Hmmm, I don't have an answer for it either 
Well at least it's a good sign that the pH is under control and the fish are healthier.
Well at least it's a good sign that the pH is under control and the fish are healthier.
SOS!! Ammonia!!
- Thread starter batang_mcdo
- Start date
Really frustrated I tested the water and it was acidic again.
about 4.5 and the kh is 0.
at this rate i won't be able to cycle my tank
can't find whats causing the problem. no more decorations in the tank.
tapwater kh is 3
I tested the water and it was acidic again. about 4.5 and the kh is 0.
at this rate i won't be able to cycle my tank
can't find whats causing the problem. no more decorations in the tank.
tapwater kh is 3
Ahh...you managed to get hold of a KH test kit.
Looks like your tap water KH is relatively low and certainly not enough to maintain a stable pH in a tank with a heavy bioload! What little KH is going into your tank during water changes is being quickly consumed allowing the water to acidify.
If your tap water pH is stable at 7.5 then the easiest route IMO is to maintain your tank pH at the same level by adding bicarbonate of soda.
Use the calculator I mentioned previously to work out how much to dose http://www.dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/calKH.asp
You'll need to go carefully to begin with as pH will go up in big jumps when the initial KH is very low. Put some figures into the calculator and you'll see what I mean!
You may have to accept a big jump to begin with if your KH is truely at zero. The problem will be that before you have a chance to dose with bicarb on the next day, the KH may be back to where you started. If you stop feeding and use strong aeration it will help reduce the amount of KH being used up.
You'll certainly have to dose with bicarb daily until you can get KH above 4.5 and continue to keep it there.
I thought you added crushed coral to the tank? This should have helped provide some KH to a certain extent? Crushed oyster shells in the filter are another option. Anything to stop the KH slipping back down after you raise it a bit each day.
Large daily water changes might help but from looking at your test results this would still cause big swings in pH and alone would still not provide enough KH in my opinion
If the fish are suffering then you may have to bring the pH up quicker than what would be considered safe but that's your call.
Good luck.
Looks like your tap water KH is relatively low and certainly not enough to maintain a stable pH in a tank with a heavy bioload! What little KH is going into your tank during water changes is being quickly consumed allowing the water to acidify.
If your tap water pH is stable at 7.5 then the easiest route IMO is to maintain your tank pH at the same level by adding bicarbonate of soda.
Use the calculator I mentioned previously to work out how much to dose http://www.dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/calKH.asp
You'll need to go carefully to begin with as pH will go up in big jumps when the initial KH is very low. Put some figures into the calculator and you'll see what I mean!
You may have to accept a big jump to begin with if your KH is truely at zero. The problem will be that before you have a chance to dose with bicarb on the next day, the KH may be back to where you started. If you stop feeding and use strong aeration it will help reduce the amount of KH being used up.
You'll certainly have to dose with bicarb daily until you can get KH above 4.5 and continue to keep it there.
I thought you added crushed coral to the tank? This should have helped provide some KH to a certain extent? Crushed oyster shells in the filter are another option. Anything to stop the KH slipping back down after you raise it a bit each day.
Large daily water changes might help but from looking at your test results this would still cause big swings in pH and alone would still not provide enough KH in my opinion
If the fish are suffering then you may have to bring the pH up quicker than what would be considered safe but that's your call.
Good luck.
Hi Nick,Nick660;1429078;1429078 said:Ahh...you managed to get hold of a KH test kit.
Looks like your tap water KH is relatively low and certainly not enough to maintain a stable pH in a tank with a heavy bioload! What little KH is going into your tank during water changes is being quickly consumed allowing the water to acidify.
If your tap water pH is stable at 7.5 then the easiest route IMO is to maintain your tank pH at the same level by adding bicarbonate of soda.
Use the calculator I mentioned previously to work out how much to dose http://www.dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/calKH.asp
You'll need to go carefully to begin with as pH will go up in big jumps when the initial KH is very low. Put some figures into the calculator and you'll see what I mean!
You may have to accept a big jump to begin with if your KH is truely at zero. The problem will be that before you have a chance to dose with bicarb on the next day, the KH may be back to where you started. If you stop feeding and use strong aeration it will help reduce the amount of KH being used up.
You'll certainly have to dose with bicarb daily until you can get KH above 4.5 and continue to keep it there.
I thought you added crushed coral to the tank? This should have helped provide some KH to a certain extent? Crushed oyster shells in the filter are another option. Anything to stop the KH slipping back down after you raise it a bit each day.
Large daily water changes might help but from looking at your test results this would still cause big swings in pH and alone would still not provide enough KH in my opinion
If the fish are suffering then you may have to bring the pH up quicker than what would be considered safe but that's your call.
Good luck.
After more than a month of water changes. adding baking soda. and adding some aerators. my tank now has nitrites / i still try to keep ammonia at 0, but it rises really fast . so now i do huge water change 2 times a day. hope my tank finishes cycle soon
Glad to here things are finally going in the right direction!
It does seem to have taken a long time though. Presumably now you've got your pH stable and are maintaining an adequate KH it's just a matter of waiting for the tank to become fully cycled and all your hard work will have paid off.
Is it really necessary to do water changes TWICE a day to keep the ammonia and nitrite under control?
Anyway, good luck with it, sounds like you're finally getting there
It does seem to have taken a long time though. Presumably now you've got your pH stable and are maintaining an adequate KH it's just a matter of waiting for the tank to become fully cycled and all your hard work will have paid off.
Is it really necessary to do water changes TWICE a day to keep the ammonia and nitrite under control?
Anyway, good luck with it, sounds like you're finally getting there
thanks Nick.
For the past 3 days with light feeding only my ammonia sometimes reaches 8 ppm.
So i have to make 2 water changes per day to try to keep it under control.
But i'm a little puzzled. still can't find source of problem. but now i'm suspecting my matala mats. though not sure since i bought this and they had rat bites and some rat feces, but i rinsed them in water . not really 100% this is the cause.
i have to monitor my ph and ammonia closely.
really appreciate the help will continue to update you
For the past 3 days with light feeding only my ammonia sometimes reaches 8 ppm.
So i have to make 2 water changes per day to try to keep it under control.
But i'm a little puzzled. still can't find source of problem. but now i'm suspecting my matala mats. though not sure since i bought this and they had rat bites and some rat feces, but i rinsed them in water . not really 100% this is the cause.
i have to monitor my ph and ammonia closely.
really appreciate the help
will continue to update you 
Hi,
I sold all my arowanas and left just a piece of silver in my 8 ft tank.
tank still currently cycling. with nitrite and a little ammonia.
Its really taking a long time to cycle my tanks.
thanks.
I sold all my arowanas and left just a piece of silver in my 8 ft tank.
tank still currently cycling. with nitrite and a little ammonia.
Its really taking a long time to cycle my tanks.
thanks.
