Help Help Hrlp

[littlenemo]

Ph has crashed I have no ph up its at 6 only thong I have is crushed coral sand and bicarbonate

 

[Ruskull]

I would start with a nice water change of at least 25%. Then do another 25% the next day, and the next, etc. Fresh tap water will obviously mix with your tank water & slowly raise it back up. You probably don't want to do more than 25% per day or the pH swing might be too great.

Maybe someone else has a better idea?

 

[justin85]

I would first try and identify what has made the ph drop before you start adjusting or you might have the ph yoyo around and if you have fish in there you will not be good.

I wouldn't use any sort of ph up or anything like that.

What fish have you got in your tank, and what's te volume of the tank ?

 

[littlenemo]

Community tank. 350 LRT with sump. Can't work out why the oh has dropped. Got bog wood could it be co2 system? Did water change still at 6.2

 

[Tizer]

what does your drop checker say for the co2? yes, it lowers PH

 

[Livewire88]

I reckon your Co2 system will be the cause of the drop. In my comunity tank the PH goes from just over 8 in the morning to just under 7 in the evening every day (co2 switches off with the lights so the PH goes back up during the night)

I am surprised the fish dont suffer as a result, but have not had any deaths for a long while in this tank.

 

[littlenemo]

Lost 2 barbs have turned co2 off last night so will check it again. Don't really want to put a buffer in it.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

While notable pH swings can be problemsome for fish, when co2 is the cause the effect is not the same. In nature large pH swings are caused by factors which also cause changes in the KH, GH and TDS. When pH is lowered by co2 injection in a tank, these things are not affected. While you may see KH readings drop when co2 is added, stopping the co2 injection, which allows the KH levels in the water to return to "normal", and the KH rebounds. Moreover, co2 gas addition does not effect GH which also plays a big role in TDS and the potential for osmotic shock.

eited to correct saying co2 where it should have said KH

 

[Livewire88]

While notable pH swings can be problemsome for fish, when co2 is the cause the effect is not the same. In nature large pH swings are caused by factors which also cause changes in the KH, GH and TDS. When pH is lowered by co2 injection in a tank, these things are not affected. While you may see KH readings drop when co2 is added, stoping the co2 injection, which allows the co2 levels in the water to return to "normal", and the KH rebounds. Moreover, co2 gas addition does not effect GH which also plays a big role in TDS and the potential for osmotic shock.

Thanks for this info, very helpful and also it has put my mind at rest

 

[littlenemo]

Just done a 50% water change and it's still at 6.2 don't get it tap water is 7

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Did you turn off the co2?

But i would suggest you check your tap parameters. Fill a container with tap, throw in an airstone for an hour or two and test the pH. I is not uncommom for water to contained disolved gasses- co2 being one. When it comes out of the tap the pH would be artificially lowered until the co2 out gasses at which lets the pH will rise.. This can work the other way where the tap is devoid of co2 and onece in a tank it balances out with atmpospheric levels of co2 and the pH drops.

 

[littlenemo]

yer co2 is off. will test it again in a few hours. lost a mollie as well now

can tap safe mess with ph