Help With Ph Please.

[Paul70]

Hi all.
Sorry to keep posting but as stated previously, I am a noob.!!

Whilst I was doing my fishless cycle my pH was consistently 8-8.2. It then dropped spontaneously to 1st 7.6 and then the next day it was 6.8. As I was still cycling I added 2.5 teaspoons of bicarb which lifted pH back up to 8.0.

after having good readings of 0 for both amm and nitrites in 12 hours for 7 days I added my fish. At this point pH was 7.6.
treated tap water pH is 7.4.

over the last 3 days the pH has crept up to what it is now (8.2) and I am worried that this is harmful to the fish. I have been advised to remove the rocks in my tank (see sig) as these could be the source of the alkalinity which I have done an hour ago. I have also been told to just give it time and the pH will settle on its own.

My ammonia is currently 0.25ppm but does not go above. treated tap water ammonia is 0.5 so my a-bacs are coping with not only the fishload but also some of the tap water ammonia also.

before i introduced my fish i carried out a 95% water change (couldnt get the last 5% out as my syphon packed up.)

the only thing I have added to the new water was some king british aquatic plant food but I have been told that this would lower pH rather than raise it.

Your advice would be appreciated.
ps-sorry for the long post and noobish questions
paul

 

[electropunk06]

How long did you leave it before you tested your tap water, should be 24-48 hours to allow all dissolved gasses to gas off?
I would do small frequent water changes as large swings in PH will harm your fish.
What fish are you keeping?

 

[KittyKat]

Tiger barbs.

I wouldn't worry about the pH, it will settle out over time. My tap pH is 8.0, but tank pH is 6.0 which is quite a big difference, I'm sure you'll admit!

Can you find out your general and carbonate hardness? Maybe an LFS will test those for you, if you don't want to get your own kits for them (which are not *that* important).

Do the vinegar test on the rocks to see if it was them.. the top one I suspect will come out negative, but the bottom right one may not be quite so innocent..

 

[Paul70]

once again kat, good advice. pardon my ignorance. what is the vinegar test?
does vinegar fizz when on an inappropriate rock.

as regards hardness, I know I am in a hard water area according to my local water company. I will take a sample of water to my LFS and see what it tells me.

with regards to water settling, the water had been treated and in a plastic demijohn for over a week so I know that the majority of dissolved gases will have gone. by contrast i tested water straight out of the tap, untreated and pH was 8.2!! so I think that treated, settled water pH of 7.4 is accurate. the local water company says that its supply pH is 7.6 so I am not far off I feel.

I am not concerned about the health of my fish as they are very active and appear healthy apart from being a little pale but I think that this is from stress due to all my changes over the past few days, ie removal of red sword plants and rocks.

 

[Rynofasho]

I would keep your eye on it but not worry about it too much. I'm sure the change happens over several days / hours, and at that rate it isn't all that harmful.

I was really worried about pH initially with my tank too. Out of the tap, my pH is close to 10 (scary, I know), and it settles down to around 8 in the tank. The only thing I have noticed is that I can't do water changes bigger than about 40% or else I can tell the change affects the fish. If the fish start looking poorly, be concerned, otherwise, I think pH isn't as big of a deal as it is always made out to be if you are just looking to keep your fish healthy.

 

[Paul70]

fish seem pretty healthy and happy at the moment. although they do not like to be out in the open when the lights are on. I removed a suspicious rock but 2 others seem to pass the vinegar test so they are back on because the fish needed the shelter/cover.

 

[Aqua Tom]

I would keep your eye on it but not worry about it too much. I'm sure the change happens over several days / hours, and at that rate it isn't all that harmful.

+1

People worry far too much about pH, I know I used to. It is not somthing you can alter easily so just leave it be.

Your fish will adjust.


A~T

 

[Paul70]

thanks for the reassurance tom.