How To Raise Ph Safely

[Billsfan905]

I have 3 fish-in tanks cycling, I am doing about 2 30%ish water changes each day for each tank, which has been keeping ammonia below .25. However, the pH in each of them is 6.2. I bought 7.0 stabilizer or something that the girl at the pet store STRONGLY recommended. It is a powder solution I add every water change, she said she has been using it herself. It's been 3 days and the pH is still 6.2!
Any suggestions?
I have a wide variety of fish in the 3 tanks: guppies, mollies, platies, angel fish, gourami, danios, 2 bolivian ram cichlids..
I just want to make sure my fish are O.K.!

 

[Electric Warrior]

I would be doing bigger water changes if I were you, esp. if you are fish-in cycling. Like at least 80%, seriously. Do you know what your nitrAte readings are, because a very high nitrate reading can lower your ph, and stall a cycle, as I know all too well.

 

[Noahs ark6]

1. Never use any chemical to alter PH. It could cause a ph crash which is worse than a stable low one. Your LFS will say anything to get you to buy their products.
2. If your fish seem to be fine then don't change the ph
3. A natural way to raise ph is to add some limestone to the tank and/or add some crushed coral in the filter, this would only raise it to about 6.7-6.8
4. Ammonia needs to be zero, below 0.25 could still be fatal, so as above, larger water changes (70%) will be needed

 

[Billsfan905]

Thanks so much to both of you, I'm going to up my water changes to two 40% ones at least then! Thank you SO much I thought I was doing the right thing by doing so many water changes, I've been to 3 different pet stores and they all make me feel crazy! They say MAXIMUM 20% once a week! I didn't listen though!

My nitrates are at 0

Going to do a water change right now as we speak I don't even mind doing them all day long, I'm a student and have a lot of free time. I just want my fish to be healthy and happy!

 

[jb1997mcd]

Another way to raise the PH is to increase the oxygen percentage in the water. If you increase your surface agitation you will help increase the O2 and remove the CO2. Example- raise your filter outake so it sits above the water surface and splashes down.

As others mentioned. A stable PH is best. Trying to mess with the PH by using chemicals is always tricky and never exact.

 

[Billsfan905]

Thank you! I will lower the water a bit next water change so there are more bubbles

& I`m going to throw out that pH stabilizer. Biggest waste of $10

 

[faildeadly]

Even 40% isn't enough. You need to be clearing at least 70% of that water each time you change it, ideally more. If you're doing 2 changes a day, try and make them 12 hours apart so there are equal lengths of time between changes.