Arghhhhh

[LionessN3cubs]

Just overly annoyed this morning by the fact that I obviously have to start cycling all over. I'd held out hope that some of my bacteria survived but obviously not since 2 days later I still have the same amount of ammonia.

On a side note, I decided to do the add and wait method this time as opposed to the add daily method I did last time ....hoping it goes quicker than the 3 months it took with the add daily method.

I would dearly love some solid ideas on CHEAPLY stabilizing my PH since that was a major problem last time. I have some seashells but feel very unsure if that is a good idea for long haul? Money is a major issue right now, so cheap cheap cheap is the phrase of the month.

 

[kbekll]

bicarbonate of soda is a cheap way or CO2 if you need to lower it

 

[K-Holed]

Bicarbonate of soda won't stabalise your pH, it will only server to raise it temporarily. When you say stabalise, it sounds like your pH is going up and down at the moment. Is this the case or do you mean that your pH is simply too high or low? Unless you're trying to keep particularly sensitvie fish or your pH is way off the scale (higher than 8 or lower then say 6) I wouldn't worry too much about your pH, especially not until your tank is cycled and you can get an accurate reading of the pH upon completion.

Jimi

 

[drobbyb]

Shifting pH may be an indicator of a low KH. Crushed coral in a nylon bag in your filter will stabilise your pH, however you will need to test regularly and do frequent waterchanges as to avoid pH shocking your fish.

 

[LionessN3cubs]

Bicarbonate of soda won't stabalise your pH, it will only server to raise it temporarily. When you say stabalise, it sounds like your pH is going up and down at the moment. Is this the case or do you mean that your pH is simply too high or low? Unless you're trying to keep particularly sensitvie fish or your pH is way off the scale (higher than 8 or lower then say 6) I wouldn't worry too much about your pH, especially not until your tank is cycled and you can get an accurate reading of the pH upon completion.

Jimi

The ph of my tap water is 7.0 at the moment, after the ammonia and dechlorinator it goes up to 7.6 ... The problem is that I have 0 hardness. Specifically my GH is 3 and my KH is 0 ..so ph tends to crash. I learned the last time I cycled that I can't wait...my PH will crash while cycling which makes the bacteria go dormant and stalls my cycle.

Shifting pH may be an indicator of a low KH. Crushed coral in a nylon bag in your filter will stabilise your pH, however you will need to test regularly and do frequent waterchanges as to avoid pH shocking your fish.

Yeah I'd heard about the crushed coral...but there isn't room in my filter to put anything in there. I was HARD PRESSED to stuff a little piece of mature filter media in there, no way am I going to get even a small bag of crushed coral in there I dont think. Its just too tight. I also was hoping for a cheap fix that wouldnt be too high maintenaince yanno?

What about something to raise the hardness and going at it from that angle ? The PH in my water is USUALLY pretty good (sometimes its only 6.0 but not often) so maybe if I could add some hardness to the water so the PH just doesnt crash? I have seashells here but when I asked in another thread I really didnt get a clear answer on what seashells would do ?

 

[Amunet]

I would just use baking soda.
Our pH crashed twice while we were cycling our newest tank, and I used baking soda w/ no problem at all.
We also have to use baking soda anyway after every water change b/c our pH crashes if we don't.
Tap pH is a 7.5 but after sitting in the tank for a bit will crash to below a 6. So weekly water changes, add in more baking soda, and it stays stable the entire week.

 

[Becca .x]

How about crushed oyster shell? You just throw it in, it worked in my tank

 

[Miss Wiggle]

the crushed coral doesn't have to go in the filter hun, you can put it in a little mesh bag in a high flow area in the tank (i.e. best to hang it somehow by the filter outlet) or just sprinkle it over the substrate although that makes it hard to remove it later if you want to. on the plus point with a 0 KH it may be no bad thing to just have some buffering capability in the tank full time.

 

[LionessN3cubs]

the crushed coral doesn't have to go in the filter hun, you can put it in a little mesh bag in a high flow area in the tank (i.e. best to hang it somehow by the filter outlet) or just sprinkle it over the substrate although that makes it hard to remove it later if you want to. on the plus point with a 0 KH it may be no bad thing to just have some buffering capability in the tank full time.

So I could just buy some and toss it in for a more permanent fix? Thats really kind of what I was looking for. Thanks Wiggles! I'll have to go see if I can find some since all I have here are the sea shells.

I would just use baking soda.
Our pH crashed twice while we were cycling our newest tank, and I used baking soda w/ no problem at all.
We also have to use baking soda anyway after every water change b/c our pH crashes if we don't.
Tap pH is a 7.5 but after sitting in the tank for a bit will crash to below a 6. So weekly water changes, add in more baking soda, and it stays stable the entire week.

Thats really the thing. I dont really need to raise the PH because it's fine at the moment...I just need to keep it from crashing in the first place which is what will happen because I have a KH of 0.

 

[drobbyb]

the crushed coral doesn't have to go in the filter hun, you can put it in a little mesh bag in a high flow area in the tank (i.e. best to hang it somehow by the filter outlet) or just sprinkle it over the substrate although that makes it hard to remove it later if you want to. on the plus point with a 0 KH it may be no bad thing to just have some buffering capability in the tank full time.

Great idea!

 

[K-Holed]

The only reason people put it in the filter, is so you get a constant flow over ther calcium carbonate based material and the effect should therefore be quicker. If you put any limestone based rocks into the tank, that will have the same effect. As will coral chips, crushed shells, coral sand. The effect may just take a little longer than expected, depending on the surface area of the material and how much is in there. Which ever one you chose, it beats having to dose your tank on a permanent basis.

 

[kbekll]

http/badmanstropicalfish.com/start_up/start_up7.html

good read

 

[shahrezsyed]

mannn..............
just take a mesh bag fill it with with crushed coral and throw it into the tank...its that simple.
shahrez

 

[LionessN3cubs]

okay, gonna boil the seashells I have here before putting them in.

Do I absolutely need to crush them or can I boil the pretty ones and set them in for decorations to let them leach that way?

I dont want to be annoying, Just want to make sure I do this right since I've already lost a whole tank of fish and am starting all over again.

 

[LionessN3cubs]

okay, gonna boil the seashells I have here before putting them in.

Do I absolutely need to crush them or can I boil the pretty ones and set them in for decorations to let them leach that way?

I dont want to be annoying, Just want to make sure I do this right since I've already lost a whole tank of fish and am starting all over again.

I must be the biggest dummy on the planet. I had this tank set up for a year ...I knew during cycling that I'd had PH issues...yet somehow forgot that the PH issue would affect the fish that I bought after cycling. It just never even dawned on me until just this moment that this is why my fish all died. I came acrossed an article giving symptoms of PH shock in fish. This is why every one of my fish died shortly after a water change ::::slaps forehead:::: Classic symptoms of PH shock UGH