Cycling Done! Now Ph Questions. Thanks

[memder]

Finally, after loosing several fish , the ammonia and nitrite is zero now in my 10g tank!

The next task is going to be about the PH. My tap water has a PH about 7.2 (it is also quite hard), but now the water in the tank is about 7.6. Why? What in the tank makes the PH arise?

I have a flame gourami, a powder blue gourami, a silver dollar, a red tail shark and a seperated betta in my 10g tank. With these fish, is it O.K. to let the tank water be 7.6?

If I should lower the PH in my tank, what is the best way to do it without affecting the newly established bacteria? I have Jungle Correct PH tablet in hands, but am reluctent to use it. Is it safe for bio-filtation?

Seachem also has an acid buffer, which says it is good for tank with plants. Is that buffer good for bacteria?

Thanks for your opinion!

 

[waterdrop]

Congrads on getting to the end of "Fish-In" cycling: Have you tested Zero ammonia and nitrites for two days running? That is mentioned by many here as the end test of fish-in cycling.

Cause of .4 increase in pH: Is anything going in to the tank (besides conditioner to dechlor water changes?) Do you have any limestone or corel ornaments? If not, keep trying to think of things that might be raising pH and post them here.

pH range of 7.2(tap) to 7.6(current): Since this is well within a good range for a community tank, you should definately consider leaving this alone. It is difficult to change pH and especially hard to do a steady job of lowering it. It is almost always better to try hard to stick with whatever your tap gives you.

very hard water: Have you measured it? KH kit would tell you what you should know.

You did well to resist putting in pH changers, most here say to resist doing that as much as possible.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[memder]

Thanks!

I did test it for a three-day running. It is ALWAYS a zero! Hiahia!

I do not use any thing except the Prime water conditioner. I have no limestone or corel in the tank. Instead, a small driftwood and a good amount of real plants are there. All the things in the tank are supposed to control the PH level, but seems do not work very much.

Well, let me wait and see. Hopefully water change will gradually reduce the PH level.

Congrads on getting to the end of "Fish-In" cycling: Have you tested Zero ammonia and nitrites for two days running? That is mentioned by many here as the end test of fish-in cycling.

Cause of .4 increase in pH: Is anything going in to the tank (besides conditioner to dechlor water changes?) Do you have any limestone or corel ornaments? If not, keep trying to think of things that might be raising pH and post them here.

pH range of 7.2(tap) to 7.6(current): Since this is well within a good range for a community tank, you should definately consider leaving this alone. It is difficult to change pH and especially hard to do a steady job of lowering it. It is almost always better to try hard to stick with whatever your tap gives you.

very hard water: Have you measured it? KH kit would tell you what you should know.

You did well to resist putting in pH changers, most here say to resist doing that as much as possible.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Miss Wiggle]

congrats on getting the tank cycled, i wouldn't worry about the pH, it's not that high and for the fish you have sould be fine.

what i would worry about however is the fish you have, nearly all of them will get too big for your tank. the betta is fine and possibly the gouramis (although they can't be kept together) depending which species they actually are (there's lots of different common names used, could do with either pics of them or the latin/scientific names to identify the species that you have, some get too big for the tank some are ok).