Huge Shift In Ph Readings..............

[Ruskull]

Huge shift in pH readings, all 3 tanks shown in my signature.

I used to get steady readings of 7.4-7.6 about roughly 6 months ago, and two months ago the pH was dropping to like 6.8-7.0. I just took samples from each tank and I got:

Tap water straight form the tap: 7.4

20 Gallon Sand: 2 days since last WC
6.5 pH
0.0 Ammonia
0.0 Nitrite
40 Nitrate

20 Gallon River Rock: 7 days since last WC
6.8 pH
0.0 Ammonia
0.0 Nitrite
60 Nitrate

36 Gallon Gravel Sand: 10 days since last WC
6.4 pH
0.0 Ammonia
0.0 Nitrite
80 Nitrate

I've done the first 3 tests on each and I'm doing the nitrate test on each as we speak. Any ideas as to why? All tanks have driftwood and a decent amount of plants, I can be more specific if that helps.

 

[ZoddyZod]

does your water company release reports of the water readings? Might be worth checking those.

 

[FishBlast]

What about tap water PH test?

 

[Ruskull]

does your water company release reports of the water readings? Might be worth checking those.

and if those tanks are cycled, I'm surprised to see zero nitrate.

All 3 tanks are very well established & cycled. As I said in the first post, I was taking the nitrate readings as I wrote it. I'll update that post for reference.............the nitrate readings are a bit high actually.

 

[Ruskull]

What about tap water PH test?

I also added a tap water test straight from the tap. It's at 7.4. That is I didn't let the tap water sit before testing it as is recommended. Mostly because I don't klnow how long to let it sit for. Any ideas?

 

[FishBlast]

What about tap water PH test?

I also added a tap water test straight from the tap. It's at 7.4. That is I didn't let the tap water sit before testing it as is recommended. Mostly because I don't klnow how long to let it sit for. Any ideas?

That sounds about the same value that our tap should be at (according to their official data on the website).
I'll get a ph test kit to see mine in the tank next month and also to confirm my tap water too.

So it doesn't say how long to let it sit for on the test instructions?

 

[Ruskull]

What about tap water PH test?

I also added a tap water test straight from the tap. It's at 7.4. That is I didn't let the tap water sit before testing it as is recommended. Mostly because I don't klnow how long to let it sit for. Any ideas?

That sounds about the same value that our tap should be at (according to their official data on the website).
I'll get a ph test kit to see mine in the tank next month and also to confirm my tap water too.

So it doesn't say how long to let it sit for on the test instructions?

No, the API test for pH just says to add 3 drops to 5 ml of water, cap the test tube & invert the tube several times to mix. It doesn't even say to shake the bottle but I do anyway...............

 

[FishBlast]

What about tap water PH test?

I also added a tap water test straight from the tap. It's at 7.4. That is I didn't let the tap water sit before testing it as is recommended. Mostly because I don't klnow how long to let it sit for. Any ideas?

That sounds about the same value that our tap should be at (according to their official data on the website).
I'll get a ph test kit to see mine in the tank next month and also to confirm my tap water too.

So it doesn't say how long to let it sit for on the test instructions?

No, the API test for pH just says to add 3 drops to 5 ml of water, cap the test tube & invert the tube several times to mix. It doesn't even say to shake the bottle but I do anyway...............

Well, I'll end up with a tetra kit most likely, I wonder what the instructions for that one are...

 

[Ruskull]

No ideas?

I plan to do a big water change in the 36 gallon a little later today anyway & I'm not liking the fact that I'll be replacing the 6.4 water with 7.4 water. That's a big swing for the fish no? Assuming I do at least a 50% change, the pH should average out to around 6.9 which isn't bad, but it's still a .5 change.

Also, could my plants have any effect, negative or postive, on the high nitrates? All plants are doing extremely well in that tank. The Wisteria grows right up to the top within a week or two. The Anubias and the Swords are both showing new growth. The Bacopa is growing very slowly.

I thought having a good amount of plants would lower my nitrates and I expected very little change in the pH.