LFS but we figured that the coating may have come off exposing what ever it actually is and contaminating the waters.
let a glass of tapwater sit 24hrs then test ph to rule out co2 outgassing causing the ph swing my tapwater goes from 7.0 -8.2 overnite just from sitting in a glass.
dr_sudz said:
Your friend might be losing fish due to ammonia spike very common in a new setup tank. I would recommend he completely cycle his tank or minimize the feeding.
Most FW gravel is inert, but good point on the possibility of contamination with crushed coral or other. Gawd, why do people put neon in a fish tank?
there is a way of testing the gravel with vinigar get a peice scrape the coating and put on the vinagar if it reacts (bubbles ) it raises ph and the opposite for netural
now i may have this backwards so i would check this out first cant remember the results 100%
but yeah the safest route is to swap the gravel for some new stuff anyways not a good idea keeping gravel thats losing its coating
now i may have this backwards so i would check this out first cant remember the results 100%
but yeah the safest route is to swap the gravel for some new stuff anyways not a good idea keeping gravel thats losing its coating
