Confused About Ph

[Spanerman]

Ok yesterday before i cycled my tank i had results of

ph 6
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate0

then today i tested (after raisng to 5ppm last night)

ph 8.5!!!
ammonia 5
nitrite 0
nitrate 0

i added a rose quartz and box wood...would they really effect it that much?!?

could this be why my plants leaves are going black?

there is a picture to show the sizes and layout of the aquarium...

 

[drobbyb]

Bogwood will make your water more acidic (lower pH) not the otjher way around. What kind of sand is that in your tank?

 

[OohFeeshy]

Ammonia forms an alkaline solution in water, don't worry about pH during fishless cycling as it usually goes a bit haywire.

 

[Loony Fish]

that type of sand and that type of rock will raise the pH.
go with some bogwood. that will lower the pH.

 

[loachman]

Don't worry about it while cycling. Ammonia will have a strong impact on your pH.

 

[OohFeeshy]

that type of sand and that type of rock will raise the pH.

Er, playsand and rose quartz? Both are inert...

 

[Thommo]

Just to add weight that the Ammonia does stuff with the PH readings sometimes. If you keep getting the same reading all the time then that might be cause to start looking to see what is happening.

CHEERS
Thommo

 

[Spanerman]

pH is up to around 9 now....

ammonia has dropped slightly

BUT

we have nitrates and nitrites....both quite low readings but it means that some bacteria have formed

 

[Spanerman]

anyone got an idea what i should be looking out for? a sudden drop in amonia, then a spike in nitrites...

the fact that i have nitrites and nitrates should show that there is both kinds of bacteria in the filter, so i just have to culture them to get enough to support fish?

 

[waterdrop]

Did you do a vinagar test on the rock before putting it in? Usually we subject rocks to this to see if the vinegar "fizzes", which would indicate materials that might raise the pH too much.

The information in your thread is too spare to know the background or the goals but I can't think of too many situations where a pH of 9 is good. In fishless cycling its high enough to potentially kill the bacteria or at least possibly stall the cycling. With most common fish, if there are fish in there, its usually too high...

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Spanerman]

^well i am doing degree in geology, i know the mineral is a silicate so VERY inert

my tap water is 7 and ive only added 5ppm of amonia last friday...

what could i try to keep it down? a water change?

 

[hollanda88]

^well i am doing degree in geology, i know the mineral is a silicate so VERY inert

my tap water is 7 and ive only added 5ppm of amonia last friday...

what could i try to keep it down? a water change?

you could do a water change but remember to top up the ammonia back to 5ppm after otherwise you'll be starving the bacteria of food

andrew

 

[Spanerman]

do you think it would be ok untill tomoro? as im in work now and im here all night...?

 

[hollanda88]

do you think it would be ok untill tomoro? as im in work now and im here all night...?

think what would be ok? the pH?

 

[Spanerman]

yeah. to leave the pH that high overnight....dont want it to kill of my bacteria!