Floating Cory

[Byron]

So if it spikes should I just leave it alone? Has it been cycling like this for 4 months? Should I do less water changes - like not every week?

No on the last question--your water changes are the single most important maintenance for any aquarium. I realize this is confusing when it is fairly new, but re-read what I've posted in #11 on the pH issues. Water changes result in stability. Adding any substance (like the baking soda) does not, quite the opposite.

This is not a cycling-related issue.

Now that we know the GH and KH are zero, we know the pH will acidify and lower. Let it. Do a regular (once each week on the same day of the week) partial water change of 50-60% of the tank volume, adding only the conditioner.

You can continue to test pH if you like, but just keep in mind it will always be lowest in the very early morning (when tank lights come on) and highest at the end of the day (tank lighting) period. This should stabilize in time. But do not react to any changes, that only makes it worse for the fish and the stability.

 

[AcidCookie]

I see you used it when it was at 6 ph to raise it up, have you been using baking soda this whole time? .

That was the first time Ive used baking soda, it was a quick panic moment, and I didn't have time to do a water change.

This whole 0 KH/0 GH is such a pain in the butt. Ive been reading articles all morning. Im wondering if its best to just leave everything alone to see if it balances, but im confused why it hasn't. Or if I should do something about substrate/other tank additives to change KH/GH

I was planning on upgrading to a 20 gallon soon, and now Im hesitant if that will make it worse.

what a headache.

 

[Kritastrophe]

One other thing to think about is that you want to make the water more stable and not just try to change the ph, but stabilize it. I’ve read adding calcium and magnesium can help increase stability and assist in maintaining a stable ph. Unfortunately water chemistry alterations in regards to kh and ph stability are not my forte. Maybe someone has experience with creating a more stable ph environment with low kh.

Either way lots of frequent water changes is stated in articles to provide a more stable ph in low kh environments so I would start with that.

 

[Byron]

To this issue of buffering pH. Water chemistry is a very complex subject, and most of us are not chemists.

I've previously tried to explain how GH, KH and pH are inter-connected. I've also pointed out that other factors such as the level of CO2 will impact pH, depending upon the GH and KH. There is a mindset in this hobby that we should add this or that to obtain some magical ideal pH. This is not only false thinking, it is dangerous for the fish and for the biological system.

I remember a microbiologist helping me with a problem several years ago who kept reiterating how dangerous it was for me to add any substance to the aquarium. In terms of water chemistry, so many factors impact this that targeting just one aspect is extremely dangerous until we know the natural tendency of this particular aquarium (each tank can be very different in chemistry and biology). And every single substance added can have unexpected consequences because of the complexity of the chemistry. There is no need for any of us to fully understand complex chemistry, but we do need to acknowledge that it exists and not be quick to think this or that needs altering.

All the "advice" one reads about it being essential to buffer the pH with additives because it will crash and kill the fish is misleading. Some fish require very soft and acidic water, some fish require moderately hard or harder water with a basic pH (basic meaning above pH 7.0), and some fish do fine somewhere in between. There is no "one size fits all" in this hobby when it comes to water in an aquarium. First know what the water on its own will do in your situation, then select fish suited to that water. The fewer additives the healthier the fish will always be.

 

[Kritastrophe]

I never talked about altering the ph just about stabilizing the greater than 0.2 ph shifts under a 24 hour period that are occurring in the op’s tank via water changes. My commentary on adding calcium or magnesium was in regards to noting scientific articles having success with negating drastically fluctuating ph in low kh environments to increase the stability in the environment aka to avoid drastic ph shifts - drastic ph shifts that cause ph shock - which kills fish. I wouldn’t add anything as I said earlier - multiple times... just keep up with the water changes and keep monitoring the ph.

 

[Kritastrophe]

Colin just posted on another thread today about low kh and changing ph issues for another member and adding calcium via limestone, shells, etc to help. Here’s the thread if you want to take a look. Might help you with your low - 0 kh and greater than 0.2 ph shifts in under a 24 hour period.
https://www.fishforums.net/threads/...-will-that-happen-too-when-i-get-fish.454200/

 

[seangee]

Colin just posted on another thread today about low kh and changing ph issues for another member and adding calcium via limestone, shells, etc to help. Here’s the thread if you want to take a look. Might help you with your low - 0 kh and greater than 0.2 ph shifts in under a 24 hour period.
https://www.fishforums.net/threads/...-will-that-happen-too-when-i-get-fish.454200/

Corys thrive in soft acidic water. Something else killed the fish as mentioned in several earlier posts - its not pH fluctuation.

 

[Kritastrophe]

Ph high of 8.4 dropping to 6 is a significant change. You’re going two entirely different spectrums in less than 24 hours.

 

[Byron]

Ph high of 8.4 dropping to 6 is a significant change. You’re going two entirely different spectrums in less than 24 hours.

Agree, but this is most likely due to the attempts to buffer with baking soda. In my last post BTW I was not targeting you but responding to the OP's post wherein he/she was considering "if I should do something about substrate/other tank additives to change KH/GH."

The best thing the OP can do is regular weekly water changes, add nothing but a conditioner, and see where the natural chemistry lies. It is much easier to establish this on its own and then select the fish suited. I have gone down Colin's road, more than once, and in some cases it helps, in others it made it much worse. But it most certainly is not the answer here, at least not at this juncture, and from what I can see in this thread should not be the answer.

There is always the possibility that the pH tests (some anyway) might not have been accurate. Perhaps the water authority is adding something to affect pH [I have this here]. Baking soda was added once and that is going to throw this helter-skelter. I just want to calm the OP down and get things clear for him/her.

 

[AcidCookie]

Colin just posted on another thread today about low kh and changing ph issues for another member and adding calcium via limestone, shells, etc to help. Here’s the thread if you want to take a look. Might help you with your low - 0 kh and greater than 0.2 ph shifts in under a 24 hour period.
https://www.fishforums.net/threads/...-will-that-happen-too-when-i-get-fish.454200/

thanks for this and all the input. I definitely want to figure out how to stabilize all my parameters and not just keep buying things to add/adjust. I feel like I have a lot of chemistry in my future.

 

[Byron]

thanks for this and all the input. I definitely want to figure out how to stabilize all my parameters and not just keep buying things to add/adjust. I feel like I have a lot of chemistry in my future.

Yes, and the only way to stabilize is to let the system itself stabilize naturally. It will do whatever it does, and that is the point you want to be at.