Since i upgraded my 29g to 75g, and changed internal filter to eheim canister, my pH dropped from 7.5 to 5-6, is it because of the polishing pad? I tried adding the pH buffer to 7, but 24 hrs later, the water hardness goes back to <6.
water pH around 6
- Thread starter Dominator
- Start date
Don't play mad chemist with it. You want to make extremely gradual changes to it. A swing from <6 to 7 and back is highly stressful to your fish.
I'd check your kH, which is your carbonate hardness. The more carbonate hardness you have, the more resistant you are to pH change. You can directly increase it with sodium bicarbonate - baking soda (not baking powder).
Do you have driftwood? Have you checked your nitrates? Nitrates are acidic and so are tannins, but they wouldn't make major changes to your pH without your kH being almost zero.
Try 8 teaspoons of baking soda, but not all at once. Do something like two a day and test. If your pH drops again then you have something lowering your kh.
I'd check your kH, which is your carbonate hardness. The more carbonate hardness you have, the more resistant you are to pH change. You can directly increase it with sodium bicarbonate - baking soda (not baking powder).
Do you have driftwood? Have you checked your nitrates? Nitrates are acidic and so are tannins, but they wouldn't make major changes to your pH without your kH being almost zero.
Try 8 teaspoons of baking soda, but not all at once. Do something like two a day and test. If your pH drops again then you have something lowering your kh.
ya, i used baking soda to increase the pH, but 24 hrs laters, its back to <6, i have tried it so many times. I used to have a driftwood, but removed it weeks ago.
jschall;3384194; said:
Dominator;3384579; said:
Good move with the driftwood. It can leech tannic acid (a.k.a tannins), which will drive your pH down.
i added a lot of aquarium salt, didn't work. Epsoms salt same as aquarium salt right? i've seen it in 99cents store.ward1066;3384616; said: